On this day in History August 21st 1959...
Aug 21, 2019 7:29:18 GMT -5
kacyds, Gordon Lee, and 1 more like this
Post by jonesy on Aug 21, 2019 7:29:18 GMT -5
In 1782, one of the strongest Chieftains of the Hawaiian Islands began a 28-year bloody campaign against his fellow Tribal Chiefs in order to unite the islands into one kingdom. Unification was achieved in 1810 as he proclaimed himself King Kamehameha the First. Hawaii adopted its first constitution the year the first postage stamp was issued by Great Britain The Penny Black (1840). Consequently Hawaii was recognized as an independent government in 1842. It was not long after that his successor, King Kalakaua gave the US the right to use Pearl Harbor as a naval base in return for trading privileges. Four years later, in 1891, he died leaving his sister to be crowned Queen Liliuokalani.
Liliuokalani tried to establish a new constitution that would increase her power, however, special interest business leaders and residents had other ideas. The Dole family and others had too much at stake in the islands and their fruitful pineapple, sugar and other food based commodities to allow the Queen to gain more power and ultimately drive them from the islands. This would have cost the growers and businessmen millions of dollars in lost revenue and what was virtually a monopoly at the time of the insurrection. The following year, in 1894, she was overthrown and the Republic of Hawaii was formed. Their first President was none other than the American lawyer and plantation owner, Sanford B. Dole.
On August 12 1898 the islands were officially annexed and on June 14th 1900 Hawaii became a US territory. Hawaiians became US citizens though their congressional representative could not vote, allowing the US Congress to veto any law passed by their legislature. Starting in 1919, many attempts were made to bring Hawaii into the Union. It would take 9 years of preparation for statehood. President Dwight Eisenhower signed the bill that would be brought before the Hawaiian people whose representative would vote 17-1 in favor of statehood. Finally, it was on this day in History, August 21st, 1959 the Hawaii became the 50th State in the United States of America.
Liliuokalani tried to establish a new constitution that would increase her power, however, special interest business leaders and residents had other ideas. The Dole family and others had too much at stake in the islands and their fruitful pineapple, sugar and other food based commodities to allow the Queen to gain more power and ultimately drive them from the islands. This would have cost the growers and businessmen millions of dollars in lost revenue and what was virtually a monopoly at the time of the insurrection. The following year, in 1894, she was overthrown and the Republic of Hawaii was formed. Their first President was none other than the American lawyer and plantation owner, Sanford B. Dole.
On August 12 1898 the islands were officially annexed and on June 14th 1900 Hawaii became a US territory. Hawaiians became US citizens though their congressional representative could not vote, allowing the US Congress to veto any law passed by their legislature. Starting in 1919, many attempts were made to bring Hawaii into the Union. It would take 9 years of preparation for statehood. President Dwight Eisenhower signed the bill that would be brought before the Hawaiian people whose representative would vote 17-1 in favor of statehood. Finally, it was on this day in History, August 21st, 1959 the Hawaii became the 50th State in the United States of America.