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The Kūʻē (Hawaiian: "opposition") Petitions of 1897 were a protest against the annexation of Hawaii by the United States. Also referred to as the "monster petition".
Contents
History
The majority of the native population in Hawaii in the late 1890s was vociferously opposed to annexation. In a single weeklong petition drive in 1897, 21,000 signatures — representing well over half of the native adult population of Hawaii at the time — were procured by horseback, boat and foot travel. These petitions were hand-carried to Washington and delivered to the United States Senate.
Text
The text of the petitions is as follows:
"To his Excellency WILLIAM McKINLEY, President, and the Senate, of the United States of America. Greeting - Whereas there has been submitted to the Senate of the United States of America a treaty for the Annexation of the Hawaiian Islands to the said United States of America, for consideration at its regular session in December A.D. 1897; therefore,
We the undersigned, native Hawaiian citizens and residents of the district of.............Island of.........who are members of the Women's Hawaiian Patriotic League of the Hawaiian Islands, and others who are in sympathy with the said league, earnestly protest against the annexation of the said Hawaiian Islands to the United States of America in any form or shape."
Effect
After receiving the petitions, the United States Senate in 1898 failed to approve the annexation treaty by the necessary two-thirds majority. Annexation was then effected under the Newlands Resolution.