The overthrow of Hawaii's queen was instigated by which group?

• A. American business interests
• B. British merchants
• C. Japanese settlers
• D. Native Hawaiian nobles

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that powerful American business interests, especially sugar planters and investors in Honolulu, drove the overthrow. They feared losing favorable economic conditions as the monarchy could threaten their profits, so they used their influence to strip the queen of power and push for a government that would protect their interests. This culminated in the 1893 coup organized by the Committee of Safety, with support from U.S. officials and Marines, leading to a provisional government under Sanford Dole and the push toward eventual annexation by the United States.

British merchants were not the force behind the action, and Japanese settlers and Native Hawaiian nobles did not initiate the overthrow; many among these groups had different aims or supported the queen.