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On, July 7, 1898 U.S. President William McKinley signed the Newlands Resolution, a joint resolution of Congress that annexed the Hawaiian Islands to the United States.

McKinley had already negotiated a treaty of annexation with the Republic of Hawai‘i in 1897, but it stalled in the Senate for want of a two-thirds majority required for treaties. When the Spanish–American War broke out in 1898, Hawai‘i’s value as a mid-Pacific coaling and naval base on the route to the Philippines became obvious and Congress took the joint-resolution route ... which required only a simple majority.

Formal transfer of sovereignty followed on August 12, 1898, with a flag-raising ceremony on the steps of the Iolani Palace in Honolulu.

For information on the Newlands Resolution see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newlands_Resolution

Cut Square
Republic of Hawaii: Provisional Issue
Honolulu Harbour and Diamond Head
Issued on August 15, 1893 ... on April 8, 1884 envelopes still on hand after Queen Lili'uokalani was desposed
5c, Deep-blue Indicia, Overprinted in red, PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT: / 1893
cut from Sc. U12