"I yield to the superior force of the United States of America. . . . To avoid any collision of armed forces and perhaps the loss of life, I do this under protest, and impelled by said force, yield my authority."
—Queen Liliuokalani, letter to the United States government, 1893
Use the quote to answer the question.
Which of the following best explains why Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani issued this statement?
A. Queen Liliuokalani did not want to keep her authority in Hawaii.
B. Queen Liliuokalani believed that Hawaii would keep its full independence as part of the United States.
C. Queen Liliuokalani realized that trying to maintain Hawaii’s independence could lead to armed conflict.
D. Queen Liliuokalani wanted to cooperate with the United States to increase Hawaii's prosperity.