Queen Liliuokalani's Annexation Affect The Kingdom Of Hawaii?
At Queen Liliuokalani’s birth no one knew of the struggles and trials she was to face. Neither did they know that she would be the last reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Queen Liliuokalani made many difficult decisions during her reign but she did so with the hope of establishing sovereignty and preserving the islands for the native people. The United States played a major role with the dethroning of Queen Liliuokalani and the annexation of Hawaii as they gradually encroached upon the Islands through trade and commerce, taking away power from their Monarchy, and completely disregard Hawaii’s own desire for sovereignty as the political leaders of the U.S. only sought to gain control for their own benefit. Liliuokalani was born
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on September 2, 1838 in a grass house located in the little town of Punch Bowl. Her mother was an inferior chiefess named Keohokalole (Allen 33). But Liliuokalani only stayed in the care of Keohokalole for a short time. The baby’s father, Kapaakaea, had promised her to the High Chief, Abner Paki and his wife Konia through hanai. Hanai was an act of adoption by another High Chief family within the Islands. But adoption between the High Chief families was common during these days. The parents did not just gave their children away out of aloha, but to better the child’s station in life. They also felt that it brought the Islands as a whole closer together like family. She grew up with her sister Bernice, a natural daughter of Pakis’. She attended the Chiefs’ Children School, later known as the Royal School. The Royal School was founded by Christian missionaries that first came to the area in 1819 (Stone 11). At the school they taught them about Christianity and taught them to speak English while training them in the ways of a princess. She attended the School with her sister Bernice and many of the other High Chief’s children, though Liliuokalani was not a direct technically a princess because she was not a direct descendant of the King. Liliuokalani’s adoptive mother, Konia, was the granddaughter of Kamehameha the Great. But since Liliuokalani was hanai by the High Chief she was not a direct descendent of Kamehameha through blood. The children at her school often referred to her as alii, or chiefess, while they referred to her sister Bernice as Princess Bernice (Stone 16). But she decided to keep her head high and act like a princess of Kamehameha anyway. This shows the bright and intelligent mind that she had as she was able to recognize differences in her surrounding and adjust her own thoughts and actions to them. As Liliuokalani grew older she became more aware of the clashing cultures between the U.S. and Hawaii. In 1891 King Kalakaua, her brother, died of a serious ailment, leaving the throne to Liliuokalani, then becoming Queen Liliuokalani (Pau). She entered the world of politics as innocent as a child, unknowing to the imperialistic mind of the United States. For many years the U.S. tried to gain control of the Kingdom of Hawaii. It first started with the Missionaries. Christian missionaries came to the Islands in 1819. The missionaries had a great impact on the civilization of the Islands. With the preaching of Christianity came school houses, spelling books, a change on governing and most importantly a written language. Just five years after the landing of the missionaries the principal chiefs had agreed to recognize Sunday as a holy day, and had adopted the Ten Commandments as the basis of government (Carpenter 26). By 1840 with the period of the Great Awakening the people of Hawaii were ‘“suddenly throng[ing] to the churches… athirst for spiritual knowledge’” says Mary Charlotte Alexander (Weaver 69). The work was so successful that Hawaii began to be recognized as a civilized nation by the 1840’s. But this first step towards power would also lead to their downfall as they continually put their trust in America. As civilization was brought throughout the Islands of Hawaii, trade and commerce also rapidly increased between the Islands and the U.S.
In the 1840’s sugarcane was first introduced to the economy. By 1853 nearly three thousand acres of cane were under cultivation and its production continued to increase and eventually became the chief industry of the Islands (Carpenter 40). Sugar was the new king of the islands, and would continue its reign well on into the twentieth century. Today the industry is all but dead in the state, and the economic impact of its absence is still felt in many areas (Carpenter 40). Through the 1850’s 60’s and 70’s a movement to establish closer commercial relations between Hawaii and the United States was desired. Many reciprocity treaties were drawn up but then shot down as the two countries argued over trading rights. It was not until 1875 they met a negotiation with the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875. It created a duty-free market between the U.S. and Hawaii. The interesting thing about this treaty is that it never once mentions the sovereignty of Hawaii, a very crafty move by the U.S. In this document they managed to give the appearance of sovereignty and modelled the treaty to seem extremely favourable to Hawaiian trade, which depended greatly on sugar, while in actuality elusively avoiding the talk of Hawaii’s sovereignty (Carpenter 47-52). In reality, what the treaty did was establish the control and monopoly of the United States over …show more content…
Hawaii. By closely aligning itself with Hawaiian sugar trade, the United States was strengthening its business interests in the islands. A report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said “The Hawaiian treaty was negotiated for the purpose of securing political control over the Islands, making them industrially and commercially a part of the United States and preventing any other great power from acquiring a foothold there which might be adverse to the welfare and safety of our Pacific Coast in time of war” (Weaver 94).
Here it frankly states the true reason behind the Reciprocity Treaty. They weren’t trying to help Hawaii in anyway. They made this treaty to boost the economy in the U.S. And the Hawaiian people bought it at first, only seeing it for what the United States deceived them into seeing. The Hawaiian government just trusted the “good faith” of America to honour the sovereignty they thought they had established
(Farr). The Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 later lead to the Bayonet Constitution in 1877. The Bayonet Constitution greatly “curtailed the monarch's power, making him a mere figurehead” (Katz). It placed executive power in the hands of a cabinet whose members could no longer be dismissed by the monarch but only by the legislature, they also now had to elect those to the House of Nobles, who were formerly appointed by the monarch (Weaver 93). As to voting rights, it extended the vote to non-citizens and foreign residents of Europe and America, ending Native Hawaiian majority rule in the legislature. It also required that voters and candidates for the legislature meet high property ownership or income requirements (Katz). This requirement excluded two-thirds of the formerly eligible Native Hawaiians from voting for many of the Native Hawaiians were poor and did not own any land. For those who could still vote, they first had to swear allegiance to the Bayonet Constitution. This Constitution greatly weakened the power of the King and virtually eliminated any influence the Hawaiian Natives had on their government. A report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said One of Queen Liliuokalani’s first actions as Queen was to draft a new Constitution, one that abolished the Bayonet Constitution and restored the veto power to the monarchy and voting rights to the Native Hawaiians. Though the draft was never completed but it was a major cause of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Feeling threatened by the queen's proposed new constitution, American and European businessmen and residents organized to depose of Queen Liliuokalani, asserting that the queen had "virtually abdicated" by refusing to support the 1887 Constitution (Weaver 97). Business interests within the Kingdom were also upset about what they viewed as "poor governance" of the Kingdom, as well as the U.S. removal of foreign tariffs in the sugar trade due to the McKinley Tariff (Katz). The tariff eliminated the favored status of Hawaiian sugar guaranteed by the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875. American and Europeans actively sought annexation to the United States so that their business might enjoy the same sugar bounties as domestic producers, only looking to better their own lives. The crisis in Hawaii’s political affairs was increasing rapidly. Antagonism between the Queen and the white residents was rising and acquiring strength. A large amount of the land in Hawaii was owned absolutely or controlled by Americans. Agricultural interests throughout the Islands were also chiefly in the hands of Americans. In November of 1892 a heated debate began between the Queen and the legislature (Carpenter 174). With the passing of the late king the cabinet of advisors was vacated. Liliuokalani was determined to carry her designs into effect and the queen sent to the legislature the names of those whom she had selected to compose her new cabinet. A long struggle followed by which the legislature was finally victorious. Many lists of men were reject, until at last, the queen submitted a list of names with which the majority of her opponents were satisfied. This cabinet became to be known as the “Wilcox-Jones cabinet” (Carpenter 175). It was a small victory for America, but it was evident that the crisis was not over. In 1893 rebellion was in the air as Americans twisted in their seats waiting for the overthrow of the Monarchy and annexation to begin and on January 17th, 1893 just that happened. That day a Queen Liliuokalani was deposed in a coup led largely by American citizens who were opposed to her attempt to establish a new Constitution took possession of the government. The success of the coup efforts was supported by the landing of U.S. Marines, who came ashore at the request of the conspirators (Carpenter 185). The coup left the queen imprisoned at Iolani Palace under house arrest. The sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hawaii was lost to a Provisional Government led by the conspirators, later briefly becoming the Republic of Hawaii, before eventual annexation to the United States in 1898. The dethroning of Queen Liliuokalani and ultimate annexation of Hawaii was due not only to the activities for the business interest, and the unwise political choices of the queen, but to the evolution of American influence for more than fifty years. Since the time of the coming of the missionaries, this influence had moved steadily forward. The Hawaiian kings were strong only with the assistance of the foreigner who taught them, civilized them and guided them in the conduct of their governmental affairs both domestic and foreign. When America came it was evident that the Islands were a necessary means of trade, commerce, and protection. Annexation was inevitable. Queen Liliuokalani was but “the closing actor of a political drama… staged on these Islands” (Carpenter 98).
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Black and White Portrait of Queen Liliuokalani. Photograph. Hawaiian Legacy Archive. Pacific Stock Photography. Hawaiian Legacy Archive. Web. 4 Mar. 2012.
on September 2, 1838 in a grass house located in the little town of Punch Bowl. Her mother was an inferior chiefess named Keohokalole (Allen 33). But Liliuokalani only stayed in the care of Keohokalole for a short time. The baby’s father, Kapaakaea, had promised her to the High Chief, Abner Paki and his wife Konia through hanai. Hanai was an act of adoption by another High Chief family within the Islands. But adoption between the High Chief families was common during these days. The parents did not just gave their children away out of aloha, but to better the child’s station in life. They also felt that it brought the Islands as a whole closer together like family. She grew up with her sister Bernice, a natural daughter of Pakis’. She attended the Chiefs’ Children School, later known as the Royal School. The Royal School was founded by Christian missionaries that first came to the area in 1819 (Stone 11). At the school they taught them about Christianity and taught them to speak English while training them in the ways of a princess. She attended the School with her sister Bernice and many of the other High Chief’s children, though Liliuokalani was not a direct technically a princess because she was not a direct descendant of the King. Liliuokalani’s adoptive mother, Konia, was the granddaughter of Kamehameha the Great. But since Liliuokalani was hanai by the High Chief she was not a direct descendent of Kamehameha through blood. The children at her school often referred to her as alii, or chiefess, while they referred to her sister Bernice as Princess Bernice (Stone 16). But she decided to keep her head high and act like a princess of Kamehameha anyway. This shows the bright and intelligent mind that she had as she was able to recognize differences in her surrounding and adjust her own thoughts and actions to them. As Liliuokalani grew older she became more aware of the clashing cultures between the U.S. and Hawaii. In 1891 King Kalakaua, her brother, died of a serious ailment, leaving the throne to Liliuokalani, then becoming Queen Liliuokalani (Pau). She entered the world of politics as innocent as a child, unknowing to the imperialistic mind of the United States. For many years the U.S. tried to gain control of the Kingdom of Hawaii. It first started with the Missionaries. Christian missionaries came to the Islands in 1819. The missionaries had a great impact on the civilization of the Islands. With the preaching of Christianity came school houses, spelling books, a change on governing and most importantly a written language. Just five years after the landing of the missionaries the principal chiefs had agreed to recognize Sunday as a holy day, and had adopted the Ten Commandments as the basis of government (Carpenter 26). By 1840 with the period of the Great Awakening the people of Hawaii were ‘“suddenly throng[ing] to the churches… athirst for spiritual knowledge’” says Mary Charlotte Alexander (Weaver 69). The work was so successful that Hawaii began to be recognized as a civilized nation by the 1840’s. But this first step towards power would also lead to their downfall as they continually put their trust in America. As civilization was brought throughout the Islands of Hawaii, trade and commerce also rapidly increased between the Islands and the U.S.
In the 1840’s sugarcane was first introduced to the economy. By 1853 nearly three thousand acres of cane were under cultivation and its production continued to increase and eventually became the chief industry of the Islands (Carpenter 40). Sugar was the new king of the islands, and would continue its reign well on into the twentieth century. Today the industry is all but dead in the state, and the economic impact of its absence is still felt in many areas (Carpenter 40). Through the 1850’s 60’s and 70’s a movement to establish closer commercial relations between Hawaii and the United States was desired. Many reciprocity treaties were drawn up but then shot down as the two countries argued over trading rights. It was not until 1875 they met a negotiation with the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875. It created a duty-free market between the U.S. and Hawaii. The interesting thing about this treaty is that it never once mentions the sovereignty of Hawaii, a very crafty move by the U.S. In this document they managed to give the appearance of sovereignty and modelled the treaty to seem extremely favourable to Hawaiian trade, which depended greatly on sugar, while in actuality elusively avoiding the talk of Hawaii’s sovereignty (Carpenter 47-52). In reality, what the treaty did was establish the control and monopoly of the United States over …show more content…
Hawaii. By closely aligning itself with Hawaiian sugar trade, the United States was strengthening its business interests in the islands. A report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said “The Hawaiian treaty was negotiated for the purpose of securing political control over the Islands, making them industrially and commercially a part of the United States and preventing any other great power from acquiring a foothold there which might be adverse to the welfare and safety of our Pacific Coast in time of war” (Weaver 94).
Here it frankly states the true reason behind the Reciprocity Treaty. They weren’t trying to help Hawaii in anyway. They made this treaty to boost the economy in the U.S. And the Hawaiian people bought it at first, only seeing it for what the United States deceived them into seeing. The Hawaiian government just trusted the “good faith” of America to honour the sovereignty they thought they had established
(Farr). The Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 later lead to the Bayonet Constitution in 1877. The Bayonet Constitution greatly “curtailed the monarch's power, making him a mere figurehead” (Katz). It placed executive power in the hands of a cabinet whose members could no longer be dismissed by the monarch but only by the legislature, they also now had to elect those to the House of Nobles, who were formerly appointed by the monarch (Weaver 93). As to voting rights, it extended the vote to non-citizens and foreign residents of Europe and America, ending Native Hawaiian majority rule in the legislature. It also required that voters and candidates for the legislature meet high property ownership or income requirements (Katz). This requirement excluded two-thirds of the formerly eligible Native Hawaiians from voting for many of the Native Hawaiians were poor and did not own any land. For those who could still vote, they first had to swear allegiance to the Bayonet Constitution. This Constitution greatly weakened the power of the King and virtually eliminated any influence the Hawaiian Natives had on their government. A report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations said One of Queen Liliuokalani’s first actions as Queen was to draft a new Constitution, one that abolished the Bayonet Constitution and restored the veto power to the monarchy and voting rights to the Native Hawaiians. Though the draft was never completed but it was a major cause of the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Feeling threatened by the queen's proposed new constitution, American and European businessmen and residents organized to depose of Queen Liliuokalani, asserting that the queen had "virtually abdicated" by refusing to support the 1887 Constitution (Weaver 97). Business interests within the Kingdom were also upset about what they viewed as "poor governance" of the Kingdom, as well as the U.S. removal of foreign tariffs in the sugar trade due to the McKinley Tariff (Katz). The tariff eliminated the favored status of Hawaiian sugar guaranteed by the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875. American and Europeans actively sought annexation to the United States so that their business might enjoy the same sugar bounties as domestic producers, only looking to better their own lives. The crisis in Hawaii’s political affairs was increasing rapidly. Antagonism between the Queen and the white residents was rising and acquiring strength. A large amount of the land in Hawaii was owned absolutely or controlled by Americans. Agricultural interests throughout the Islands were also chiefly in the hands of Americans. In November of 1892 a heated debate began between the Queen and the legislature (Carpenter 174). With the passing of the late king the cabinet of advisors was vacated. Liliuokalani was determined to carry her designs into effect and the queen sent to the legislature the names of those whom she had selected to compose her new cabinet. A long struggle followed by which the legislature was finally victorious. Many lists of men were reject, until at last, the queen submitted a list of names with which the majority of her opponents were satisfied. This cabinet became to be known as the “Wilcox-Jones cabinet” (Carpenter 175). It was a small victory for America, but it was evident that the crisis was not over. In 1893 rebellion was in the air as Americans twisted in their seats waiting for the overthrow of the Monarchy and annexation to begin and on January 17th, 1893 just that happened. That day a Queen Liliuokalani was deposed in a coup led largely by American citizens who were opposed to her attempt to establish a new Constitution took possession of the government. The success of the coup efforts was supported by the landing of U.S. Marines, who came ashore at the request of the conspirators (Carpenter 185). The coup left the queen imprisoned at Iolani Palace under house arrest. The sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hawaii was lost to a Provisional Government led by the conspirators, later briefly becoming the Republic of Hawaii, before eventual annexation to the United States in 1898. The dethroning of Queen Liliuokalani and ultimate annexation of Hawaii was due not only to the activities for the business interest, and the unwise political choices of the queen, but to the evolution of American influence for more than fifty years. Since the time of the coming of the missionaries, this influence had moved steadily forward. The Hawaiian kings were strong only with the assistance of the foreigner who taught them, civilized them and guided them in the conduct of their governmental affairs both domestic and foreign. When America came it was evident that the Islands were a necessary means of trade, commerce, and protection. Annexation was inevitable. Queen Liliuokalani was but “the closing actor of a political drama… staged on these Islands” (Carpenter 98).
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Black and White Portrait of Queen Liliuokalani. Photograph. Hawaiian Legacy Archive. Pacific Stock Photography. Hawaiian Legacy Archive. Web. 4 Mar. 2012.