The History Behind Hawaiian Statehood Essay Example

Do you remember a time when Hawaii wasn’t a state? Probably not. There aren’t many who know how Hawaii became a state, but its history is rich beyond its statehood. Most like to think only of the pretty beaches, huge waves, and warm climate without understanding the revolutions, coups, and violence behind the sunshine. Hawaii was once a bustling country that ranked among the top countries in the world despite its tiny size, but that all changed when it was attacked by settlers from America looking to make it a state. Some of the most cherished parts of Hawaiian society were washed away with the American influence. It is a sad story of how one of our most admired states came to be. One can’t help but wonder how Hawaii would turn out without American intervention and what Americans can do to make up for it. Could the land of the free be the face behind a horrible abuse of power in the Pacific, and who was affected in the aftermath? The American occupation of Hawaii greatly affected Hawaiian royalty, the Hawaiian people, and the American people through a series of violent and illegal events. 

The first thought of and perhaps the most obvious group of people affected are the Hawaiian-Americans. Before all the bombardment of those looking for a new place to farm off of, Hawaii was a blossoming kingdom. The Kingdom of Hawaii had universal education and boasted a near-complete literacy rate, even ranking at the top of the world (Sai). Along with this, Hawaii also established mandatory education, becoming one of the first to do so. “The Hawaiian Kingdom became the fifth country in the world to provide compulsory education for all youth in 1841, which predated compulsory education in the United States by seventy-seven years. The other four countries were Prussia in 1763, Denmark in 1814, Greece in 1834, and Spain in 1838,” Keanu adds (Sai). It’s hard for some to grasp the fact that Hawaii was a developed nation before contact with other nations, however, the kingdom was very advanced. The Hawaiian people went through a process known as denationalization where their identity was removed and they instead became Americans. Denationalization is not a new process and is even considered a war crime. In doing so, the American settlers broke their agreement with both the Hague Convention and the Geneva Convention. America’s war crimes in Hawaii were first seen in the education system, which was, sadly, a highly cherished part of Hawaiian culture. The national language, Hawaiian, was also banned from being spoken in school, and those that did were punished harshly. 

You may have noticed the “Kingdom of Hawaii” being used, and yes, it was a monarchy. The Hawaiian monarchy was perhaps not devastated as much as the people; nevertheless, they were still humiliated by the occupying forces. At the beginning of the Hawaiian occupation, King David Kalakaua was the king. Not many were opposed to him, however, settlers began to plant seeds of a coup. This was first seen when members of his cabinet began to work against him, spreading confidential information to the settlers. It was not long after this that King David Kalakaua signed a contract giving power to the American newcomers. This contract also took any real power the Hawaiian monarch had, making the future royals mere placeholders. At first, it’s puzzling as to why King Kalakaua would sign this document, although it becomes more clear when it is found out that he was threatened with bayonets. This Bayonet Constitution was one of the most devastating developments in the history of Hawaii, and many began to lose faith. After King David Kalakaua died, a powerful new face took his place. This was his sister, Queen Lili’uokalani. She was a firm leader who was determined to give power back to the Hawaiian people. She was very gracious to the Americans and gave them many privileges, but when that didn’t work, she went for something bigger. Queen Lili’uokalani and the many enraged native Hawaiians began to plan a revolution to overthrow the government. The queen went so far as to hold meetings in her house. Seeing the possible amount of bloodshed, however, the queen surrendered and was put on house arrest. When asked to revoke her power, she said she would rather die than tell her people she wasn’t their queen. 

As for the American people, especially farmers, the benefits were almost endless. Sugar cane farmers were perhaps the largest driving force behind revolutionizing Hawaii. Hawaii had the perfect soil and climate to produce a surplus of this hot commodity. Sugar cane acted as a toothbrush, a medicine, a sweet treat, and many other desirable, delectable articles. The kingdom was already in a “plantation society” when Americans arrived, so it was an easy industry to grab a hold of (“Hawaii: Life in a Plantation Society | Japanese | Immigration and Relocation in US History | Classroom Materials at the Library of Congress”). Although sugar cane is the largest market, the first product to come to mind is usually pineapple. Pineapple is not native to Hawaii, but settlers believed it would do well in the Hawaiian climate. With pineapples becoming a recognizable factor of the islands, it is safe to say it was a hit. The largest plantations in Hawaii were owned and run by the Dole family, a name many are familiar with. Many like to point out the rather destructive history of this company, with plantations taking up thousands of acres of Hawaiian land. “The depiction of Dole as a twentieth-century American success story obscures a deeper history of violence and imperialism. That past violence continues to be reified and perpetuated through the present day tourist industry. Pineapple is practically synonymous with the Hawaiian Islands, and no company looms larger in that image than Dole,” an author researching the topic states, adding to the company’s past (Huard). Even with Dole’s dark history, it remains an emblematic brand of the islands today. The American workers that work for Dole largely benefit from its colonial origins.

All in all, you can see why the methods of making Hawaii a state are a bit unsavory. Hawaiian statehood has mainly benefited those who weren’t in need while hurting the rightful owners of the islands. The process of annexing Hawaii was done in a way that many disagreed with. The Americans looking for a place to grow sugar cane grew richer, but it was at the expense of the Hawaiian people. Natives had to work at these plantations for a living wage, and the royalty were made political puppets. It is truly sad to see how their land was stolen and taken as America’s. Efforts have been made to make amends to the people affected by this debacle, yet it may never be enough to repair the damage caused. Hawaiian statehood is yet another part of our history that America needs to acknowledge, keep, and learn from.