History of Hawaii

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History of Hawaii
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Earliest Hawaiians

• 300-700 B.C.
• Polynesians who traveled to Hawaii by canoe
• Brought pigs, dogs, chickens, sweet potatoes,
  taro, coconut,sugarcane

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Earliest Hawaiians (contd)

• No written language
• History, religion, and culture were all passed
  down through songs and chants

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Social Structure

• King
• Each island had its own king
• Chief Minister (spiritual advisor to the King)
• AliiChiefs of villages, put in place by the
  King
• Kahuna
• Craftsman of canoes, medicine, spells, etc.
• Makaainana
• Commoners (the poor, the workers)
• Largest group of people

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Kapu System (Laws)

• System of religious beliefs that held Hawaiian
  society together
• Taboos, or things that should not be done
• Examples
• Men and women could not eat together
• Women could not eat bananas, coconuts
• Fishing could only be done in certain seasons
• Men could only eat certain kinds of fish
• Shadow of a commoner could not fall on a Chief
• Breaking these laws was punishable by death!
• Human sacrifice, losing your eyes, limbs, etc.

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European Discovery

• January 1778
• Captain James Cook discovers the islands while
  searching for route from Alaska to Asia
• First person to write about the Hawaiians riding
  waves on wooden boards (surfing!)

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How did Capt. Cook die in Hawaii?
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Kamehameha The Great

• King Kamehameha I (1758-1819)
• Learned combat from the British (Capt. Cook)
• Conquered Big Island, Maui, Molokai, Lanai
• To conquer to Oahu, he built a huge fleet of
  canoes to carry his warriors
• Landed at Waikiki, drove the Oahuans back to
  Nuuanu Pali

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Formation of Hawaiian Kingdom

• After victory on Oahu, Kauai quickly agreed to
  peace
• The 8 Hawaiian islands became one kingdom, with
  allegiance to Great Britain
• American farmers begin moving to Hawaii in 1820s
• 5 more Kamehameas

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Kamehameha IV (1834-1863)

• During his reign, many foreigners (Americans)
  began trying to get Hawaii annexed to the United
  States
• These were sugarcane plantation owners
• Wanted more trade with the USA ()

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Kamehameha V (1830-1872)

• The Civil War cut off sugar to the Northern
  states from the South
• Created huge demand for sugar in the USA
  (northern states)
• People (Americans and Hawaiians) created a
  Hawaiian Legislature, limiting power of the King
• Lots of racial trouble
• Fights in the Legislature between native
  Hawaiians and white Americans
• Whites refused to speak Hawaiian in the
  legislature. Hawaiians refused to speak English
• Last King of Hawaii who wasnt elected

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Queen Liliuokalani (1838-1917)

• Struggled with fights between white businessmen
  and native Hawaiian politicians
• Queen wanted to give more power back to the
  monarchy
• 1887 - White businessmen formed a militia (1500
  men) and a new government (Committee of Safety)
• The Queen could have had them arrested for
  treason!

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Overthrow of Hawaii - 1898

• 1893
• Liliuokalani wanted peace, so she didnt arrest
  them
• However, the Committee of Safetys militia took
  over the government buildings
• The night before this, US marines landed on Oahu
  to keep the peace
• The Queen was forced to accept the annexation of
  Hawaii to the United States
• Native Hawaiians tried to revolt in 1895, which
  failed.
• The Queen was arrested and sentenced to
  imprisonment in a bedroom in Iolani Palace

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