America’s early influence can be traced to two main groups within Hawaii. The first group was comprised of protestant missionaries sent to the Hawaiian islands to convert the Hawaiians to Christianity. They exerted a powerful influence on the Hawaiian monarchy and by extension the Hawaiian people. The second group were merchants, especially those catering to the whaling ship fleet which called on the Hawaiian islands for supplies.

Many of the children and subsequent generations and children of the original missionaries leveraged their influence with the Hawaiian Monarchy and people to gain influential positions within the government, exclusive trading rights, and extensive landholdings. These landholdings were eventually converted into plantations producing sugar and other crops for primarily mainland U.S. consumption and dependent upon these markets and the importation of cheap Japanese and Chinese labor to run them.

As the mercantile ties with the U.S. increased, the independence of the Hawaiian monarchy increased as well signaling potential danger for American merchants should the monarchy not support their policies. At the same time, protectionist tariffs against Hawaiian sugar exports threatened to ruin American merchants. One clear solution was for the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands to the United States.

The overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy occured in 1893 under the leadership of Sanford B. Dole (the first governor of Hawaii and yes, of pineapple fame). It was supported by the landing of American troops with the connivance of the local commander, although it was roundly criticized by the U.S. goverment. Nonetheless, within a few years, Hawaii would be annexed as a U.S. territory, and acquire statehood after WWII.