Whalers continually resorted to them for supplies.

Their natives shipped on American vessels and came in numbers to California in early gold-mining days.

American missionaries attained their most striking success in the Hawaiian Islands and not only converted the majority of the natives but assisted the successive kings in their government.

The descendants of these missionaries continued to live on the islands and became the nucleus of a white population which waxed rich and powerful by the abundant production of sugar cane on that volcanic soil.
In view of this tangible evidence of intimacy on the part of the United States with the Hawaiian Islands, Webster in 1842 brought them within the scope of the Monroe Doctrine by declaring that European powers must not interfere with their government.

Marcy, Secretary of State, framed a treaty of annexation in 1853, but the Hawaiian Government withdrew its assent.