History of Hawaii
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Hawaii's long history began when
the islands were first settled, by Polynesians originating either
from the Marquesas Islands or from Tahiti, traveling by canoe. These
settlers brought with them pigs, dogs, chicken, coconut, sugarcane,
bananas, coconut, and taro, each of which would profoundly impact
the landscape and lifestyle in Hawaii for centuries to come.
Captain James Cook discovered Hawaii in 1778 as he was trying to
find the elusive Northwest Passage, a water route that would connect
the Pacific and Atlantic oceans through North America. He named the
chain the Sandwich Islands; news of his discovery prompted other
Europeans and Americans to travel to the area, settling throughout
the islands during the 1790s and 1800s. Missionaries began arriving
as soon as 1820 to attempt to convert the natives to Christianity;
their efforts were very successful, and Hawaii became a primarily
Christian nation within just a few decades. Due to these foreign
influences, both the diet and living standards of the islanders
changed drastically during this period.
Many people do not realize that for much of history, each Hawaiian
island was its own distinct entity. They were not united under a
single ruler until 1810, when King Kamehameha united them to form
the Hawaiian Kingdom. By 1840 under King Kamehameha III, there was a
very well-developed governmental system in place, including a
constitution. In 1848, the western-style concept of land ownership
allowed for private ownership of land. Before this change, known as
Mahele, the islands' land was owned in common by every resident.
This move allowed the economy of Hawaii to become dominated by large
pineapple and sugar plantations, while many native Hawaiians were
left without their own land.
In 1843, Hawaii was briefly under British rule, though sovereignty
was re-established in the same year. Still, this proved to be a sign
of things to come. The Kingdom of Hawaii's government would be
challenged throughout the century. American colonists overthrew the
government in 1893, leading to Hawaii becoming a U.S. territory in
1898. This change symbolized the end of nearly two millennia of
uninterrupted control by native Hawaiians of Polynesian ancestry.
Hawaii was still a U.S. territory in December of 1941, when a
surprise attack by the Japanese on Pearl Harbor, Honolulu, prompted
the United States to enter World War II. Before the attack, few
Americans had heard of Pearl Harbor, though to the U.S. Navy it held
incalculable strategic importance. In the aftermath of this surprise
attack, Hawaii was placed under martial law until the end of the war
and exposed to unprecedented international attention. Life would
never be as isolated on Hawaii as it had been before the war.
Hawaii finally became a state in 1959, after a vote showed 94
percent in favor of statehood. Despite this overwhelming majority,
there has been a significant movement since that time headed by
Native Hawaiians petitioning to regain Hawaiian sovereignty. In
fact, even dating back to Hawaii's addition as a U.S. territory in
1898, various political groups have advocated for self governance.
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