The history of Hawaii began with the discovery and settlement of the
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...
by
Polynesian people
Polynesians are an ethnolinguistic group comprising closely related ethnic groups native to Polynesia, which encompasses the islands within the Polynesian Triangle in the Pacific Ocean. They trace their early prehistoric origins to Island Sout ...
between 940 and 1200 AD.
The first recorded and sustained contact with Europeans occurred by chance when
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
explorer
James Cook
Captain (Royal Navy), Captain James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer famous for his three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, conducted between 176 ...
sighted the islands in January 1778 during his
third voyage of exploration. Aided by European military technology,
Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiʻea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiʻikui Kamehameha o ʻIolani i Kaiwikapu kauʻi Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; to May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii ...
conquered and unified the islands for the first time, establishing the
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ɛ ɐwˈpuni həˈvɐjʔi, was an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country from 1795 to 1893, which eventually encompassed all of the inhabited Hawaii ...
in 1795. The kingdom became prosperous and important for its agriculture and strategic location in the Pacific.
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
immigration, led by Protestant
missionaries
A missionary is a member of a religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Miss ...
, and Native Hawaiian emigration, mostly on whaling ships but also in high numbers as indentured servants and as forced labor,
began almost immediately after Cook's arrival.
Americans established plantations to grow crops for export. Their farming methods required substantial labor. Waves of permanent immigrants came from
Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
,
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, and
the Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of 7,641 islands, with a total area of roughly 300,000 square kilometers, which ar ...
to labor in the cane and pineapple fields. The government of Japan organized and gave special protection to its people, who comprised about 25 percent of the Hawaiian population by 1896. The Hawaiian monarchy encouraged this multi-ethnic society, initially establishing a constitutional monarchy in 1840 that promised equal voting rights regardless of race, gender, or wealth.
The population of Native Hawaiians declined precipitously from an unknown number prior to 1778 (estimated to be around 300,000). It fell to around 142,000 in the 1820s based on a census conducted by American missionaries, 82,203 in the 1850 Hawaiian Kingdom census, 40,622 in the final Hawaiian Kingdom census of 1890, 39,504 in the sole census by the Republic of Hawaii in 1896, and 37,656 in the first census conducted by the United States in 1900. Thereafter the Native Hawaiian population in Hawaii increased with every census, reaching 680,442 in 2020 (including people of mixed heritage).
In 1893 Queen
Liliʻuokalani
Queen Liliʻuokalani (; Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Kamakaʻeha; September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917) was the only queen regnant and the last sovereign monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom, ruling from January 29, 1891, until the overthrow of th ...
was illegally deposed and placed under
house arrest
House arrest (also called home confinement, or nowadays electronic monitoring) is a legal measure where a person is required to remain at their residence under supervision, typically as an alternative to imprisonment. The person is confined b ...
by businessmen (who included members of
the Dole family) with help from the
U.S. Marines.
The
Republic of Hawaii
The Republic of Hawaii (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Lepupalika o Hawaii'' epupəˈlikə o həˈvɐjʔi was a short-lived one-party state in Hawaii, Hawaii between July 4, 1894, when the Provisional Government of Hawaii had Black Week (H ...
governed for a short time until Hawaii was annexed by the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in 1898 as the
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Panalāʻau o Hawaiʻi'') was an organized incorporated territories of the United States, organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from Apri ...
. In 1959, the islands became the
50th American state.
Ancient Hawaii
Discovery and settlement

The date of the first settlements is a continuing debate.
Kirch's textbooks on Hawaiian archeology date the first Polynesian settlements to about 300, although his more recent estimates are as late as 600. Other theories suggest dates as late as 700 to 800.
The most recent survey of
carbon-dating
Radiocarbon dating (also referred to as carbon dating or carbon-14 dating) is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon.
The method was de ...
evidence puts the arrival of the first settlers at around 940–1130.
The history of the ancient
Polynesians
Polynesians are an ethnolinguistic group comprising closely related ethnic groups native to Polynesia, which encompasses the islands within the Polynesian Triangle in the Pacific Ocean. They trace their early prehistoric origins to Island Sout ...
was passed down through
genealogy
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...
chants recited at formal and family functions. The high chiefs' genealogy traced back to the period believed to be inhabited only by gods. The ''pua aliʻi'' ("flower of royalty") were considered to be living gods.
Tahitian priest
Pā‘ao is said to have brought a new order around 1200. It included laws and a social structure that separated the people into classes. The ''aliʻi nui'' was the king, with his ''ʻaha kuhina'' just below them. The ''
aliʻi
The aliʻi were the traditional nobility of the Hawaiian islands. They were part of a hereditary line of rulers, the ''noho aliʻi''.
Cognates of the word ''aliʻi'' have a similar meaning in other Polynesian languages; in Māori it is pronoun ...
'' were the royal nobles with the ''
kahuna
Kahuna (; ) is a Hawaiian word that refers to an expert in any field. Historically, it has been used to refer to doctors, surgeons and dentists, as well as priests, ministers, and sorcerers.
Background
A may be versed in agriculture,Archiv ...
'' (high priest) below them, the ''makaʻāinana'' (commoners) next with the ''kauā'' as the lowest class.
The rulers (''noho aliʻi o ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻAina'') were independent rulers of geographic areas. Their genealogy traces to Hānalaʻanui and others.
The ''aliʻi nui'' were responsible for making sure that people observed a strict ''
kapu'' (code of conduct). The system governed many aspects of Hawaiian social order, fishing rights and even where women could eat.
Regular voyages occurred between Tahiti and Hawaii for some time, but stopped around 1300 AD. Hawaii was thus isolated from the rest of the world for several centuries, until 1778 when Captain Cook made the first documented contact between Hawaii and European explorers.
(better source needed)
The group of islands did not have a single name, and each island was ruled separately.
The names of the islands recorded by Captain Cook reflect this fact. Kamehameha I, as ruler of the island of Hawaii, imposed the name ''Hawaiʻi'' on the whole island group when he unified them as the
Kingdom of Hawaiʻi
The Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi ( Hawaiian: ɛ ɐwˈpuni həˈvɐjʔi, was an archipelagic country from 1795 to 1893, which eventually encompassed all of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands. It was established in 1795 w ...
.
Religion
Individuals who were ungodly, godless, irreligious, wicked, unbelieving, or careless of observance of taboos, were known as ''ʻaiā''.
However, the dominant religion as in many other Polynesian societies, was the kapu/taboo religion. It had a theology, ritual, and a code of conduct.
It included many
gods
A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...
and
hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. The original hero type of classical epics did such thin ...
es that people worshiped in different ways.
In one tradition,
Wākea
In the Hawaiian religion, Wākea, the Sky father weds Papahānaumoku, the earth mother. The two are considered the parent couple of the ruling chiefs of Hawaii.
''Wākea'' was the eldest son of Kahiko ("Ancient One"), who lived in Olalowa ...
, the Sky Father, wed
Papahānaumoku
In the religion and mythology of the ancient Hawaiians, Papahānaumoku (pronunciation: apahaːnaʊmoku — often simply called Papa — is a goddess and the Earth Mother. She is mentioned in the chants as the consort of the sky god Wākea. Th ...
, the Earth Mother and from their union came all Hawaiians, including the other gods.
In traditional Pu-anue genealogy, Kumukumu-ke-kaa and her husband Paia-a-ka-lani were the mother and father of the earth and heavens. Another genealogy declared that Ka-mai-eli and Kumu-honua were the mother and father.
The kapu religion in Hawaii was
polytheistic
Polytheism is the belief in or worship of more than one Deity, god. According to Oxford Reference, it is not easy to count gods, and so not always obvious whether an apparently polytheistic religion, such as Chinese folk religions, is really so, ...
, led by the gods
Kāne
In Hawaiian mythology, Kāne is considered the highest of the three major Hawaiian deities, along with Kū and Lono. He represented the god of procreation and was worshipped as ancestor of chiefs and commoners. Kāne is the creator and giv ...
,
Kū
In Hawaiian religion, Kū is one of the four great gods. The other three are Kanaloa, Kāne, and Lono.
Some feathered god images or ''akua hulu manu'' are considered to represent Kū. Kū is worshiped under many names, including Kūkāilimoku ...
,
Lono
In Hawaiian religion, the god Lono is associated with fertility, agriculture, rainfall, music and peace. In one of the many Hawaiian stories of Lono, he is a fertility and music god who descended to Earth on a rainbow to marry Laka. In agricul ...
, and
Kanaloa
In the traditions of ancient Hawaii, Kanaloa is a god symbolized by the squid or by the octopus, and is typically associated with Kāne. It is also an alternative name for the island of Kahoolawe.
In legends and chants, Kāne and Kanaloa are po ...
. Other notable deities included
Laka
In Hawaiian mythology, Laka is the name of two different popular heroes from Polynesian mythology. (In other parts of Polynesia they are known as Rātā, Rata, Lata, Ata, or Lasa).
In one Hawaiian legend, Laka is the daughter of the '' Ali'i ...
,
Kihawahine,
Haumea
Haumea ( minor-planet designation: 136108 Haumea) is a dwarf planet located beyond Neptune's orbit. It was discovered in 2004 by a team headed by Mike Brown of Caltech at the Palomar Observatory, and formally announced in 2005 by a team heade ...
,
Papahānaumoku
In the religion and mythology of the ancient Hawaiians, Papahānaumoku (pronunciation: apahaːnaʊmoku — often simply called Papa — is a goddess and the Earth Mother. She is mentioned in the chants as the consort of the sky god Wākea. Th ...
, and, most famously,
Pele. Each Hawaiian family is considered to have one or more guardian spirits or family gods known as
ʻaumakua.
One such god is Iolani, the god of ''alii''.
One breakdown of the Kapu
pantheon noted the following groups:
* four major gods (''ka hā) –'' Kū, Kāne, Lono, Kanaloa
* forty male gods or aspects of Kāne (''ke kanahā'')
* four hundred gods and goddesses (''ka lau'')
* a multitude of gods and goddesses (''ke kini akua'')
* spirits (''na unihipili'')
* guardians (''na aumākua'')
Another breakdown consists of three major groups:
* four gods, or ''akua'': Kū, Kāne, Lono, Kanaloa
* many lesser gods, or ''kupua'', each associated with certain professions
* guardian spirits, ''aumakua'', associated with particular families
Rulers of Hawaii island
Līloa
Līloa was a legendary ruler of the island of
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
in the late 15th century.
His royal compound was in
Waipiʻo Valley. His line traces to Hawaiian creation.
Līloa had two sons; his firstborn Hākau from his wife/aunt Pinea, (his mother's sister), and his second son,
ʻUmi a Līloa from his lesser wife, Akahi a Kuleana.
Upon his death, Hākau became ruler and delegated religious authority to ʻUmi.
Akahi a Kuleana was of a lesser line of chiefs who Līloa had fallen in love with when he discovered her bathing in a river. The couple met when Līloa was visiting
Hamakua. He asserted his right to her as King and she accepted.
Līloa's Kāʻei is his sacred feathered sash, now kept at the Bishop Museum.
Līloa was the first son of Kiha nui lulu moku who descended from Hāna laʻa nui.
Līloa's mother, Waioloa, his grandmother, Neʻula and great-grandmother, Laʻa kapu were of the
ʻEwa
ʻEwa was one of the original districts, known as ''moku'', of the island of Oʻahu in Ancient Hawaii history.
The word ''ʻewa'' means "crooked" or "ill-fitting" in Hawaiian. The name comes from the myth that the gods Kāne and Kanaloa threw a ...
aliʻi lines of
Oahu
Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...
.
Līloa's father ruled Hawaii as ''aliʻi nui'' and upon his death elevated Līloa. Kiha had had four other sons, Kaunuamoa, Makaoku, Kepailiula and Hoolana, whose descendants are the Kaiakea family of
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai ( or ; Molokaʻi dialect: Morotaʻi ) is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its g ...
, distant relatives of
Abraham Fornander
Abraham Fornander (November 4, 1812 – November 1, 1887) was a Swedish-born emigrant who became an important journalist, judge, and ethnologist in Hawaii.
Early life and education
Fornander was born in Öland, Sweden on November 4, 1812, to An ...
's daughter.
Hākau
Just before his death, Līloa elevated Hākau as Chief, telling Umi that he was to serve as his "man" (Prime Minister) and that each was to respect the other and should either have issue with the other it would be for them to decide. At first a decent king, Hākau soon became brutal. To avoid his brother's anger, 'Umi exiled himself to another district.
Hākau refused to help Nunu and Ka-hohe, his father's two favorites, ailing ''Kahuna'' who had requested food. This was considered highly insulting.
The two were of
Lono
In Hawaiian religion, the god Lono is associated with fertility, agriculture, rainfall, music and peace. In one of the many Hawaiian stories of Lono, he is a fertility and music god who descended to Earth on a rainbow to marry Laka. In agricul ...
's priestly class. They resented their treatment and plotted to see the kingdom in someone else's hand.
Hākau did not believe the priests to have any power and showed them no respect as 'Umi was the spiritual authority.
In this period no King could defy a Kahuna. Many had a royal bloodline, land and could leave their temples as warriors when needed, but could never relinquish their spiritual responsibilities.
Through a messenger of Kaoleioku, of Waipunalei, the high-priest of the temple of Manini, the two priests contacted Umi's court at Koholalele. The two priests traveled to Waipunalei where they supported Umi's revolt.
When Hākau received news that his brother was preparing to war against him, he sent his main forces to prepare by seeking feathers to adorn their regalia. After the warriors had left and Hākau was undefended, Umi's warriors came forward claiming that they bore offerings for the king. They dropped the bundles and used the rocks within to stone Hākau to death.
ʻUmi-a-Līloa
ʻUmi-a-Līloa was a ruling ''aliʻi ai moku'' (district high chief of Hawai'i). He became chief after his half brother's death
and was considered a just ruler, religious
and the first to unite most of the
Hawaii Island
Hawaii is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii, the southernmost state in the union. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of ...
.
The legend of ʻUmi-a-Līloa is one of Hawaii's most popular hero sagas.
ʻUmi's wife was
Princess
Princess is a title used by a female member of a regnant monarch's family or by a female ruler of a principality. The male equivalent is a prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for ...
Piʻikea Piʻikea (Hawaiian: ''piʻi'' = "to ascend", ''ke'' = "the", ''ea'' = "life"; "the life ascends") was a High Chiefess. She was a daughter of Piʻilani and Chiefess La’ieloheloheikawai and sister of Lono-a-Piʻilani and Kiha-a-Piʻilani. Piʻilani ...
, daughter of
Piʻilani
Piʻilani ("ascent to heaven") (born ca. 1460) ruled as Alii nui of Maui, Chief of the island of Maui in the later part of the 15th century. At the time Maui was an independent Monarchy, kingdom within the List of islands of Hawaii, islands of Haw ...
. They had one son,
Kumalae
Kumalae was a Hawaiian High Chief, ''Aliʻi Nui'' (ruler) of Hilo, Hawaii, Hilo. He is also known as Kumalae-nui-a-ʻUmi ("Kumalae the Great, son of ʻUmi").
He was born about 1648.
His father was Umi-a-Liloa, ʻUmi-a-Liloa, ''Aliʻi'' of Hawaii ...
and one daughter, Aihākōkō.
Līloa told Akahi that, if she were to have a male child, she should present the boy to him along with royal tokens he gave her as gifts, to prove her boy was the son of the king. Akahi hid the tokens from her husband and later gave birth to a son. At the age of 15 or 16, his stepfather was punishing the boy when his mother intervened and told the man not to touch him because the boy was his lord and chief. She uncovered the tokens to present to her husband to prove the high treason he would have committed. Akahi gave her son the royal malo and
lei niho palaoa given to her by 'Umi's biological father. Only high chiefs wore these items. She sent 'Umi to Waipiʻo Valley to present himself to the king as his son.
Līloa's palace was guarded and attended by several
Kahuna
Kahuna (; ) is a Hawaiian word that refers to an expert in any field. Historically, it has been used to refer to doctors, surgeons and dentists, as well as priests, ministers, and sorcerers.
Background
A may be versed in agriculture,Archiv ...
. The entire enclosure was sacred. Entering without permission carried the death penalty. 'Umi entered the enclosure with attendants afraid to stop someone wearing the royal insignia and walked straight to Līloa's sleeping quarters, waking him there. When Līloa asked who he was, he said "It is I, 'Umi your son". He then placed tokens at his father's feet and Līloa proclaimed him to be his son. After learning of 'Umi, Hākau became upset. Līloa assured his first born that he would be king after his death and that his brother would serve him. 'Umi was brought to court on an equal footing with Hākau. 'Umi found great favor from his father, increasing Hākau's dislike.
In exile, 'Umi took wives and began building forces and followers. Chiefs began to see him as of the highest chiefly nature from signs they observed. He gave food to people and became known for caring for all.
After Hākau's death the other ''aliʻi'' claimed their districts for themselves. 'Umi took the advice of the two priests by marrying many women of high noble rank, including his half sister Kapukini and the daughter of the ruler of Hilo, where he had been given sanctuary during Hākau's reign. Eventually 'Umi conquered the entire island.
After unifying the island of Hawaii, 'Umi was faithful to those who had supported him, and allowed his three most faithful companions, and the two ''Kahuna'' who had aided him, to help him govern.
''Aikāne''
''
Aikāne'' relationships or (mostly male) homosexual or bisexual activity in the pre-colonial era was an accepted tradition.
These relationships were accepted as part of
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
an culture.
Such sexual relationships may have begun as teenagers and continued thereafter, even though they also had heterosexual partners. Cook and his associates provided extensive eyewitness accounts and analyses of such young men. These Aikane men were connected to chiefs whose functions were sexual, social, and political.
The Hawaiian ''aikāne'' relationship was a part of Hawaiian noble life, including that of Kamehameha I. Some myths refer to women's desires and therefore some women may have been involved in ''aikāne'' relationships.
Līloa originated this practice
among the ''alii,'' which was then copied by the other classes. Warriors engaged in the practice. In many cases, the men involved felt it an honor and responsibility to honor their ''hana lawelawe''.
Lieutenant James King stated that "all the chiefs had them" and recounted a tale that Cook was asked by one chief to leave King behind, as a great honor. American adventurer and sailor
John Ledyard
John Ledyard (November 1751 – 10 January 1789) was an American explorer and adventurer.
Early life
Ledyard was born in Groton, Connecticut, in November 1751. He was the first child of Abigail Youngs Ledyard and Capt. John Ledyard Jr, son o ...
commented in detail about the tradition.
Land division system
Land was divided in accord with the wishes of the ''Ali‘i Nui''. The system had four hierarchical levels:
*''mokupuni'' (island)
*''moku'' (subdivision of an island)
*''ahupuaʻa (''subdivision of ''moku'')
*''ʻili'' (two or three per ahupuaʻa, but
Kahoolawe for example had eight)
Some oral history relates that ʻUmi a Līloa created the ''ahupuaʻa'' system.
Each ahupuaʻa included a lowland ''mala'' and upland forested region.
[Losch, Tracie, and Momi Kamahele, "Hawaii: Center of the Pacific" (Pearl City: University of Hawaii Leeward Community College, 2008)] The divisions typically went from the ridge top to the coast, often following the boundary of a stream. Ahupuaʻa varied in size depending on the economic means of the location and political divisions of the area. The system exploited the fact that communities were organized along stream systems. The community governance system of Kānāwai is attributed specifically to shared water usage.
Each ''ahupuaʻa'' was divided into ''ʻili'' that in turn were divided into ''kuleana,'' individual plots of land that were cultivated by commoners who paid taxes to the land overseer each week. These taxes went to support the chief.
Possible reasons for this radial division include:
*travel: in many areas, it is easier to travel up- and downstream than from valley to valley.
*economy: having all climate and economic exploitation zones in each land division ensured that each could be self-sufficient for much of its needs.
"As the native Hawaiians used the resources within their ahupuaʻa, they practiced ''aloha'' (respect), ''laulima'' (cooperation) and ''malama'' (stewardship), which resulted in a desirable ''pono'' (balance)". The Hawaiians believed that the land, the sea, the clouds and all of nature were interconnected, which is why they used these resources to reach the desired balance in life. Sustainability was maintained by the ''
konohiki'' and ''kahuna'' (priests who restricted the fishing of certain species during specific seasons). They also regulated the gathering of plants.
''Ahupuaʻa'' is derived from the Hawaiian words ''ahu'' (heap, cairn) and ''puaʻa'' (
pig
The pig (''Sus domesticus''), also called swine (: swine) or hog, is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is named the domestic pig when distinguishing it from other members of the genus '' Sus''. Some authorities cons ...
). ''Ahupuaʻa''
boundary marker
A boundary marker, border marker, boundary stone, or border stone is a robust physical marker that identifies the start of a land Border, boundary or the change in a boundary, especially a change in direction of a boundary. There are several ...
s were traditionally heaps of stones used to hold offers (typically a pig) to the island chief.
Agriculture

The Hawaiian agricultural system used both irrigated and rain-fed (dryland) systems. Irrigated systems mainly supported
taro
Taro (; ''Colocasia esculenta'') is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, stems and Petiole (botany), petioles. Taro corms are a ...
(''kalo'') cultivation. Rain-fed systems were known as the ''mala.'' There they cultivated ''uala'' (
sweet potato
The sweet potato or sweetpotato (''Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its sizeable, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable, which is a staple food in parts of ...
es),
yams, and dryland taro
along with ''niu'' (coconuts), ''ʻulu (
breadfruit
Breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'') is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family ( Moraceae) believed to have been selectively bred in Polynesia from the breadnut ('' Artocarpus camansi''). Breadfruit was spread into ...
''), ''maiʻa (''bananas) and ''ko'' (
sugarcane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with stout, jointed, fib ...
). The ''kukui'' tree (''
Aleurites moluccanus
''Aleurites moluccanus'', commonly known as candlenut, is a tree in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae. It grows to about tall and produces drupe fruit.
First described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, the species' origin is unclear due to its spread b ...
'') was sometimes used as shade to protect ''mala''. Each crop was cultivated in an area most suitable to its needs.
Hawaiians domesticated dogs, chickens, and pigs. They grew personal gardens at home. Water was important to Hawaiian life; it was used for fishing, bathing, drinking, and gardening, and for ''loko i'a'' (fishpond
aquaculture
Aquaculture (less commonly spelled aquiculture), also known as aquafarming, is the controlled cultivation ("farming") of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, algae and other organisms of value such as aquatic plants (e.g. Nelu ...
systems).
Governance
The Kingdom was administered by an
ali'i chief. Divisions were under the control of other smaller chiefs and managed by a steward. The headman of a land division or ahupua`a is a ''konohiki''.
''Mokus'' were ruled by an ''aliʻi ʻaimoku''. ''Ahupua'as were'' run by a headman or chief called a
Konohiki.
''Konohiki''
In the Keelikolani vs Robinson court case, ''kononiki'' is defined as
land agent
Land agent may be used in at least three different contexts.
Traditionally, a land agent was a managerial employee who conducted the business affairs of a large landed estate for a member of the nobility or landed gentry, supervising the farming ...
. In the Territory vs Bishop Trust Co. LTD. case, when the agent was appointed by a chief, they were referred to as ''konohiki''. The term also referred to a designated area of land owned privately (not by the government).
A ''konohiki'' retained life tenure on the land even when discharged from the position, but a head man overseeing the same land had no such protection.
Often ''
ali'i'' and ''konohiki'' are treated synonymously. However, while most ''konohiki'' were ''ali'i'', not all ''ali'i'' were ''konohiki''. A ''konohiki'' could also be a headman of a land division or to describe
fishing rights. ''Kono'' means to entice or prompt. ''Hiki'' refers to something that can be done. The oversaw the property, managing
water right
Water right in water law is the right of a user to use water from a water source, e.g., a river, stream, pond or source of groundwater. In areas with plentiful water and few users, such systems are generally not complicated or contentious. In ot ...
s,
land distribution,
agricultural
Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...
use and any maintenance. ''Konohiki'' also ensured that the right amounts of gifts and tribute were properly made at the right times.
As
capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their use for the purpose of obtaining profit. This socioeconomic system has developed historically through several stages and is defined by ...
was incorporated into the kingdom, ''konohiki'' became tax collectors, landlords, and fishery wardens.
End of ''Kapu''
Hawaiians overthrew the ''kapu''
theocracy
Theocracy is a form of autocracy or oligarchy in which one or more deity, deities are recognized as supreme ruling authorities, giving divine guidance to human intermediaries, with executive and legislative power, who manage the government's ...
in 1819 by themselves, before the missionaries' arrival. On October 4, 1819,
Kamehameha II
Kamehameha II (November 1797 – July 14, 1824) was the second king of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Kingdom of Hawaii from 1819 to 1824. His birth name was Liholiho and full name was Kalaninui kua Liholiho i ke kapu ʻIolani. It was lengthened to Kala ...
, dined with
Queen Ka'ahumanu, Kamehameha I's favored wife, and his own mother, Queen Keopuolani. The prohibition on men and women eating together, the ''‘ai kapu'', was one of the most ancient ''kapu'' or prohibitions: the penalty for its violation was death. Queen Ka‘ahumanu, however, despised the prohibition as it prevented her from entering certain religious temples where men made decisions over meals. Queen Keopuolani also violated the prohibition even before the public breaking. Violating ''‘ai kapu'' at a public dinner, as Kamehameha II did, was a clear signal that the ''kapu'' system was abolished. The guests at the dinner cried out ''ai noa!'' (free eating). Afterwards, Kamehameha II – with the support of his high priest Hewahewa – ordered the destruction of the ''heiau'' temples. Afterwards, Kamehameha I's nephew, Kekuaokalani launched a brief civil war. His forces were defeated by Kamehameha II's at Kuamo‘o, reinforcing the new way.
Contact
Possible European contact before 1778
From 1565 to 1815,
Spanish trading ships, or galleons, crossed the Pacific along a route from
Acapulco
Acapulco de Juárez (), commonly called Acapulco ( , ; ), is a city and Port of Acapulco, major seaport in the Political divisions of Mexico, state of Guerrero on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, south of Mexico City. Located on a deep, semicirc ...
in
New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( ; Nahuatl: ''Yankwik Kaxtillan Birreiyotl''), originally the Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain. It was one of several ...
(modern Mexico) to
Manila
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
in
Spanish Philippines
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas
**Spanish cuisine
** Spanish history
** Spanish cultur ...
. They made this trip once or twice yearly using a route kept secret to protect the Spanish trade monopoly against competing powers. Some sources speculate that sightings of, or interaction with, Hawaii must have occurred.
By 1589,
Ortelius
Abraham Ortelius (; also Ortels, Orthellius, Wortels; 4 or 14 April 152728 June 1598) was a cartographer, geographer, and cosmographer from Antwerp in the Spanish Netherlands. He is recognized as the creator of the first modern atlas, the ('' ...
was publishing the
Maris Pacifici
Maris Pacifici, more accurately named the ''Descriptio Maris Pacifici'' ("Description of the Pacific Ocean"), was the first dedicated map of the Pacific to be printed. It is considered an important advancement in cartography.
This map was drawn ...
first ever Pacific map featuring an intriguing resemblance of the Hawaiian Islands
"Los Bolcanes" and
"La Farfania" in the middle of the Pacific by the
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, also known as the Northern Tropic, is the Earth's northernmost circle of latitude where the Sun can be seen directly overhead. This occurs on the June solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun ...
. The islands would therefore have been sighted by visitors to the point of being roughly mapped long before official records would confirm.
In 1743, British Commodore
George Anson captured a Spanish galleon on which he found a chart of the Pacific that depicted a group of islands at the same latitude as the Hawaiʻian islands but with a longitude ten degrees to the east. One of these islands is labeled ''La Mesa'' (‘the Table’). This is conjectured to be Hawaii Island since this “agrees very well with the appearance of
Mauna Loa
Mauna Loa (, ; ) is one of five volcanoes that form the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. Mauna Loa is Earth's largest active volcano by both mass and volume. It was historically considered to be the largest ...
... when seen at a great distance”.
Many scholars have refuted claims of Spanish knowledge of Hawaii during this period. However, based on accounts from native Hawaiian
oral tradition
Oral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication in which knowledge, art, ideas and culture are received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another.Jan Vansina, Vansina, Jan: ''Oral Tradition as History'' (19 ...
, Oscar Spate leaves open the possibility of one-way contact and that it is “likely that Spanish castaways reached Hawaii and survived”.
Arrival and death of James Cook
Between 1768 and 1779, Captain
James Cook
Captain (Royal Navy), Captain James Cook (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer famous for his three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans, conducted between 176 ...
led three voyages to chart unknown seas for
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
.
While crossing the Pacific on his
third voyage, he serendipitously encountered the
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...
on January 18, 1778, the
first documented contact by a European explorer.
He first anchored off the coast of Kauai and met local inhabitants to trade and obtain water and food for his onward voyage. On February 2, 1778, Cook continued on to the North American continent, searching for a
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage (NWP) is the sea lane between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean, near the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Arctic Archipelago of Canada. The eastern route along the Arctic ...
for approximately nine months. After failing to find any passage, he decided to use the Hawaiian Islands as a base to over-winter and resupply before a second attempt the next season. His two ships first encountered the coast of Maui in November 1778, and eventually anchored in
Kealakekua Bay
Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii about south of Kailua-Kona. Settled over a thousand years ago, the surrounding area contains many archeological and historical sites such as religious temples ( heiaus) an ...
on the west coast of Hawaii Island in mid January. Initially, the reception of the local people was respectful, friendly and accommodating. The expedition departed Kealakekua on Feb 4, but was forced to return again after a few days to make essential repairs after a storm severely damaged a
mast
Mast, MAST or MASt may refer to:
Engineering
* Mast (sailing), a vertical spar on a sailing ship
* Flagmast, a pole for flying a flag
* Guyed mast, a structure supported by guy-wires
* Mooring mast, a structure for docking an airship
* Radio mas ...
. Relations with the local people now grew hostile and
Cook was among those killed when a dispute led to violence.
After Cook's visit and the publication of several books relating his voyages, the Hawaiian Islands attracted many European and American explorers, traders, and whalers, who found the islands to be a convenient harbor and source of supplies. This began to influence the trajectory of Hawaiian history. The introduction of sexually transmitted diseases are attributed with certainty to the voyages of Cook,
However, after the first visits of the ''Discovery'' and ''Resolution'' to "Mowee (Maui) and Ouwhyee (Hawaii)" and finding "that the venereal disease was not unknown to the natives," Cook himself believed "that the disease was not left at these islands by our ships."
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii lasted from 1795 until its overthrow in 1893 with the fall of the
House of Kalakaua
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...
.
Kamehameha I

The first king to unite the Hawaiian Islands was
Kamehameha I
Kamehameha I (; Kalani Paiʻea Wohi o Kaleikini Kealiʻikui Kamehameha o ʻIolani i Kaiwikapu kauʻi Ka Liholiho Kūnuiākea; to May 8 or 14, 1819), also known as Kamehameha the Great, was the conqueror and first ruler of the Kingdom of Hawaii ...
, founder of the
House of Kamehameha
The House of Kamehameha ''(Hale O Kamehameha)'', or the Kamehameha dynasty, was the reigning royal family of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Kingdom of Hawaii, beginning with its founding by Kamehameha I in 1795 and ending with the death of Kamehameha V in ...
and the
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ɛ ɐwˈpuni həˈvɐjʔi, was an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country from 1795 to 1893, which eventually encompassed all of the inhabited Hawaii ...
.
His lineage can be traced to half brothers,
Kalaniʻōpuʻu
Kalaniōpuu-a-Kaiamamao (c. 1729 – April 1782) was the aliʻi nui (supreme monarch) of the island of Hawaiʻi. He was called ''Terreeoboo, King of Owhyhee'' by James Cook and other Europeans. His name has also been written as Kaleiopuu.
Bio ...
and
Keōua
Keōua Kalanikupuapaʻīkalaninui Ahilapalapa, sometimes called Keōua Nui ("Keōua the Great") (died c. 1750s–1760s) was an Ancient Hawaiian noble and the father of Kamehameha I, the first King of united Hawaiʻi. He was progenitor of the Ho ...
. Kalaniʻōpuʻu's father was
Kalaninuiʻīamamao while Keōua's father was
Kalanikeʻeaumoku
Kalanikeʻeaumoku was an aliʻi (noble) of Hawaii (island) of the Kona district and part of Kohala district and grandfather of Kamehameha I.
Family
His mother was Kalanikauleleiaiwi and his father was Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku. He would '' ...
, both sons of
Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku
Keaweʻīkekahialiʻiokamoku (c. 1660 – c. 1725) was the king of Hawaiʻi Island in the late 17th century. He was the great-grandfather of Kamehameha I, the first King of the Kingdom of Hawaii.
He was a progenitor of the House of Keawe.
Bi ...
.
They shared a common mother,
Kamakaʻīmoku. Both brothers served
Alapaʻinui, the ruling King of Hawaii Island. Kamehameha I was born to Keōua and
Kekuʻiapoiwa II
Kekuʻiapoiwa II was a Hawaiian chiefess and the mother of the king Kamehameha I.
Biography
She was named after her aunt Kekuʻiapoiwa Nui (also known as Kekuʻiapoiwa I), the wife of King Kekaulike of Maui.
Her father was High Chief Haae, ...
, a granddaughter of Keaweʻīkehakialiʻiokamoku. Hawaiian genealogy leaves the possibility that
Kahekili II
Kahekili II, full name Kahekilinuiʻahumanu, (–1794) was an () of Maui. His name was short for Kāne-Hekili after the Hawaiian god of thunder. Because Kāne-Hekili was believed to be black on one side, Kahekili tattooed one side of his body fr ...
might have actually been Kamehameha I's
biological father
A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. A biological fathe ...
.
However, Keōua acknowledged him as his son and this relationship is recognized by official genealogies.
The date of Kamehameha I's birth is uncertain. The traditional ''ole'' chant of Keaka, wife of
Alapaʻinui, indicates that Kamehameha I was born in ''ikuwā'' (winter) around November.
Kamehameha was allegedly born during the passing of
Halley's Comet
Halley's Comet is the only known List of periodic comets, short-period comet that is consistently visible to the naked eye from Earth, appearing every 72–80 years, though with the majority of recorded apparitions (25 of 30) occurring after ...
. In Hawaiian culture a comet indicated an important birth.
Samuel Kamakau
Samuel Mānaiakalani Kamakau (October 29, 1815 – September 5, 1876) was a Hawaiian historian and scholar. His work appeared in local newspapers and was later compiled into books, becoming an invaluable resource on the Hawaiian people, Hawaiian ...
, wrote, "It was during the time of the warfare among the chiefs of
he island of
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads
* He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English
* He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana)
* Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...
Hawaii which followed the death of Keawe, chief over the whole island, that Kamehameha I was born". However, his general dating was challenged.
Abraham Fornander
Abraham Fornander (November 4, 1812 – November 1, 1887) was a Swedish-born emigrant who became an important journalist, judge, and ethnologist in Hawaii.
Early life and education
Fornander was born in Öland, Sweden on November 4, 1812, to An ...
wrote, "when Kamehameha died in 1819 he was past eighty years old. His birth would thus fall between 1736 and 1740, probably nearer the former".
William De Witt Alexander listed the birth year as 1736.
He was first named Paiea but took the name Kamehameha, meaning "The very lonely one" or "The one set alone".
Hawaiian prophecy said that this baby would one day unite the islands.
Alapaʻi gave the young Kamehameha to his wife Keaka and her sister Hākau to care for.
Kamehameha's uncle Kalaniʻōpuʻu raised him after Keōua's death. Kalaniʻōpuʻu ruled Hawaii as had his grandfather Keawe. He had advisors and priests. When word reached the ruler that chiefs were planning to murder the boy, he told Kamehameha:
After Kalaniʻōpuʻu's death in 1782, Kīwalaʻō took his father's place as first born and ruled the island, while Kamehameha I became the religious authority. Some chiefs preferred Kamehameha I and war broke out to overthrow Kīwalaʻō. Kīwalaʻō was killed in the
Battle of Mokuʻōhai
The Battle of Mokuʻōhai, fought in 1782 on the island of Hawaiʻi, was a key battle in the early days of Kamehameha I's wars to conquer the Hawaiian Islands. It was his first major victory, solidifying his leadership over much of the island.
...
. This marked the start of a 15-year-long military campaign by Kamehameha I to conquer not only the island of Hawaii from Keōua and Kīwalaʻō's uncle Keawemaʻuhili, but all the Hawaiian islands from the various chiefs who ruled them.

In 1791, after Keōua killed Keawemaʻuhili and claimed his territory, Kamehameha I sent envoys for Keōua and his brother
Kaōleiokū to meet with him. Keōua and Kaōleiokū arrived in separate canoes. Keōua came to shore first where a fight broke out and he and all aboard were killed. Before the same could happen to the second canoe, Kamehameha I intervened. With the death of Keōua, Kamehameha I became king of the entire island.
On February 25, 1794, during his
voyage of exploration, Captain
George Vancouver
Captain (Royal Navy), Captain George Vancouver (; 22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer best known for leading the Vancouver Expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern West Coast of the Uni ...
negotiated with Kamehameha what the British understood to be the cession of the island of Hawaii to Great Britain though historians have argued that the Hawaiians regarded the agreement as the establishment of a
protectorate
A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over ...
. At that time, Kamehameha - who was king of Hawaii Island - also sought military help in the ongoing war against Maui and the other islands; the British were already assisting him with the construction of a warship. Vancouver presented Kamehameha with a British flag which flew unofficially as Hawaii's flag until 1816. The modern
Flag of Hawaii
The flag of Hawaii, also known as the Hawaiian flag, is the State flag, official flag of the U.S. state of Hawaii. It consists of a field of eight horizontal stripes, in the sequence of white, red, blue, white, red, blue, white, red with a Brit ...
retains a
Union Jack
The Union Jack or Union Flag is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. The Union Jack was also used as the official flag of several British colonies and dominions before they adopted their own national flags.
It is sometimes a ...
in the top-left corner as a legacy of this time.
In 1794, Kahekili II, the king of Maui and Oahu and
suzerain
A suzerain (, from Old French "above" + "supreme, chief") is a person, state (polity)">state or polity who has supremacy and dominant influence over the foreign policy and economic relations of another subordinate party or polity, but allows i ...
of Kauai, died and left his territory to his brother Kāʻeokūlani and his son
Kalanikūpule
Kalanikūpule (c. 1760–1795) was the Mōī of Maui and King of Oahu. He was the last king to engage in combat with Kamehameha I over the Hawaiian Islands. Kalanikūpule was the last of the longest line of '' aliʻi nui'' in the Hawaiian Islands. ...
. A civil war between the two broke out, which ended when Kalanikūpule killed Kāʻeokūlani, taking control of Maui and Molokaʻi. This initiated a succession crisis on Kauaʻi, which had previously been ruled by Kāʻeokūlani. Seeing an opportunity, Kamehameha I invaded Kalanikūpule. He quickly took Maui and Molokai before moving onto Oahu. Here he defeated the remainder of Kalanikūpule's forces at the decisive
Battle of Nuʻuanu
The Battle of Nuʻuanu ( Hawaiian: ''Kalelekaʻanae''; literally the leaping mullet), fought in May 1795 on the southern part of the island of Oʻahu, was a key battle in the final days of King Kamehameha I's wars to conquer the Hawaiian Isla ...
.
He thus extended his kingdom to encompass all of the main islands except Kauai and Niihau (both part of the Kingdom of Kauai). For his first royal residence, the new King built the first western-style structure in the
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands () are an archipelago of eight major volcanic islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the Pacific Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the Hawaii (island), island of Hawaii in the south to nort ...
, known as the "
Brick Palace".
The location became the
seat of government
The seat of government is (as defined by ''Brewer's Politics'') "the building, complex of buildings or the city from which a government exercises its authority".
In most countries, the nation's Capital city, capital is also seat of its governmen ...
until 1845.
The structure was built at Keawa'iki point in
Lahaina, Maui
Lahaina (; ) or Lāhainā is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. On the northwest coast of the island of Maui, it encompasses Lahaina town and the Kaanapali and Kapalua beach resorts. At the 2020 census (be ...
.
Two ex-convicts from
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
's
Botany Bay
Botany Bay (Dharawal language, Dharawal: ''Kamay'') is an open oceanic embayment, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, south of the Sydney central business district. Its source is the confluence of the Georges River at Taren Point a ...
penal colony built the home.
It was begun in 1798 and was completed in 1802.
The house was intended for
Kaʻahumanu
Kaʻahumanu (March 17, 1768 – June 5, 1832) (''"the feathered mantle"'') was queen consort and acted as regent of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi as Kuhina Nui. She was the favorite wife of King Kamehameha I and also the most politically powe ...
,
but she rejected it in favor of an adjacent, traditional home.
After two failed attempts to invade Kauai (in 1795 and 1804), in 1810 Kamehameha negotiated the peaceful absorption of Kauai into his kingdom. The king of Kauai,
Kaumualiʻi, agreed to recognize Kamehameha as his suzerain, and in exchange was allowed to continue administering Kauai. Thus concluded the unification of the Hawaiian islands.
Kamehameha I had many wives, but held two in the highest regard. Keōpūolani was the highest ranking ''aliʻi'' of her time
and mother to his sons, Liholiho and Kauikeaouli. Kaʻahumanu was his favorite. Kamehameha I died in 1819, succeeded by Liholiho.
Kamehameha II
After Kamehameha I's death,
Liholiho left Kailua for a week and returned to be crowned king. At the ceremony, attended by commoners and nobles, he approached the circle of chiefs, as Kaʻahumanu, the central figure in the group and Dowager Queen, said, ''"''Hear me O Divine one, for I make known to you the will of your father. Behold these chiefs and the men of your father, and these your guns, and this your land, but you and I shall share the realm together''".'' Liholiho agreed officially, which began a unique system of dual-government consisting of a King and co-ruler similar to a
regent
In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
.
Kamehameha II shared his rule with his stepmother,
Kaʻahumanu
Kaʻahumanu (March 17, 1768 – June 5, 1832) (''"the feathered mantle"'') was queen consort and acted as regent of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi as Kuhina Nui. She was the favorite wife of King Kamehameha I and also the most politically powe ...
. She defied Hawaiian ''
kapu'' by dining with the young king, leading to the end of the
Hawaiian religion (the period known as
ʻAi Noa
The Ai Noa ( Hawaiian: literally ''free eating''), was a period of taboo-breaking which convulsed the Hawaiian Islands in October 1819. Women were allowed to eat forbidden food and to eat with men; the priests were no longer to offer human sacrif ...
). Some Hawaiian leaders opposed the efforts to abolish the Hawaiian religion. A faction led by
Keaoua Kekuaokalani
Keaoua Kekua-o-kalani (sometimes known as Kaiwi-kuamoo Kekua-o-kalani) was a nephew of the king Kamehameha I, the chief from Hawaii Island who unified the Hawaiian islands.
Family
He was the son of Kamehameha's younger brother Keliimaikai an ...
, a nephew of Kamehameha I, revolted against Kamehameha II and his court. Despite gathering some support, the rebels were defeated at the
Battle of Kuamo'o in December 1819.
Kamehameha II died, along with his wife, Queen
Kamāmalu
Kamāmalu Kalani-Kuaʻana-o-Kamehamalu-Kekūāiwa-o-kalani-Kealiʻi-Hoʻopili-a-Walu (–1824) was Queen consort of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Kingdom of Hawaiʻi as the wife of King Kamehameha II. Kamāmalu was short for Kamehamalu or Kamehamehamalu m ...
in 1824 on a state visit to England, succumbing to
measles
Measles (probably from Middle Dutch or Middle High German ''masel(e)'', meaning "blemish, blood blister") is a highly contagious, Vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine-preventable infectious disease caused by Measles morbillivirus, measles v ...
. He was King for 5 years.
The couple's remains were returned to Hawaii by
Boki. Aboard the ship ''The Blond,'' his wife
Liliha and
Kekūanaōʻa
Mataio Kekūanaōʻa ( – November 24, 1868), formally referred to as His Honor or His Highness, was a Hawaiian politician who served as governor of the island of Oahu, Oʻahu, father of two kings, Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V, and held the ...
were
baptized
Baptism (from ) is a Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by sprinkling or pouring water on the head, or by immersing in water either partially or completely, traditionally three ...
as Christians. Kaʻahumanu also converted and became a powerful Christian influence on Hawaiian society until her death in 1832.
Since the new king was only 12 years old, Kaʻahumanu reigned as senior ruler and named Boki as her ''
Kuhina Nui
Kuhina Nui was a powerful office in the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1819 to 1864. It was usually held by a relative of the king and was the rough equivalent of the 19th-century European office of Prime Minister or sometimes Regent.
Origin of the offi ...
''.
Boki left Hawaii on a trip to find
sandalwood
Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus ''Santalum''. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and, unlike many other aromatic woods, they retain their fragrance for decades. Sandalwood oil is extracted from the woods. Sanda ...
to cover a debt and was lost at sea. His wife, Liliha took the governorship of
Maui
Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...
and unsuccessfully attempted to revolt against Kaʻahumanu, who upon Boki's departure, had installed
Kīnaʻu
Princess Kalani Ahumanu i Kaliko o Iwi Kauhipua o Kīnau, also known as Elizabeth Kīnau ( – April 4, 1839) was Kuhina Nui of the Kingdom of Hawaii as Kaahumanu II, queen regent and dowager queen.
Life
Her father was King Kamehameha I an ...
as a co-governor.
Kaʻahumanu
Kaʻahumanu
Kaʻahumanu (March 17, 1768 – June 5, 1832) (''"the feathered mantle"'') was queen consort and acted as regent of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi as Kuhina Nui. She was the favorite wife of King Kamehameha I and also the most politically powe ...
was born on
Maui
Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...
around 1777. Her parents were ''aliʻi'' of a lower-ranking line. She became Kamehameha's consort at fourteen.
George Vancouver
Captain (Royal Navy), Captain George Vancouver (; 22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a Royal Navy officer and explorer best known for leading the Vancouver Expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern West Coast of the Uni ...
states: ''"''
e of the finest woman we had yet seen on any of the islands''"''.
To wed the young woman, Kamehameha had to consent to make her children his heirs, but she had no issue.
Before his death, Kamehameha selected Kaʻahumanu to rule along with his son. Kaʻahumanu adopted the boy.
She became the senior ruler. A portrait artist remarked of her: ''"''This Old Dame is the most proud, unbending Lady in the whole island. As the widow of
amehameha she possesses unbound authority and respect, not any of which she is inclined to lay aside on any occasion whatsoever''"''. She was one of Hawaii's most influential leaders.
On March 30, 1820, fourteen American
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
missionaries (the Pioneer Company) arrived in Hawaii. They were sent by the
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) was among the first American Christian mission, Christian missionary organizations. It was created in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College. In the 19th century it was the l ...
. Over the course of a little over 40-years (1820-1863 – the “Missionary Period”),
about 180-men and women sent by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in twelve Companies served in Hawaii. They converted Hawaiian people to the Christian faith, developed the written form of
Hawaiian language
Hawaiian (', ) is a critically endangered Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family, originating in and native to the Hawaiian Islands. It is the native language of the Hawaiian people. Hawaiian, along with English, is an offi ...
, and encouraged the spread of English on the islands. But many Hawaiians blame the missionaries for discouraging many Hawaiian cultural practices.
In April 1824, Kaʻahumanu publicly acknowledged her conversion to Protestant Christianity and encouraged her subjects to be
baptized
Baptism (from ) is a Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by sprinkling or pouring water on the head, or by immersing in water either partially or completely, traditionally three ...
into the faith.
She took it upon herself to enforce Christian policies with her power, banning of the Hawaiian Dance
hula
Hula () is a Hawaiian dance form expressing chant (''oli'') or song (Mele (Hawaiian language), ''mele''). It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Native Hawaiians who settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli ...
in 1830.
Kamehameha III
Kauikeaouli was the second son of Kamehameha I and was born in
Keauhou Bay
Keauhou Bay is a historic area in the Kona District of the Big Island of Hawaii.
The name comes from ''ke au hou'' which means "the new era" in the Hawaiian Language.
Kamehameha III's Birthplace
A small enclosure is maintained by the Daughte ...
on the island of Hawai'i.
Kauikeaouli's birthdate is not known, but historians estimated it to be on March 17, 1814, making him about 14 years younger than Liholiho.
After his birth,
Kuakini
John Adams Kiiapalaoku Kuakini (1789–1844) was an important adviser to Kamehameha I in the early stages of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was responsible for contributing to the infrastructure among other changes in the Kona District during this e ...
refused to take him, because Kauikeaouli appeared to be lifeless.
However, the prophet of another chief declared that the baby would live. They cleaned him and put him on a sacred area where the seer fanned him and sprinkled him with water while reciting a prayer.
The baby started to move and make sounds.
Kaikioewa was chosen as the baby's guardian and raised him in a remote location.
Kauikeaouli became King after Liholiho's death in 1824. Kamehameha III began the writing of Hawaii's first formal laws and created a governmental structure. He replaced
indigenous traditions with Anglo-American
common law
Common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law primarily developed through judicial decisions rather than statutes. Although common law may incorporate certain statutes, it is largely based on prece ...
.
The action was prompted from increasing threat of colonizing forces who were intrigued by the location of the islands.
Kamehameha III was advised by
William Richards, a former missionary. Richards travelled to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in an attempt to learn more about its politics and government structure. He taught Kamehameha III his findings and together they created the first
constitution of Hawaii
The Constitution of the State of Hawaii (), also known as the Hawaii State Constitution, is the fundamental governing document of the U.S. state of Hawaii. As an organic text, it establishes the principles and framework of government, enumerate ...
in 1840.
Kamehameha III enacted laws that recognized
human rights
Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...
and established a new system for land ownership called
Mahele. Another major decision was to move the capital from
Lahaina
Lahaina (; ) or Lāhainā is a census-designated place (CDP) in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. On the northwest coast of the island of Maui, it encompasses Lahaina town and the Kaanapali, Hawaii, Kaanapali and Kapalua, Hawaii, Kapalua beac ...
to
Honolulu
Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
.

In 1843, for a five-month period, Kamehameha III allowed British captain
Lord George Paulet
Lord George Paulet CB (12 August 1803 – 22 November 1879) was a British officer of the Royal Navy.
He entered the navy shortly after the end of the Napoleonic Wars and after some years obtained his own command. He served off the Iberian Peni ...
to control the islands.
Kamehameha III wrote a letter to the British government informing them of Paulet's actions.
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
then reestablished the islands independence on July 31, 1843,
and Kamehameha III uttered what became the Hawaiian motto, "''
Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono
''Ua Mau ke Ea o ka Āina i ka Pono'' () is a Hawaiian language, Hawaiian phrase, spoken by Kamehameha III, and adopted in 1959 as the state motto. It is most commonly translated as "the life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness." An alte ...
,"'' meaning'','' "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness." The day became a national holiday known as ''
Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea.''
Kamehameha III married
Queen Kalama
Kalama Hakaleleponi Kapakuhaili (1817 – September 20, 1870) was a Queen consort of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Kingdom of Hawaiʻi alongside her husband, Kamehameha III, Kauikeaouli, who reigned as King Kamehameha III. She chose the baptismal name H ...
on February 14, 1837. Kamehameha had one son with his mistress Jane Lahilahi who survived to adulthood, Albert Edward Kūnuiakea. He had two boys with Queen Kalama who died young: Prince Keaweaweʻulaokalani I and Prince Keaweaweʻulaokalani II.
Alexander Liholiho, Kamehameha III's nephew, was taken in by the King and pronounced as heir to the throne. In 1854 he became king as a result of a sudden death of Kamehameha III, likely by stroke.
Kamehameha IV
Alexander Liholiho
Kamehameha IV (Alekanetero ʻIolani Kalanikualiholiho Maka o ʻIouli Kūnuiākea o Kūkāʻilimoku; anglicized as Alexander Liholiho) (February 9, 1834 – November 30, 1863), reigned as the fourth monarch of Hawaii under the title ''Ke Aliʻi ...
was born on February 9, 1834, in the capital of the country,
Honolulu
Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
. 21 years later he took the throne and the name Kamehameha IV. He studied at the Royal School (Hawaii), Chiefs' Children's School and learned French from
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
missionaries.
The princes did not have a happy experience at the school and were often sent to bed hungry.
Liholiho left the school when he was 14 and began studying law. In his late teens, Liholiho began traveling with his brother, Kamehameha V, Lot Kapuāiwa, in an attempt to establish Hawaii's presence as an independent nation. They travelled to nations such as the United States, France, and Panama.
After an 1849 French attack by Admiral Louis Tromelin, de Tromelin, Liholiho was tasked with trying to improve relations with France. Liholiho and Kapuaiwa were accompanied by Gerrit P. Judd to France with hopes of a treaty.
After three months they ultimately failed and returned to the islands. Following his return he was appointed to Kamehameha III's privy council in 1852.
After taking the throne in 1855, Kamehameha IV's main goal was to limit Anglo-American influence. He ended negotiations over the American annexation of Hawaii.
that had been started by Kamehameha III. In 1856 Kamehameha IV had an Anglicanism, Anglican wedding with Queen Emma of Hawaii, Emma Rooke. Emma Rooke was the great-grandniece of King Kamehameha I and was an ''ali'i''.
Queen Emma was very pro-British due to her British adoptive parents. In 1858 the Queen and King had their only child, Albert Kamehameha, Prince Albert Edward Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa a Kamehameha. The prince died in 1862, but was described as kind and cheerful. Kamehameha IV established the Anglican church in Hawaii.
The cause of death for the prince is believed to have been appendicitis. Kamehameha IV blamed himself for the death. As a result, the Queen and the King prioritized healthcare, because diseases like leprosy and influenza were destroying the Hawaiian people. The king's plan was struck down because a healthcare plan had been part of the Constitution of 1852.
The King's rule came to an end on November 30, 1863, when he died from chronic asthma. The King had been experiencing deteriorating health for several months before dying. Kamehameha IV was succeeded by his brother Lot who became Kamehameha V. Queen Emma remained involved in politics until she ultimately lost the race to become the Kingdom's ruling monarch to Kalākaua, David Kalakaua.
Royal election

The legislature decided to hold a public referendum and to choose who the public voted for. Queen Emma of Hawaii, Queen Emma and Kalākaua, David Kalākaua both declared their candidacy. Kalākaua won the 1874 election. While the legislature was formally voting to certify Kalākaua as King, Queen Emma's supporters Honolulu Courthouse riot, descended on the capitol and attacked the legislators. 13 legislators supporting Kalākaua were injured, including one who died after he was tossed from a window. The monarchy had no army and the police deserted, leading the government to request the support of American troops to quell the riot.
The new ruler was pressured by the U.S. government to surrender Pearl Harbor to the Navy.
Kalākaua was concerned that this would lead to annexation by the U.S. and to violating the traditions of the Hawaiian people, who believed that the 'Āina was fertile, sacred and not for sale.
Whaling
In 1816, the populations of Honolulu was around 3,000, almost all Hawaiians, although 16 Americans lived on Oahu, all before whaling. As whaling grew, the population grew with it, reaching 23,000 in 1890. One ship arrived in Honolulu in 1820, 62 visited in 1822, 98 in 1829, and 110 in 1833. In Lahaina, 17 whaleships anchored in 1824, 62 in 1830 and 80 in 1832. The crews typically numbered around 30 men. They visited once or twice/year, to restock supplies. US whaling peaked in the 1850s, and was mostly over by the end of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
Sugar reciprocity

The first permanent sugar plantation began in Kauai in 1835. William Northey Hooper, William Hooper leased 980 acres of land from Kamehameha III. Within thirty years plantations operated on all four main islands. Sugar upended Hawaii's economy.
American influence in Hawaiian government began when U.S. plantation owners demanded a say in Kingdom politics. Pressure from these plantation owners was felt by the King and chiefs as demands for land tenure. Kamehameha III responded to the demands with the
Mahele, distributing land to all Hawaiians as advocated by missionaries including Gerrit P. Judd.
During the 1850s, the U.S. import tariff on sugar from Hawaii was much higher than the tariffs Hawaiians were charging the U.S. Kamehameha III sought reciprocity. The monarch wished to lower U.S. tariffs and make Hawaiian sugar competitive with other foreign suppliers. In 1854 Kamehameha III's proposal of reciprocity between the countries died in the United States Senate, U.S. Senate.
U.S. control of Hawaii was considered vital for the defense of its west coast. The military was especially interested in Iroquois Point, Hawaii, Pu'uloa, Pearl Harbor.
The sale of one harbor was proposed by Charles Reed Bishop, a foreigner who had married into the House of Kamehameha, Kamehameha family, had risen to be Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Hawaii), Hawaiian Minister of Foreign Affairs and owned a country home near Pu'uloa. He showed two U.S. officers around the lochs, although his wife, Bernice Pauahi Bishop, privately disapproved of selling Hawaiian lands. As monarch, Kamehameha, was content to let Bishop run most business affairs, but the ceding of lands was unpopular with Hawaiians. Many islanders thought that all the islands, rather than just Pearl Harbor, might be lost and opposed any cession. By November 1873, Lunalilo canceled negotiations, but he died on February 3, 1874.
From 1874 through 1875, Kalākaua made a state visit to Washington DC to gather support for a new treaty.
Congress agreed to the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 for seven years in exchange for Ford Island (Pearl Harbor).
After the treaty, sugar production expanded from 12,000 acres to 125,000 acres in 1891.
At the end of the seven-year term, the treaty lapsed given little interest in the United States.
Rebellion of 1887 and the Bayonet Constitution
On January 20, 1887, the United States began leasing Pearl Harbor.
Shortly afterwards, a group of mostly non-Hawaiians calling themselves the Hawaiian Patriotic League began the Hawaiian rebellions (1887–1895), Rebellion of 1887.
They drafted a constitution, written by Lorrin A. Thurston, Lorrin Thurston, the Hawaiian Minister of the Interior who used the Hawaiian militia to threaten Kalākaua.
Kalākaua was forced to dismiss his cabinet ministers and sign 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, the constitution, lessening his power.
It became known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, Bayonet Constitution due to the threat of force.

Grover Cleveland was president at the time, and his secretary of state Thomas F. Bayard instructed List of ministers of the United States to Hawaii, American minister George W. Merrill that in the event of another revolution in Hawaii, the priority was to protect American commerce, lives and property. Bayard specified, "the assistance of the officers of our Government vessels, if found necessary, will therefore be promptly afforded to promote the reign of law and respect for orderly government in Hawaii." In July 1889, a small scale rebellion ensued, and Minister Merrill landed Marines to protect Americans; the State Department explicitly approved this action. Merrill's replacement, minister John L. Stevens, followed those instructions in his controversial actions of 1893.
Although Kalākaua's signature alone had no legal power, the constitution allowed him to appoint cabinet ministers, but stripped him of the power to dismiss them without approval from the Legislature. Eligibility to vote for the Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom, House of Nobles was altered, requiring that both candidates and voters own property valued three thousand dollars or more, or have an annual income of six hundred dollars or more. This disenfranchised two thirds of native Hawaiians and other ethnic groups who had previously been eligible to vote.
This constitution benefited the foreign plantation owners. With the legislature now responsible for naturalizing aliens, Americans and Europeans could retain their home country citizenship and vote as citizens of the kingdom. Along with voting privileges, Americans could hold office and retain their US citizenship, something not afforded in any other nation
and even allowed Americans to vote without becoming naturalized.
Asian immigrants were no longer able to acquire citizenship or vote.
Wilcox Rebellion of 1888

The Wilcox Rebellion of 1888 was a plot to overthrow Kalākaua, King David Kalākaua and replace him with his sister in a coup d'état. This was in response to increased political tension between the legislature and the king.
Kalākaua's distant cousin, a native Hawaiian officer and veteran of the Italy, Italian military, Robert William Wilcox returned to Hawaii in October 1887 when the funding for his study program stopped. Wilcox, Charles Burnett Wilson, Charles B. Wilson, Liliʻuokalani, Princess Liliuokalani, and Sam Nowlein plotted to Coup d'état, overthrow Kalākaua and replace him with Liliuokalani. 300 Hawaiian conspirators hid in ʻIolani Barracks, Iolani Barracks and an alliance was formed with the Royal Guard, but the plot was accidentally discovered in January 1888, less than 48 hours before the revolt. No one was prosecuted, but Wilcox was exiled. On February 11, 1888, Wilcox left Hawaii for San Francisco, intending to return to Italy with his wife.
Princess Liliuokalani was offered the throne several times by the Reform Party (Hawaii), Missionary Party who had forced the Bayonet Constitution on her brother, but she rejected the offers. In January 1891, Kalākaua traveled to San Francisco for his health, staying at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, Palace Hotel. He died there on January 20.
Liliuokalani then ascended the throne. She called her brother's reign "a golden age materially for Hawaii".
Liliuokalani's attempt to re-write Constitution
Liliuokalani assumed the throne in the middle of an economic crisis. The McKinley Tariff, McKinley Act had crippled the Hawaiian sugar industry by removing the duties on sugar imports from other countries into the US, eliminating Hawaii's advantage.
Many Hawaii businesses and citizens lost revenue; in response Liliuokalani proposed a lottery and opium licensing.
Her ministers and closest friends were all opposed to this plan; they unsuccessfully tried to dissuade her from pursuing these initiatives, both of which came to be used against her in the brewing constitutional crisis.
Liliuokalani's chief desire was to restore power to the monarch by abrogating the 1887 Bayonet Constitution and promulgating a new one. The Proposed 1893 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, 1893 Constitution would have extended suffrage by reducing some property requirements. It would have disenfranchised many non-citizen Europeans and Americans. The Queen toured several islands on horseback, talking to the people about her ideas and receiving strong support, including a lengthy petition. However, when the Queen informed her cabinet of her plans, they withheld their support, because of what they expected to be her opponent's likely response.
Liliuokalani's attempt to promulgate a new constitution on January 14, 1893, precipitated the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii three days later. The conspirators' stated goals were to depose the queen, overthrow the monarchy, and seek US annexation.
Overthrow
The overthrow was led by Thurston, who was the grandson of American missionaries
and derived his support primarily from the American and European business class and other supporters of the Reform Party (Hawaii), Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Most of the leaders of the 13-member Committee of Safety (Hawaii), Committee of Safety that deposed the queen were American and European citizens who were Kingdom subjects.
They included legislators, government officers, and a Supreme Court Justice.
On January 16, the Marshal of the Kingdom, Charles Burnett Wilson, Charles B. Wilson was tipped off by detectives of the planned coup. Wilson requested Warrant (law), warrants to arrest the 13 Council members and put the Kingdom under martial law. Because the members had strong political ties with U.S. Government Minister John L. Stevens, the requests were repeatedly denied by Attorney General Arthur P. Peterson and the Queen's cabinet. They feared that the arrests would escalate the situation. After a failed negotiation with Thurston, Wilson began to collect his troops. Wilson and Captain of the Royal Guards of Hawaii, Royal Household Guard Samuel Nowlein rallied a force of 496 troops to protect the Queen.
United States military support

The coup efforts were supported by Stevens.
The coup placed the queen under house arrest at ʻIolani Palace, Iolani Palace. Advised about supposed threats to non-combatant American lives and property by the Committee, Stevens summoned a company of U.S. Marines from the USS Boston (1884), USS ''Boston'' and two companies of U.S. sailors to take up positions at the U.S. Legation, Consulate, and Arion Hall on January 16. 162 armed sailors and United States Marine Corps, Marines aboard the USS Boston (1884), USS ''Boston'' in Honolulu Harbor came ashore under orders of neutrality. The sailors and Marines did not participate, but their presence intimidated royalist defenders. Historian William Russ states, "the injunction to prevent fighting of any kind made it impossible for the monarchy to protect itself."
United States territory
Annexation
In March 1897, William McKinley, a Republican expansionist, succeeded Democrat Grover Cleveland as U.S. president. He prepared a treaty of annexation but it lacked the needed 2/3 majority in the United States Senate, Senate given Democratic opposition. A joint resolution, written by Democratic Congressman Francis G. Newlands to annex Hawaii passed both the House and Senate; it needed only majority support. The U.S. Supreme Court gave tacit recognition to the annexation in De Lima v. Bidwell, 182 U.S. 1, 196 (1901). The Spanish–American War had broken out and many leaders wanted control of Pearl Harbor to help the United States become a Pacific power and protect the West Coast. Kalākaua was concerned over a possible United States seizure and in Kalākaua's 1881 world tour, he met secretly with the Japanese Emperor to discuss bringing Hawaii under Japan's protection. He proposed to unite the two nations with an arranged marriage between his 5-year-old niece Princess Kaʻiulani and 13-year-old Prince Higashifushimi Yorihito, Prince Yamashina Sadamaro. Japan rejected his proposal over concerns that this would worsen relations between Japan and the United States. In 1897 Japan sent warships to Hawaii to oppose annexation. This made the decision more urgent, especially since the islands' fourth-largest population was of Japanese heritage. They were largely aligned with Japan.
McKinley signed the Newlands Resolution annexing Hawaii on July 7, 1898, creating the
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Panalāʻau o Hawaiʻi'') was an organized incorporated territories of the United States, organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from Apri ...
. On February 22, 1900, the Hawaiian Organic Act established a territorial government. Annexation opponents held that this was illegal, claiming the Queen was the only legitimate ruler. McKinley appointed Sanford B. Dole as territorial governor. The territorial legislature convened for the first time on February 20, 1901. Hawaiians formed the Home Rule Party of Hawaii, Hawaiian Independent Party, under the leadership of Robert Wilcox, Hawaii's first Hawaii Territory's at-large congressional district, congressional delegate.
Plantations
Sugarcane plantations in Hawaii expanded during the territorial period. Some companies diversified and dominated related industries such as transportation, banking and real estate. Economic and political power was concentrated in what were known as the "Big Five (Hawaii), Big Five".
A 1909 strike by Japanese farm workers led to a brief experiment importing Russian laborers, mostly from Siberia. False promises of land grants by a recruiter named A.W. Perelstrous resulted in strikes among the Russian workers. Hardships included a measles outbreak, lack of ability to communicate with Hawaiians, and culture clashes. Most Russians ended up moving to California, New York, or back to Russia (mostly after the 1917 Russian Revolution).
World War II
Attack on Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor was attacked on December 7, 1941, by the Imperial Japanese Navy, killing almost 2,500 people and sinking the main Pacific battleship fleet. Fortuitously for the Americans, the four Pacific aircraft carriers were at sea and escaped damage. Hawaii was put under martial law until 1945.
Unlike the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast where Internment of Japanese Americans, 100,000 ethnic Japanese-American citizens were interned, the Japanese-American population in Hawaii avoided internment, although hundreds of pro-Japan leaders were arrested.
Pearl Harbor was the U.S.' main forward base for the Pacific War. The Japanese planned to attack in summer 1942 but were defeated at the Battle of Midway. Hundreds of thousands of American soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen passed through the islands. The islands were used for training and Bivouac shelter, bivouac throughout the war.
Hawaii residents formed the 442nd Infantry Regiment (United States), 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a United States Army, U.S. Army infantry regiment. The regiment was composed almost entirely of Nisei, American soldiers of Japanese ancestry. It fought primarily in Italian campaign (World War II), Italy, Operation Dragoon, southern France and Western Allied invasion of Germany, Germany. The 442nd Regiment was the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in American history. Its 4,000 members had to be reinforced nearly 2.5 times to replace casualties. In total, about 14,000 Hawaiians served in the regiment, earning 9,486 Purple Hearts. The unit was awarded eight Presidential Unit Citation (United States), Presidential Unit Citations (five in one month). Twenty-one of its members, including Hawaii's former U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye, were awarded Medal of Honor, Medals of Honor. Its motto was "Go for Broke".
Politics
Initially, the Hawaii Republican Party dominated territorial politics. However, in 1954 a series of non-violent industry-wide Strike action, strikes, protests and other civil disobedience transpired. In the territorial elections of 1954 the Democratic Party of Hawaii gained the majority and lobbied for statehood. The labor force unionized, hastening the plantations' decline.
Statehood

President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Hawaii Admission Act on March 18, 1959, which created the means for Hawaiian statehood. After a referendum in which over 93% of Hawaiian citizens voted in favor of statehood, Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state on August 21, 1959.
Annexation legacy
From contact through to annexation, the number of Native Hawaiians in Hawaii declined. Bottom was reached in the first census conducted by the United States in 1900 at 37,656. Thereafter the Native Hawaiian population in Hawaii increased with every census.
For many Native Hawaiians, the relationship between the islands and the mainland is problematic, in part because of how Hawaii lost its independence. By contrast the ultimate step of becoming a U.S. State was done properly.
The 1960s Hawaiian Renaissance led to renewed interest in the
Hawaiian language
Hawaiian (', ) is a critically endangered Polynesian language of the Austronesian language family, originating in and native to the Hawaiian Islands. It is the native language of the Hawaiian people. Hawaiian, along with English, is an offi ...
, culture and identity.
Congress passed the Apology Resolution (wikisource:US Public Law 103-150, US Public Law 103-150) and it was signed by President Bill Clinton on November 23, 1993. This resolution apologized "to Native Hawaiians on behalf of the people of the United States for the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii on January 17, 1893... and the deprivation of the rights of Native Hawaiians to self-determination." The implications of this resolution have been debated.
The resolution's description of Hawaiian history has been criticized, for example, for ignoring the fact that the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom was led by Hawaiian citizens on the Committee of Safety (Hawaii), Committee of Safety. The resolution also does not explain why it applies only to people descended from persons living in pre-contact Hawaii, as opposed to all subjects of the Kingdom at the time of the overthrow.
In 2000, Senator Daniel Akaka proposed what was called the Akaka Bill to extend federal recognition to those of Native Hawaiians, Native Hawaiian ancestry as a sovereign group similar to Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes. The bill did not pass.
See also
* Colonial epidemic disease in Hawaii
* Legal status of Hawaii
* List of conflicts in Hawaii
* List of missionaries to Hawaii, List of Missionaries to Hawaii
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Hawaii
* Timeline of Honolulu
* Women's suffrage in Hawaii
References
Bibliography
* Beechert, Edward D. ''Working in Hawaii: A labor history'' (University of Hawaii Press, 1985).
* Craig, Robert D. ''Historical dictionary of Honolulu and Hawaiʻi'' (Scarecrow Press, 1998).
*
* Fuchs, Lawrence H. ''Hawaii Pono: 'Hawaii the Excellent': An Ethnic and Political History.'' (1961).
* James L. Haley, Haley, James L. ''Captive Paradise: A History of Hawaii'' (St. Martin's Press, 2014).
*
* La Croix, Sumner. ''Hawai’i: Eight Hundred Years of Political and Economic Change'' (U of Chicago Press, 2019) 309 pp
EH.net online review by Lee J. Alston* La Croix, Sumner. "Economic history of Hawai‘i." ''Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Economics and Finance'' (2021)
* Ruth Tabrah, Tabrah, Ruth M. ''Hawaii: a history'' (WW Norton & Company, 1984).
*
* Wyndette, Olive. ''Islands of Destiny: A History of Hawaii'' (1968).
Specialty studies
* Aquino, Belinda
''The Filipino Century in Hawaii: Out of the Crucible''(2006).
* Brown, DeSoto and Anne Ellett. ''Hawaii goes to war: life in Hawaii from Pearl Harbor to peace'' (1989).
* Chapin, Helen. ''Shaping history: The role of newspapers in Hawai'i'' (University of Hawaii Press, 1996).
* Cochran, Thomas C. and Ray Ginger. "The American-Hawaiian Steamship Company, 1899–1919," ''Business History Review'' (1954). 28#4, pp. 342–365.
* Forbes, David W. ''Encounters with paradise: views of Hawaii and its people, 1778–1941'' (Honolulu Academy of Arts, 1992).
* Greenlee, John Wyatt. "Eight Islands on Four Maps: The Cartographic Renegotiation of Hawai'i, 1876-1959." ''Cartographica'' 50, 3 (2015), 119–140
online* MacLennan, Carol A. ''Sovereign Sugar, Industry and Environment in Hawaii'' (2014).
* Mak, James. "Creating 'Paradise of the Pacific': How Tourism Began in Hawaii." (No. 2015-1. 2015
online 82pp
* Melendy, Howard Brett, and Rhoda E.A. Hackler. ''Hawaii, America's Sugar Territory, 1898–1959'' (Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 1999).
* Melendy, Howard Brett. ''Walter Francis Dillingham, 1875–1963: Hawaiian Entrepreneur and Statesman'' (Lewiston, New York: Edwin Mellen Press, 1996).
* Morgan, William Michael. "The Anti-Japanese Origins of the Hawaiian Annexation Treaty Of 1897" ''Diplomatic History''. (1982) 6#1 pp. 23–44.
** Se
online review by Kenneth R. Conklin, PhD*
* Rohrer, Judy. ''Haoles in Hawai'i'' (2010), 124ff.; scholarly survey
* Russ, William Adam. ''The Hawaiian Revolution (1893-94)'' (1992)
* Russ, William Adam. ''The Hawaiian Republic (1894–98) and its struggle to win annexation'' (Susquehanna U Press, 1992).
* Schmitt, Robert C. ''Historical Statistics of Hawaii'' (University Press of Hawaii, 1977).
* Schmitt, Robert C. "Religious statistics of Hawaii, 1825-1972." ''Hawaiian Journal of History'' (1973), Vol. 7, pp 41–47.
* Schmitt, Robert C. ''Demographic Statistics of Hawaii." Demographic Statistics of Hawaii'' (University of Hawaii Press, 2021).
* Siler, Julia Flynn. ''Lost Kingdom: Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings and America's First Imperial Adventure'' (2012).
* Sumida, Stephen H. ''And the View from the Shore: Literary Traditions of Hawai'i'' (University of Washington Press, 2015).
* Teodoro, Luis V., ed. ''Out of this struggle: The Filipinos in Hawaii'' (U. University of Hawaii Press, 2019).
* Tregaskis, Richard. ''The warrior king: Hawaii's Kamehameha the Great'' (1973).
* [ Via Google Books]
* Wilson, Rob. "Exporting Christian Transcendentalism, Importing Hawaiian Sugar: The Trans-Americanization of Hawai'i." ''American Literature'' 72#.3 (2000): 521–552
online
External links
Audio of Dwight D. Eisenhower Hawaii Statehood Proclamation Speech
by Chris Cook in ''The Islander Magazine''
in ''The Islander Magazine''
Today in Hawai`i History
*
*
*
{{Authority control
History of Hawaii,