45:08
How the US Overthrew the Hawaiian Government
Conrad Lihilihi
Overview
This video details the historical events leading to and following the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom government in 1893. It argues that the overthrow was an illegal takeover orchestrated by American business interests and missionaries, driven by a desire for control and profit. The narrative traces the erosion of Hawaiian sovereignty through economic manipulation, political pressure, and ultimately, military intervention by the United States. The video also highlights the subsequent efforts to de-nationalize Hawaiian culture and identity through education and language suppression, and the ongoing struggle for recognition of Hawaiian sovereignty.
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Chapters
- Early missionaries, instructed to avoid profit and politics, saw their descendants become capitalists with a belief in white superiority.
- The sons and grandsons of missionaries, established in Hawaii, created a new 'mission' to maintain their power and wealth, resisting calls to return to the US.
- The Reciprocity Treaty of 1875, which removed tariffs on Hawaiian sugar, enriched American sugar growers but was not a direct trade for Pearl Harbor, which King Kalakaua refused to cede.
- Sugar planters leased vast amounts of land, including Crown Lands, which were made inalienable by law, preventing them from purchasing land until after the overthrow.
Understanding the economic motivations and the evolution of missionary descendants' influence is crucial to grasping the underlying forces that led to the desire for political control over Hawaii.
The creation of a commissioner on leases in 1865 to manage the leasing of over 900,000 acres of land by sugar entities, demonstrating their reliance on leased land rather than ownership prior to the overthrow.
- King Kalakaua attempted to strengthen Hawaii's military and national identity in response to growing foreign influence.
- The secret Hawaiian League, formed in 1886 by businessmen, aimed to establish white control over Hawaii.
- The League utilized the private militia, the Honolulu Rifles, to exert political pressure.
- In 1887, the League forced King Kalakaua to sign the 'Bayonet Constitution' under duress, stripping much of his power and disenfranchising many Native Hawaiians by imposing property and income qualifications for voting.
This chapter illustrates the direct use of force and political maneuvering to undermine Hawaiian sovereignty and establish a government favorable to foreign interests.
The 1887 coup where the Honolulu Rifles militia marched to the palace and compelled King Kalakaua to sign the new constitution, effectively seizing power from the monarch.
- Following Kalakaua's death, Queen Liliuokalani ascended the throne with a mandate from her people to restore power and enact a new constitution.
- The Queen sought to enact a new constitution legally, with the agreement of her cabinet, to re-empower Native Hawaiians.
- The missionary party, fearing the loss of their influence, colluded with US Minister Stevens and US troops to prevent the new constitution.
- On January 17, 1893, US Marines were landed, and the provisional government, led by Sanford Dole, declared control, effectively overthrowing the Hawaiian Kingdom through an act of war.
This section details the final, forceful removal of the Hawaiian monarchy, highlighting the direct involvement of the United States in undermining Hawaiian self-governance.
The landing of US troops in Honolulu on January 17, 1893, which provided the military backing for the provisional government to seize control and depose Queen Liliuokalani.
- Following the overthrow, Hawaiians organized massive protests and petitions against annexation, demonstrating widespread opposition.
- President Cleveland acknowledged the overthrow as an illegal act of war and advocated for restoration, but his efforts were thwarted.
- The provisional government, unable to achieve annexation through a treaty requiring a two-thirds vote, used a joint resolution of Congress (requiring a simple majority) to annex Hawaii in 1898.
- A deliberate policy of de-nationalization began, aimed at erasing Hawaiian national consciousness through control of education, language suppression, and the promotion of a false historical narrative.
This chapter explains how the US maintained control despite opposition and initiated a systematic effort to dismantle Hawaiian identity and culture, which has lasting consequences.
The 1906 'Program for Patriotic Exercises' in schools, which mandated English immersion and punished students for speaking Hawaiian, aiming to obliterate the national consciousness.
- The provisional government declared itself the Republic of Hawaii, adopting a constitution modeled on Mississippi's discriminatory laws to disenfranchise non-white citizens.
- The Wilcox rebellion in 1895 was an attempt to militarily restore Queen Liliuokalani, which was suppressed by the Republic.
- Leaders of the resistance were arrested, imprisoned, and some died from disease, effectively breaking the back of the organized movement.
- Despite the suppression, Hawaiian resistance continued, with significant petitions against annexation demonstrating the people's will.
This section highlights the ongoing resistance to the illegitimate government and the harsh measures taken to suppress it, revealing the true nature of the Republic's rule.
The arrest and imprisonment of over 400 men, including prominent leaders like Joseph Nawahi, following the Wilcox rebellion, with some dying in prison from tuberculosis.
- The US annexation in 1898 was not a legal treaty but a joint resolution, driven by military necessity for control of the Pacific during the Spanish-American War.
- The confiscation and renaming of Crown Lands as 'public lands' represent a significant violation of private property rights and a key consequence of the overthrow.
- The 1959 statehood vote was flawed, offering only a choice between statehood and territory, omitting independence, thus violating UN mandates.
- International bodies and academic research now increasingly recognize the Hawaiian Kingdom's continued existence as a sovereign state under occupation, validating the ongoing struggle for self-determination.
This chapter connects historical events to contemporary issues, emphasizing the legal basis for Hawaiian sovereignty claims and the ongoing international recognition of their struggle.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Netherlands acknowledging the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1999 as a sovereign state continuing to exist under occupation, validating its legal standing.
Key takeaways
- The overthrow of the Hawaiian government was not a spontaneous event but a calculated takeover driven by economic and political ambitions of American interests.
- The 'Bayonet Constitution' of 1887 was a critical step in undermining Hawaiian sovereignty, achieved through coercion and the threat of force.
- The United States directly participated in the 1893 overthrow by landing troops, enabling the establishment of a provisional government.
- De-nationalization efforts, including language suppression and historical revisionism, were systematic attempts to erase Hawaiian identity and culture.
- Hawaiian resistance, through petitions and organized movements, consistently opposed annexation and asserted their right to self-determination.
- The legal status of Hawaii remains contested, with international law and arbitration recognizing the Hawaiian Kingdom's continued existence under occupation.
- Understanding the historical manipulation of land laws and property rights is essential to comprehending the lasting economic impacts of the overthrow.
Key terms
OverthrowHawaiian KingdomMissionariesCapitalistsReciprocity TreatyCrown LandsHawaiian LeagueHonolulu RiflesBayonet ConstitutionProvisional GovernmentDe-nationalizationRepublic of HawaiiWilcox RebellionTreaty of AnnexationJoint ResolutionLaw of OccupationSovereigntyInternational Law
Test your understanding
- How did the descendants of missionaries transition from religious figures to powerful economic and political actors in Hawaii?
- What were the primary motivations behind the formation of the Hawaiian League and their use of the Honolulu Rifles?
- Explain the significance of the 'Bayonet Constitution' and how it altered the political landscape of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
- What role did the United States military play in the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani's government?
- How did the policy of de-nationalization, particularly through education and language suppression, aim to undermine Hawaiian identity?
- What legal arguments support the claim that the Hawaiian Kingdom continues to exist as a sovereign state under occupation?