1864 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom facts for kids
The 1864 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom was a very important set of rules for how Hawaii's government worked. It replaced an older constitution from 1852, which was made by King Kamehameha III. This new constitution gave more power to the king and changed how the government's law-making group (the legislature) operated. It was the main law in Hawaii from 1864 until 1887, during the time of kings Kamehameha V, Lunalilo, and Kalākaua. Later, it was replaced by the 1887 constitution.
Why a New Constitution?
Kamehameha V became king in 1863. He strongly believed that the king should have the most power in Hawaii's government. He did not like parts of the 1852 constitution. Both Kamehameha V and the king before him, Kamehameha IV, often felt annoyed by how the old constitution limited their power.
Because of this, when Kamehameha V became king, he refused to promise to follow the 1852 constitution. Instead, he asked for a special meeting to create a new one. This meeting was called a constitutional convention.
The Constitutional Convention
People were chosen by election to attend this convention. They met at Kawaiahaʻo Church. The meetings took place from July 7 to August 13, 1864.
However, the people at the convention could not agree on the new constitution Kamehameha V wanted. The king quickly became impatient. He ended the convention and, with help from his advisors, wrote his own constitution.
On August 20, 1864, he simply declared that the 1852 constitution was no longer the law. Even though his actions did not follow the rules for changing the constitution, no one stopped him. This new constitution was used for 23 years.
Big Changes in Hawaii's Government
The 1864 Constitution brought several important changes to how Hawaii's government worked. Here are some of them:
- No More Kuhina Nui: The job of kuhina nui was removed. This was like Hawaii's version of a prime minister. Kamehameha I had created this important role.
- One Law-Making Group: Hawaii's legislature changed from having two separate groups to just one. Before 1864, there was a House of Nobles and a House of Representatives. After 1864, the Nobles and Representatives met together as one group. This single group was called the Legislative Assembly.
- Rules for Representatives: New rules were made about how much property a person had to own to become a representative.
- New Voting Rules: People who were born after 1840 had to pass a literacy test to vote. They also had to own a certain amount of property. However, the property rules for both voters and representatives were removed by the Legislature in 1874.
