Key Events
- Interest in Hawaii began early as 1820's
- Americans obtained foothold in Hawaii due to the Sugar trade
- U.S. government provided terms to sugar growers that were generous & profitable
- Profits began to increase after Civil War
- In 1890, congress approved the McKinney Tariff
- Tariff raised import rates on foreign sugar
- Hawaiian sugar planters was being undersold in American market
- As a result, the islands were swept with depression
- The same time Hawaiian throne was given to Queen Liliuokalani
- The queen determined that foreign interference was the key root to Hawaii's problems