1. why did william seward want the united states to purchase alaska?

2. why did the queen of hawaii yield her authority or the united states?

3 which of the following events started the spanish american war?

1. It was a gateway to the Klondike gold fields.

2. This was a fairly convoluted mess. 
Hawaii became a prized location for it's production of pineapples and other highly valuable products. 
It attracted the likes of American, European money men - big business men with the knowledge of how to build their own little country. 
Hawaii also attracted a mega amount of foreign laborers -- from South America and, most dangerously, Japan. 
Queen Liliuokalani BEGGED the US to annex Hawaii 3 times. 
In 1898 President of the United States William McKinley signed the treaty of annexation for Hawaii, but it failed in the Senate. 
The American/European business interests had a LOT of pull --- a lot of people in Washington had money invested in it also. 
These American/European business interests decided to take over the country for themselves -- exactly what the Queen was afraid of. 
After the failure, Hawaii was annexed by means of joint resolution, called the Newlands Resolution. 
The American/Europeans decided to set up a government totally amongst themselves -- making their own little country. 
Which would be awesome for THEM -- the US power sitting in the harbor. 
Queen Liliuokalani knew this and needed to get the Hawaiian back into Hawaii and be citizens instead of hard labor--- she requested to the US once again for full annexation of Hawaii to the US and sited unlawful take-over of government offices and the removal of the royal family. 
With Japan watching everything -- the US Senate finally decided full annexation, which would eventually advance to statehood. 
It would also curb the activities of their citizens with illusions of kingdomship.

3. On April 25, 1898 the United States declared war on Spain following the sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898.
-https://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/intro.html