When Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii assumed the throne in 1891 and tried to reassert her sovereignty in the face of increasing foreign interference, she was deposed by a small group of American businessmen, with the support of the American diplomats and the U.S. Navy. On July 7, 1898, the Hawaiian Islands were annexed to the United States by a joint resolution of Congress. Shown here is her letter of protest to the U.S. House of Representatives, dated December 19, 1898.
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Today’s Document from the National Archives