Page 58 - Hawaii: Diving, Surfing, Pearl Harbor, Volcanoes and More

he treaty also included duty-free growing debts, the King’s spending habits received petitions from two-thirds of her
T importation of rice, which was by this and general governance. It was specifically subjects and the major Native Hawaiian
time becoming a major crop in the aban- triggered by a failed attempt by Kalākaua political party in parliament, Hui Kalai’aina,
doned taro patches in the wetter parts of to create a Polynesian Federation. The asking her to proclaim a new constitution.
the islands. This led to an influx of immi- 1887 constitution stripped the monarchy Lili’uokalani drafted a new constitution that
grants from Asia (first Chinese, and later of much of its authority, imposed signifi- would restore the monarchy’s authority
Japanese) needed to support the escalating cant income and property requirements for and the suffrage requirements of the 1887
sugar industry and provided the impetus voting, and completely disenfranchised all constitution. In response to Lili’uokalani’s
for expansion of rice cultivation. Water Asians. Three fourths of the votes were as- suspected actions, a group of European and
needed for growing sugarcane resulted in signed to whites, which included all Ameri- American residents formed a Committee of
extensive water works to divert streams can residents. Native Hawaiians felt the Safety on January 14, 1893. After a meeting
from the wet windward slopes to the dry 1887 constitution was imposed by a the for- of supporters, the Committee committed it-
lowlands. eign population. The US Navy established self to removing the Queen and annexation
a permanent naval base at Pearl Harbor on to the United States. United States Govern-
n 1887 members of the American white O’ahu. Many Native Hawaiians opposed a ment Minister John L. Stevens summoned a
I minority, which held most of the impor- US military presence in their country. In company of uniformed US Marines from the
tant government positions by that time, 1889, a rebellion of Native Hawaiians led by USS Boston and two companies of US sail-
founded the Reform Party (also known as Colonel Robert Wilcox attempted to replace ors to land and take up positions at the US
the Missionary Party) and an armed militia, the unpopular Bayonet Constitution and Legation, Consulate and Arion Hall on the
the Honolulu Rifles. That same year, the stormed the Palace. The rebellion, known afternoon of January 16, 1893. The Com-
Honolulu Rifles and a group of cabinet of- as the Wilcox rebellions, was crushed by the mittee of Safety had claimed an “imminent
ficials and advisors to King David Kalākaua Honolulu Rifles. threat to American lives and property”.
seized the royal palace and forced the
king to promulgate what is known as the hen Kalākaua died in 1891 during
Bayonet Constitution. The impetus was W a visit to San Francisco, his sister
the frustration of the Reform Party with Lili’uokalani ascended the throne. She