Sanford Dole wanted the United States to annex Hawaii so he wouldn't have to deal with the sovereign rulers of Hawaii interfering in his pineapple and fruit production. Before US annexation, the Hawaiian Islands had been ruled as a sovereign nation. US citizens began opening businesses on the islands in the 19th century, most notably Dole and his fruit production. These US individuals did not like having to follow the rules and laws of the sovereign states and thus encouraged (through a number of unscrupulous tactics) the US to annex the islands so they could have a more business-friendly climate.