On July 7, 1898, President William McKinley signed a joint resolution of Congress annexing Hawaii to the United States. The move followed years of American economic and political involvement in the islands, including the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. Supporters argued that annexation would strengthen U.S. strategic and commercial interests in the Pacific. Critics condemned the treatment of native Hawaiians and the loss of their sovereignty. Hawaii became a U.S. territory and later the 50th state in 1959. The annexation remains a subject of historical and political debate.
