History of Hawaii Earliest Hawaiians

History of Hawaii

Earliest Hawaiians

• 300-700 B.C.

• Polynesians who traveled to Hawaii by canoe
• Brought pigs, dogs, chickens, sweet potatoes, taro, coconut, sugarcane

Earliest Hawaiians (cont’d)

• No written language

• History, religion, and culture were all passed down through songs and chants

Social Structure

• King

• Each island had its own king

• Chief Minister (spiritual advisor to the King)

• Ali’i Chiefs 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

“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.

“European Discovery”

• January 1778

• Captain James Cook “discovers” the islands while searching for route from Alaska to Asia
• First person to write about the Hawaiian’s riding waves on wooden boards (surfing!)

How did Capt. Cook die in Hawaii?

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 Oahu’ans back to Nu’uanu Pali

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 “Kamehamea’s”

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 ($$$$$$)

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 wasn’t elected

Queen Lili’uokalani (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!

Overthrow of Hawaii - 1898

• 1893 –

• Lili’uokalani wanted peace, so she didn’t arrest them
• However, the Committee of Safety’s 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 I’olani Palace