In the late 19th century, as the US pursued imperialism, the annexation of Hawaii became a major goal. However, Hawaii was a sovereign kingdom, and its queen Lil’ukalania, strongly opposed the American forces. In 1877, she wrote a letter to President McKinley regarding a treaty that would give the US control over Hawaii. Despite her objections, the annexation proceeded. In the queen's letter, she uses a combination of strategies to effectively argue against the annexation of Hawaii, emphazizing the moral and legal injustices. Queen Lili'uokalani passionately argues against the ratification of the treaty that would annex Hawaii, she highlights the injustice of disregarding Hawaiian sovereignty and the lack of consent from the Hawaiian people.