Hawaii History Guide

First settled by Polynesians sailing from other Pacific islands between A.D. 300 and 600, Hawaii was visited in 1778 by British captain James Cook, who called the group the Sandwich Islands (in honor of one of his sponsors, John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich). Polynesian settlers came from the Marquesas, a nearby group of islands, looking for a new land. Their migration was followed by another wave from Raitea and Bora Bora. It is believed that Spanish and even Irish explorers reached Hawaii before James Cook. Cook visited the Hawaiian islands twice. During his second visit, in 1779, he attempted to abduct a Hawaiian chief and hold him as ransom for return of a ship's boat that was stolen by a different minor chief; the chief's supporters fought back, and Cook was killed.

Local chiefs ruled individual islands until 1782. One of these chiefs, Kamehameha (King Kamehameha the Great), conquered most of Hawaii in 1795. By 1810, all of Hawaii was under his control. After his death in 1819, his son Liholiho became Kamehameha II. He promptly abolished the local religion. Protestant missionaries arrived the following year and converted many Hawaiians to Christianity. Catholic missionaries that arrived during the late 1820s were forced to leave or be imprisoned in 1831. Catholics were released and received religious freedom in 1839 as France threatened to destroy Honolulu.

After the death of Kamahameha V the ruling of the dynasty ended and was passed to the House of Kalakaua. In 1887, under the influence of Walter M. Gibson, a group of primarily American and European businessmen, including kingdom subjects and members of the Hawaiian government forced Kalakaua to sign the derisively nicknamed "Bayonet Constitution" which stripped the king of administrative authority, eliminated voting rights for Asians and set minimum income and property requirements for American, European and native Hawaiian voters, essentially limiting the electorate to wealthy elite Americans, Europeans and native Hawaiians. King Kalakaua reigned until his death in 1891. His sister, Liliuokalani, succeeded him to the throne and ruled until her overthrow in 1893. The overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani was successful and the monarchy ended in January 1893. It was replaced by a Provisional Government composed of members of the Committee of Safety. There was much controversy in the following years as the queen tried to regain her throne. The administration of President Grover Cleveland commissioned the Blount Report, which concluded that the overthrow of Lili?uokalani was illegal. The U.S. Government first demanded that Queen Lili?uokalani be reinstated, but the Provisional Government refused. Congress responded to Cleveland's referral with another investigation, and submitted the Morgan Report by the U.S. Senate on February 26, 1894, which found all parties (including Minister Stevens) with the exception of the queen "not guilty" from any responsibility for the overthrow.

In 1993, a joint Apology Resolution regarding the overthrow was passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton, apologizing for the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

During the early 1900s, several military bases were established on the island of Oahu. In 1908, a great naval base was built at Pearl Harbor. This ingredient of stability helped the islands prosper; the pineapple industry flourished, and cattle ranching and tourism grew into important economic factors. In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first U.S. President to visit Hawaii. Then on December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. and World War II (in the Pacific Ocean) began. The islands and countless Hawaiians played a significant role in that war, a role that will never be forgotten by America.

Bills for statehood were introduced to Congress as early as 1919, but many feared there would be no support from the islands during wartime. This fear came to an end as thousands fought from Hawaii in World War II (1939-1945) and the Korean War (1950-1953). Hawaii became the 50th state on Aug. 21, 1959.

Since statehood, Hawaii's population has doubled. Sugar refining and pineapple production remain important but have declined. Tourism now leads Hawaii's industries, estimated now around $4 billion annually. A new jet-aircraft terminal, completed in Honolulu in 1962, cut flying time from the United States in half. Huge resorts and new hotels were built throughout the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, and Molokai. In recent decades, the state government has implemented programs to promote Hawaiian culture. The Hawaii State Constitutional Convention of 1978 incorporated as state constitutional law specific programs such as the creation of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to promote the indigenous Hawaiian language and culture.

Georgia Famous People

• Tia Carrere (1967 - ) Singer and actress.  She is most well-known for her role as Wayne's girlfriend in the "Wayne's World" movies; Born in Honolulu.
• Sanford B. Dole (1844-1926) Leader that helped to overthrow Queen Liliuokalani and became president of the Republic of Hawaii; born in Honolulu.
• Sid Fernandez (1962- ) Pitcher for the New York Mets that won the World Series in 1986; born in Honolulu.
• Hiram L. Fong (1907 - ) The first Chinese-American senator, was born in 1907.
• Don Ho (1930 - ) Hawaii's most famous entertainer, born in Honolulu.
• Duke Paoa Kahanamoku (1890-1968) Hawaii's first Olympic medallist in swimming; born in Maui.
• Senator Daniel K. Inouye (1924 -) First member of the U.S. Congress from Hawaii, and the first Japanese American to serve in either the House of Representatives or the Senate. Born in Honolulu.
• Kamehameha I (c. 1758 -1819) Ruler that unified the Kingdom of Hawaii; born in Kohala.
• Bette Midler (1945- ) Actress and singer made famous in Beaches; born in Honolulu.
• Harold Sakata (1920 - 1982) Actor, famous in his role as Oddjob in the 007 film Goldfinger.