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Hawaiian Kingdom facts for kids

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Hawaiian Kingdom

Aupuni Mōʻī o Hawaiʻi
  • 1795–1893

1893–1895: Government-in-exile
Coat of arms of Hawaii
Coat of arms
Motto: 
  • Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono
  • "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness"
Anthem: 
Hawaiian Kingdom
Hawaiian Kingdom
Capital
Common languages Hawaiian, English
Religion
Church of Hawaii
Government Absolute monarchy (until 1840)
Constitutional monarchy (from 1840)
Monarch  
• 1795–1819
 Kamehameha I (first)
• 1891–1893
 Liliʻuokalani (last)
Kuhina Nui  
• 1819–1832
 Kaʻahumanu (first)
• 1863–1864
 Kekūanāoʻa (last)
Legislature Legislature
House of Nobles
House of Representatives
History  
• Inception
 May, 1795
March/April 1810
October 8, 1840
February 25 – July 31, 1843
• Anglo-Franco Proclamation
 November 28, 1843
January 17, 1893
• Abdication of Queen Liliʻuokalani
 January 24, 1895
Population
• 1780
 400,000 – 800,000
• 1800
 250,000
• 1832
 130,313
• 1890
 89,990
Currency
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Ancient Hawaii
Paulet Affair (1843)
Paulet Affair (1843)
Provisional Government of Hawaii
Today part of
 United States

The Hawaiian Kingdom (a.k.a. Kingdom of Hawaiʻi) originated in 1795 with the unification of the independent islands of Hawaiʻi, Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi under one government. In 1810, the whole Hawaiian Islands became unified when Kauaʻi and Niʻihau joined the Kingdom of Hawai‘i voluntarily. Two major dynastic families ruled the kingdom: the House of Kamehameha and the House of Kalākaua.

The Kingdom won recognition from major European powers. The United States became its chief trading partner. The U.S. watched over the Kingdom lest some other power (such as Britain or Japan) threaten to seize control. Hawaii was forced to adopt a new constitution in 1887 when King Kalākaua was threatened with violence by the Honolulu Rifles, a white, anti-monarchist militia, to sign it. Queen Liliʻuokalani, who succeeded Kalākaua in 1891, tried to abrogate the 1887 constitution and promulgate a new constitution, but was overthrown in 1893, largely at the hands of the Committee of Safety, a group of residents consisting of Hawaiian subjects and foreign nationals of American, British and German descent, many of whom were educated in the U.S., lived there for a time and identified strongly as American.. Hawaii became a republic until the United States annexed it using The Newlands Resolution which was a joint resolution passed on July 4, 1898, by the United States Congress creating the Territory of Hawaii.

Images for kids

  • "Aniheneho. L'un des Premiers Officiers de Tahmahamah", pen and ink wash over graphite by Jacques Arago, 1819, Honolulu Academy of Arts

    Hawaiian military officer, 1819 (by Jacques Arago)

  • Kalakaua Grant state visit 1874

    King Kalākaua meeting U.S. President Grant at the White House, 1874

  • Kingdavidkalakaua dust

    King Kalākaua

  • USS Boston landing force, 1893 (PP-36-3-002)

    USS Boston's landing force on duty at the Arlington Hotel, Honolulu, at the time of the overthrow, January 1893

  • George Paulet (Royal Navy officer)

    Lord George Paulet

  • La Kuokoa o Hawaii Nei

    Flier for the 30th anniversary celebration of the 1843 treaty

  • Lowering the Hawaiian flag at Annexation ceremony (PPWD-8-3-006)

    On August 12, 1898, the flag of the Hawaiian Kingdom over ʻIolani Palace was lowered to raise the United States flag to signify annexation.

  • Kawaiaha'o Church

    Kawaiahaʻo Church is known as the Westminster Abbey of Hawaiʻi, the site of coronations, royal christenings and funerals.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Reino de Hawái para niños

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