History of Hawaii

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History of Hawaii

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 Ancient Hawaii
 Hawaiian Kingdom
 Provisional government
 Republic of Hawaii
 Territory of Hawaii
 State of Hawaii

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The history of Hawaii describes the era of human settlements in the Hawaiian Islands.

The islands were first settled by Polynesians sometime between 124 and 1120 AD.
[1]
 Hawaiian civilization was isolated from the rest of the world for at least 500 years.
An expedition led by British explorer James Cook is usually considered to be the first
group of Europeans to arrive in the Hawaiian Islands, which they did in 1778. However,
Spanish historians and some other researchers state that the Spanish captain Ruy
López de Villalobos was the first European to see the islands in 1542. The Spanish
named these islands "Isla de Mesa, de los Monjes y Desgraciada" (1542), being on the
route linking the Philippines with Mexico across the Pacific Ocean, between the ports of
Acapulco and Manila, which were both part of New Spain. [2][3][4] Within five years after
Cook's arrival, European military technology helped Kamehameha I, ruler of the island
of Hawaii, conquer and unify the islands for the first time, establishing the Kingdom of
 Hawaii in 1795. The kingdom was prosperous and important for its agriculture and
strategic location in the Pacific.
American immigration, led by Protestant missionaries, and Native Hawaiian
outmigration, mostly on whaling ships, began almost immediately after Cook's arrival.
[5]
 Americans set up plantations to grow sugar. Their methods of plantation farming
required substantial labor. Waves of permanent immigrants came from Japan, China,
and the Philippines to work in the fields. The government of Japan organized and gave
special protection to its people, who comprised about 25 percent of the Hawaiian
population by 1896.[6] 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.[7][8][9]
The population of Native Hawaiians in Hawaii declined from an unknown number prior
to 1778 (commonly estimated to be around 300,000), to around 142,000 in the 1820s
based on the first census conducted by American missionaries, 82,203 in the 1850
Hawaiian Kingdom census, 40,622 in the last Hawaiian Kingdom census of 1890,
39,504 in the only census by the Republic of Hawaii in 1896, and 37,656 in the first
census conducted by the United States in 1900 after the annexation of Hawaii to the
United States in 1898. Since Hawaii has joined the United States the Native Hawaiian
population in Hawaii has increased with every census to 289,970 in 2010. [5][10]
Americans within the kingdom government rewrote the constitution, severely curtailing
the power of King "David" Kalākaua, and disenfranchising the rights of most Native
Hawaiians and Asian citizens to vote, through excessively high property and income
requirements. This gave a sizeable advantage to plantation owners.
Queen Liliʻuokalani attempted to restore royal powers in 1893 but was placed
under house arrest by businessmen with help from the United States military. Against
the Queen's wishes, the Republic of Hawaii was formed for a short time. This
government agreed on behalf of Hawaii to join the United States in 1898 as the Territory
of Hawaii. In 1959, the islands became the state of Hawaii.

Contents

 1Ancient Hawaii
o 1.1Discovery and settlement
o 1.2Religion
o 1.3Liloa, Hākau and ʻUmi a Līloa
 1.3.1Liloa
 1.3.2Hākau
 1.3.3ʻUmi-a-Līloa
 1.3.4Aikāne
 1.3.5Land division system
 1.3.6Governance
o 1.4Konohiki
o 1.5Breaking of the Kapu
 2Contact
 3Kingdom of Hawaii
 o 3.1House of Kamehameha
o 3.2Kamehameha II
o 3.3Kaʻahumanu
o 3.4The Royal Election of 1874 and Sugar reciprocity
o 3.5Rebellion of 1887 and the Bayonet Constitution
o 3.6Wilcox Rebellion of 1888
o 3.7Liliʻuokalani's attempt to re-write Constitution
o 3.8Overthrow
o 3.9United States military support
 4United States territory
o 4.1Annexation
o 4.2Plantations
o 4.3World War II
 4.3.1Attack on Pearl Harbor
o 4.4Democratic Party
 5Statehood
o 5.1Annexation legacy
 6See also
 7References
 8Bibliography
o 8.1Specialty studies
 9External links

Ancient Hawaii[edit]
Main article: Ancient Hawaii
Discovery and settlement[edit]
Main article: Discovery and settlement of Hawaii

Chronological dispersal of Austronesian people across the Pacific

The date of the first settlements of the Hawaiian Islands is a topic of continuing debate.
[11]
 Patrick Vinton Kirch's books on Hawaiian archeology, standard textbooks, date the
first Polynesian settlements to about 300, with more recent suggestions by Kirch as late
as 600. Other theories suggest dates as late as 700 to 800. [11] The most recent survey of
carbon-dating evidence puts the arrival of the first settlers at around A.D. 940–1130. [12]
The history of the ancient Polynesians was passed down through genealogy chants that
were recited at formal and family functions. The genealogy of the high chiefs could be
traced back to the period believed to be inhabited only by gods. The pua aliʻi ("flower of
royalty") were considered to be living gods.[13]
By about 1000, settlements founded along the perimeters of the islands were beginning
to cultivate food in gardens.[14]
A Tahitian priest named Pā‘ao is said to have brought a new order to the islands around
1200. The new order included new laws and a new social structure that separated the
people into classes. The aliʻi nui was the king, with his ʻaha kuhina just below them.
The aliʻi were the royal nobles with the kahuna (high priest) below them,
the makaʻāinana (commoners) next with the kauā below them as the lowest ranking
social caste.[15]
The rulers of the Hawaiian islands (noho aliʻi o ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻAina) are a line of Native
Hawaiians who were independent rulers of various subdivisions of the islands of Hawaii.
Their genealogy is traced to Hānalaʻanui and others. [16] The aliʻi nui were responsible for
making sure the people observed a strict kapu (a code of conduct relating to taboos).
The system had rules regarding many aspects of Hawaiian social order, fishing rights
and even where women could eat. After the death of Kamehameha I, the system was
abolished, and the Hawaiian religion soon fell as the gods were abandoned.[17]
By 1500 Hawaiians began to spread to the interiors of the islands and religion was more
emphasized.[14]
Prior to conquest by Kamehameha I, the islands did not have a single name, as each
island was ruled as separate kingdoms known only by the island names. [9] The first
recorded names of the island by Captain Cook reflect this fact. [18] Kamehameha I, as
ruler of the island of Hawaii, imposed the name "Hawaii" on the islands. [19]
Religion[edit]

Kailua-Kona, Island of Hawaii

There were atheists, known as 'aia, in Hawaii.[20] However, the dominant religion in

Hawaii, similar to many other Polynesian societies, was the kapu or taboo religion,
which has a theology, ritual and a code of conduct. [21] There are
many gods and heroes with many different people worshiping different gods in different
ways.[20] In one tradition, Wākea, the Sky Father, wed Papahānaumoku, the Earth
Mother. From their union came all others, including the other gods. [21] In another
traditional genealogy named Pu-anue, Kumukumu-ke-kaa and her husband Paia-a-ka-
lani were the mother and father of the earth and heavens. Another genealogy declares
that Ka-mai-eli and Kumu-honua were the mother and father. [20]
The kapu religion in Hawaii was polytheistic, with four deities most
prominent: Kāne, Kū, Lono and Kanaloa. Other notable deities include Laka,
Kihawahine, Haumea, Papahānaumoku, and, most famously, Pele. In addition, each
family is considered to have one or more guardian spirits or family gods known
as ʻaumakua to protect them.[22] One such god is Iolani, the god of aliʻi families. [21]
One breakdown of the Kapu pantheon in Hawaii[23] consists of 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 ʻunihipili)
 guardians (na ʻaumākua)
Another breakdown[24] 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, ʻaumakua, associated with particular families
Liloa, Hākau and ʻUmi a Līloa[edit]
Liloa[edit]
Līloa was a legendary ruler of the island of Hawaii in the late 15th century.[25] His royal
compound was in Waipiʻo Valley. His line is traced to Hawaiian "creation". [26]
Līloa had two sons; his firstborn Hākau from his wife Pinea, (his mother's sister), and his
second son, ʻUmi a Līloa from his lesser ranking wife, Akahi a Kuleana.[27] Upon his
death, elevated Hākau as ruler and delegated religious authority to ʻUmi. [28] Akahi a
Kuleana was of a lesser line of chiefs who Liloa had fallen in love with when he
discovered her bathing in a river. The couple met when Liloa was visiting Hamakua. He
claimed his right to her as King and she accepted.
Liloa's Kāʻei is his sacred feathered sash, now kept at the Bishop Museum. [29]: p. 120 
Līloa was the first born son of Kiha nui lulu moku, one of the noho aliʻi (ruling elite). He
descended from Hāna laʻa nui.[16][30] Līloa's mother, Waioloa, his grandmother, Neʻula and
great grandmother, Laʻa kapu were of the ʻEwa aliʻi lines of Oahu.[16][28] Liloa'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, distant relatives of Abraham Fornander's daughter.[31]
In his book, David Malo described how Liloa originated the practice of moe āikane, the
sexual relationship between males.[32] The relationships had no social stigma and were
accepted practice beginning with the aliʻi and then copied by the other classes. Warriors
engaged in the practice. The relationships cannot be defined as bisexuality. In many
cases the men involved felt it an honor and responsibility to honor their hana lawelawe.
[32]

Hākau[edit]
Just before his death, Liloa bestowed on Hākau the succession as Chief, telling Umi
that he was to serve as his "man" (Prime Minister) and that both were 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 favorite, ailing Kahuna who
had requested food. This was considered highly insulting. [33] The two were of the priestly
class of the god Lono. They resented their treatment and plotted to see the kingdom in
someone else's hand.[34] Hākau did not believe the priests to have any power and
disrespected them as 'Umi was the spiritual authority [26] This was a period in when 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.[35] Through a messenger of Kaoleioku, of Waipunalei, the high-priest of
the temple of Manini, at Koholalele the two priests contacted Umi's court. The two
priests traveled to Waipunalei where they supported Umi's revolt. [26]
When Hākau received news that his brother was preparing to war against him, he sent
his main forces out to immediately prepare by seeking feathers to adorn their war
regalia. After the men had left and Hākau was undefended, Umi's men came forward
with a deception that they were there with bundles of offerings for the king. When the
bundles were dropped to the ground they were filled with rocks they used to stone
Hākau to death.
Umi was given a number of royal tokens to prove he was the son of Liloa, including a Niho Palaoa. The lei
(necklace) was made of braided human hair and whale bone.

ʻUmi-a-Līloa[edit]
ʻUmi-a-Līloa was a ruling aliʻi ai moku (district high chief of Hawai'i). He became chief
after the death of his half brother Hākau[36] and was considered a just ruler,
religious[37] and the first to unite almost all of the Big Island.[38] The legend of ʻUmi-a-Līloa
is one of the most popular hero sagas in Hawaiian history. [39]
ʻUmi's wife was Princess Piʻikea,[40] daughter of Piʻilani. They had one son, Kumalae[41]
[42]
 and one daughter, Aihākōkō.
Liloa 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.
Liloa's palace was guarded and attended by several Kahuna. 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 Liloa's sleeping quarters, waking him there. When Liloa asked who he was,
he said "It is I, 'Umi your son". He then placed the tokens at his father's feet and Liloa
proclaimed him to be his son. After learning of 'Umi, Hākau became upset. Liloa
assured his first born that he would be king after his death and his brother would serve
him. 'Umi was brought to court on an equal footing with Hākau. Living within Liloa's
court alongside his brother, Umi found great favor from his father, increasing Hākau's
dislike.[43]
In exile, 'Umi took wives and began building forces and followers. Chiefs began to
believe him to be 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 of the island claimed their districts for themselves.
'Umi took the advice of the two priests by marrying many woman 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.
[36][39]

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.[39]
Aikāne[edit]
Aikāne relationships or (mostly male) homosexual or bisexual activity in the pre-colonial
era was an accepted tradition.[44] These relationships were accepted as part of ancient
Hawaiian culture.[45] Such sexual relationships may begin in the teens and continue
thereafter, even though they have heterosexual partners. [46] 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 as well.[47]
Lieutenant James King stated that "all the chiefs had them" and recounts a tale
that James Cook was actually asked by one chief to leave Lt. King behind, considering
such offer a great honor. Members of Cook's crew related tales of the tradition with
great disdain. American adventurer and sailor John Ledyard commented in detail about
the tradition.[48]
Land division system[edit]
Main article: Ahupuaʻa
Land was divided up in strict adherence to the wishes of the Ali‘i Nui. The traditional
system of land has four hierarchical levels:

 mokupuni (island)
 moku (subdivisions 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. [49] The system
exploited the fact that communities were already organized along stream systems. The
community governance system of Kānāwai is attributed specifically to shared water
usage.
The Hawaiian agricultural system contained two major classes; irrigated and rain-fed
(dryland) systems. Irrigated systems mainly supported taro (kalo) cultivation. Rain-fed
systems were known as the mala. There they cultivated uala (sweet potatoes), yams,
and dryland taro[50] along with coconuts (niu), breadfruit (ʻulu), bananas (maiʻa)
and sugarcane (ko). The kukui tree (Aleurites moluccanus) was sometimes used as a
shade to protect the mala from the sun.[51] Each crop was carefully placed in an area
most suitable to its needs.[52]
Hawaiians domesticated dogs, chickens and pigs. They also grew personal gardens at
home. Water was a very important part of Hawaiian life; it was used for fishing, bathing,
drinking, and gardening, and for aquaculture systems in the rivers and at the shore's
edge.[50]
Ahupuaʻa most frequently consisted of a section of an island that went from the top of
the local mountain to the shore, often following the boundary of a stream. Each
ahupuaʻa included a lowland mala and upland forested region.[53] Ahupuaʻa varied in size
depending on the economic means of the location and political divisions of the area. "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 had a certain interconnectedness which is why they used all
of the resources around them to reach the desired balance in life. [54] 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. [55]
The term "ahupuaʻa" is derived from the Hawaiian words ahu "heap, cairn"
and puaʻa "pig". The boundary markers for ahupuaʻa were traditionally heaps of stones
used to hold offers to the island chief, which was often a pig.
Each ahupuaʻa was divided into smaller sections called ʻili and the ʻili were divided
into kuleana. These were individual plots of land that were cultivated by commoners
who paid labor taxes to the land overseer each week. These taxes went to support the
chief.[55] Two possible reasons for this subdivision have been offered:

 travel: in many areas of Hawaiʻi, it is easier to travel up- and downstream than from
stream valley to stream valley.
 economy: having all climate and economic exploitation zones in each land division
ensured that each could be self-sufficient for a large portion of its needs.
Governance[edit]
The Kingdom was administered by an ali'i chief.[55][56] Divisions were under the control of
other smaller chiefs and managed by a steward.[57] The headman of a land division or
ahupua`a is a konohiki.[55] Mokus were ruled by an aliʻi ʻaimoku. Ahupua'as were run by a
headman or chief called a Konohiki.[29]|: p. 71