The History and Overthrow of Hawaii: From Polynesian Settlement to American Annexation
TLDR This episode explores the history of Hawaii, from its settlement by Polynesians to its eventual overthrow and annexation by the United States. It covers the rise of Hawaiian chiefs, the influence of European and American landowners, the exploitation of labor, and the eventual downfall of the Hawaiian monarchy.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The episode discusses the history and overthrow of Hawaii, including the settlement of the Hawaiian islands by the Polynesian people and the strict religious rules called the kapu.
05:02
James Cook, a British explorer, was the first European to visit Hawaii and attempted to colonize the islands, but was killed in a major battle after his men kidnapped a Hawaiian chief, leading to the rise of Kamehameha as a significant Hawaiian chief who used European support and weapons to unite Hawaii under his rule.
10:12
After the death of Kamehameha, the ruling of Hawaii became more complicated with the presence of Hawaiian landowners, white landowners, and a third group.
15:25
The presence of a large working class complicated the situation in Hawaii, with native Hawaiians, European landowners, and missionaries all playing a role in the changing culture and politics of the island.
20:40
The 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii established a framework for Western-style democracy and served as a goalpost for those who wanted to move away from the monarchy, while the introduction of money and valuable land led to exploitation and the use of cheap labor, resembling human trafficking.
25:50
The Hawaiian League, composed of white European and American landowners and businessmen, forced the signing of the Bayonet Constitution at gunpoint, which stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of power, allowed Europeans and Americans to vote, and excluded migrant Asian laborers from voting.
31:02
The Hawaiian League, also known as the annexation club, was pushing for annexation of Hawaii due to the negative impact of the McKinley tariff on Hawaiian goods, and when Queen Liliuokalani announced her plan to rewrite the Constitution and restore the power of the monarchy, the Hawaiian League saw it as an opportunity to move forward with their agenda.
36:07
The Committee of Safety, formerly known as the Hawaiian League, planned a military coup to depose Queen Liliuokalani, which escalated when a native Hawaiian policeman was shot while trying to prevent the delivery of weapons to the annexation club.
41:31
Queen Liliuokalani surrenders temporarily to the United States of America, with the hope of being reinstated as the authority, but the provisional government dismisses her and establishes Sanford Dole as president, leading to the downfall of the Hawaiian monarchy.
46:20
The United States officially annexed Hawaii as a territory in 1898, which benefited American and European landowners by eliminating high tariffs and allowing for continued human trafficking, leading to profitable years for plantation owners; statehood was delayed until 1959 due to the powerful interests' desire to maintain control and avoid the imposition of US laws and cultural mores, as well as racist xenophobia towards the non-white majority population in Hawaii.
51:26
The podcast episode ends with a listener mail about anvils and blacksmithing, and the hosts express their appreciation for the feedback.
Categories:
Society & Culture