# data[].attributes.body
Shortly after the death of Kamehameha, the man who united the islands, his favorite wife Queen Ka'ahumanu, sat down with her son, King Liholiho, at dinner, breaking, and ending the Kapu. Kapu was a religion that set rules among its practitioners. Women sitting with men and vice versa were one of the biggest Kapu. With one simple action, Ka'ahumanu broke the Kapu system, thus ending a centuries-long practice. One could say that the Hawaiians grew tired of their old religion, or that they wanted to encourage a more modern style of living. Either way, they were left without religion and ready for a new one.

This event signifies the end of a practice that Kamehameha worked tirelessly to protect. Leaving the Hawaiian people without religion to practice and open to a new one. This would leave the door wide open for missionaries coming from the West. The missionaries would not have to try and get rid of an already existing religion, for the Hawaiians have done that for them. Without a religion to defend, the Hawaiians would welcome the word of Jesus Christ.

# data[].attributes.body
On March 30, 1820, the first missionaries came to Hawaii from the United States. bringing the word of Jesus Christ to the now religion-less Hawaiians'. They were slowly but surely working to convert the Hawaiians to Christianity. At first, they started with the queen, then slowly worked to the high chief's children. They used Henry Opukahaia as an example showing that Native Hawaiians could become full-blown Christian. The missionaries blamed the spread of deadly disease on the Hawaiian's old gods, saying that the Christian God would protect them. But becoming a Christian did not come without its sacrifices. The missionaries wanted to ban things like hula, chant, and Hawaiian clothing because they showed too much skin or broke the rules of the Bible. They did however, promise a written Hawaiian language to pass down the ancient peoples' history. This was a big point for the Hawaiians, who had no written language of their own. With a new written language, a man named David Malo wrote about how foreign countries would come and devour the small Hawaiian islands, and that it was only a matter of time.

This slew of events is the beginning of Hawaii's western transformation. As the old ways leave, new western ideas come into play. As people in power become Christians, the people who follow them convert as well. But as always, when new ideas come, old ideas will have to be kicked to the side. As missionaries brought in Christian ideas, they got rid of Hawaiian traditions and stories. Cultural practices such as the dance of hula, chants, and traditional Hawaiian clothes were viewed as unholy practices. These missionaries came only to spread the word of Jesus, but in the years to come, they would never leave.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1839, during the reign of Kamehameha III, different nations started to look towards Hawaii for its strategic placement in the Pacific. The French and the British are the biggest troublemakers. The French would threaten to attack and even ransack the islands. The British would receive complaints from Englishmen living on the islands and used his ship's power to virtually dictate the Hawaiian islands for 5 months. After France ransacked the islands, the king sought the help of the United States; this resulted in an 1849 Hawaii-U.S. This treaty promised “perpetual peace...between the U.S. and the king of the Hawaiian Islands, his heirs and successors.” Not long after the U.S. started to eye Pearl Harbor for its strategic placement. The United States would break this treaty 50 years later with the overthrow and annexation.

This series of events is the beginning of Hawaii becoming noticed by the rest of the world. After attacks and threats from Britain and France, Kamehameha III made a treaty with the United States to keep his islands safe. This treaty with the U.S. promised “perpetual peace... between the U.S. and the king of the Hawaiian Islands, his heirs and successors.” With these few interactions with Hawaii, the U.S. starts to notice a little place called Pearl Harbor. This location would become one of the biggest reasons why America would break this treaty and annex the islands.

# data[].attributes.body
With Hawaii's economy changing drastically, and as more and more westerners start migrating to the islands, the want for land grows. Sugar is now big business, and foreigners are going to be the ones asking to buy land. Because of this, the king created a group of people called the Land Commission, who decides that land should be divided into three groups. The monarch, the ali'i and konohiki, and the maka'ainana. Out of the four million acres of land in Hawaii, the king gave a million to himself and his family and divided the other 3 million in half. One half went to the chiefs and konohiki, while the other half became government lands. The Land Commission allowed native Hawaiians to fill out claims for Kuleana lands and submit them. But because of the Hawaiian's lack of knowledge in the English language or the fact that some did not even have claims to the and, they were not able to fill out the claims in time, most of the land was sold or auctioned off. This led to many Hawaiians losing their land and having to work on plantations, work unpaid labor under chiefs and foreigners, or become homeless. Thus, the land was given to the government to be distributed or sold off at auctions to big sugar companies.

This was one of the biggest tipping points during the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. In this single event, the Hawaiian people lose most of their land; the land is being sold so more westerners are coming to the islands looking for a new life, and not only westerners, but people from Asia are also coming to try and make a new life for themselves. This was it. The Hawaiians were losing their land, losing their culture, and losing their homes.

# data[].attributes.body
After the death of King Lunalilo, King Kalakaua took over as the reigning monarch. Although Queen Emma and her supporters challenged Kalakaua for the thrown, he did not back down and became King of the islands. When King Kalakaua took the throne, the sugar business was selling all of its goods to America, but there was a tariff making things Hawaiian products more expensive than local sugar. So, King Kalakaua visited the United States, and there he discussed with President Ulysses S. Grant the creation of a reciprocity treaty. With this treaty, Hawaii would be able to sell its products without a tariff, making them more expensive.

King Kalakaua will create the most changes out of any monarch in Hawaiian history. He will be responsible for big events in the upcoming overthrow. This event also marks a second deal with America. With this reciprocity treaty, Hawaii has become even more dependent on the U.S. than it has been for years. As Hawaii becomes more dependent on America, the easier it gets for America to annex or take control of Hawaii. While Kalakaua would bring Hawaiian culture back to its people, he would lead the kingdom down a dark path.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1875, King Kalakaua sailed to the United States to discuss the creation of a reciprocity treaty between the United States and the Hawaiian Kingdom. The two nations having very good trade relations, this treaty would abolish the tariff that was put on imported goods, and allow Hawaii to trade more openly with the states. While this was going on, the United States still had its eyes on Pearl Harbor, so during the creation of said treaty, a special clause was added to it prohibiting any other nation from leasing or obtaining Pearl Harbor. In the decades coming, over 400,000 plantation workers would come to Hawaii, mainly from China, Japan, Portugal, and the Philippines.

This treaty would be a major point in the overthrow of the islands because more and more immigrants would come to the islands in search of a new life. This new increase in immigrants and foreigners causes the Hawaiian population to decrease. Making them a minority in their own home. As Hawaii creates this treaty, they become more and more dependent on America. Pearl Harbor also becomes a topic of discussion as the U.S. is now trying to gain use to it.

# data[].attributes.body
In January of 1887, the reciprocity treaty was being renewed, but something was different this time. The United States added a clause stating that they had exclusive rights to use Pearl Harbor. The king unhappily signed the new treaty. While this was happening, a small group of Caucasian businessmen established The Committee of Safety to challenge King Kalakaua. By mid-year, the Committee would have 400 members. It would now be known as the Hawaiian League. Their leader, Lorrin Thurston a lawyer, a legislator, a newspaperman, and a missionary descendant. He started the league after finding out that the French revolution had ousted the French king. He stated that the objective of the Hawaiian League meant “constitutional, representative government, in fact, as well as inform...by all necessary means.” This group would later one day be the driving force towards Hawaii's annexation.

America is getting greedier with Pearl Harbor, and now, they are taking advantage of Hawaii's dependence on the reciprocity treaty to gain control of Pearl Harbor. Also, the creation of the Committee of Safety marks the creation of the largest and strongest group of annexationists Hawaii has ever seen. This group would have been the driving force behind the annexation of Hawaii.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1887, as the Committee of Safety gained popularity, it also hungered for more power. The secret Hawaiian League allied itself with an all-Caucasian militia called the Honolulu rifles, and on the morning of July 6th, 1887, they seized a shipment of arms sent from Australia. By late afternoon, the now well-armed group marched into Kalakaua's palace with a new constitution written by Thurston. They gave the king only 24 hours to sign it, which he did after bitter protests. King Kalakaua didn't have much of a choice, he would have been killed at gunpoint if he hadn't signed it. This is why it is called the Bayonet Constitution. This new document reduced all of the kings' power to a halt, leaving him only as a figurehead. The kings' cabinet (which was full of members of the Hawaiian League) would govern Hawaii. They made changes like eliminating most of the monarchs' power, requiring the monarch to sign bills (even the ones they veto); they even allowing male residents (i.e., Caucasians) to vote while excluding anyone from Asia to vote. Shortly after, King Kalakaua died at the age of 54 due to health complications.

This new constitution would ruin the monarchy for the rest of its reign. The king now had no power whatsoever. All he had now was the people backing him up. With the Hawaiian League in control of all the kings' decisions, the road to the annexation would be even shorter than once perceived. The annexationists would take things into their own hands from this point forward.

# data[].attributes.body
Up until now, the current president of the United States, Grover Cleveland, shut down any attempts to annex Hawaii. but two years before the death of the king, the U.S. sent over John Stevens to become the minister of Hawaii. Stevens arrived in Hawaii on September 23, 1889. During his 3 1/2 year diplomatic assignment, he constantly criticized both King Kalakaua and Queen Lili‘uokalani and supported annexation. To further their cause, another small group of 17 Caucasian men was formed. They were called the Annexation Club. Thurston met with high-ranking government officials, one of which was Secretary of the Navy, B.F. Tracy. Thurston told Tracy about his plan to annex Hawaii, and Tracy relayed this message to President Benjamin Harrison. After discussing with the president, Tracy says, "The President...authorizes me to say to you that, if conditions in Hawai‘i compel you, people, to act as you have indicated, and you come to D.C. with an annexation proposition, you will find an exceedingly sympathetic administration here." Thurston, after hearing all this good news, suggests the potential to use force to remove the queen from her palace and establish a provisional government until union with the U.S. is completed.

This trail of events shows that there is still some hope for Hawaii, as the president of the United States, Grover Cleveland, opposes annexation and is trying his best to bring power back to the monarchy. This is all well and good, except for the arrival of John Stevens. Hawaii's new minister was going to be another thorn in the monarchies side, as a proud annexationist. As an American diplomat, John would help the annexationists in their efforts. At the same time, Thurston would go and talk to the secretary of the navy, who talks to the president, who says that help would be given to the annexationists if needed.

# data[].attributes.body
Lili'uokalani became the 8th monarch of the Hawaiian Kingdom on January 29, 1891, at the age of 52. The business community thought that because she was a woman, she would listen to what they said and not challenge their decisions. They were sorely mistaken. Her main objective once gaining the throne was to undo the Bayonet Constitution and bring back power to the monarchy. She wrote a new constitution that would undo all the effects of the Bayonet Constitution. This new constitution was backed by two-thirds of voters who signed petitions.

With Lili'uokalani as queen, the people of Hawaii would fight against overthrow and annexation as best as possible. She would gain the peoples' faith and use that to try and push back the Committee of Safety and Hawaiian League. Her new constitution, if passed would bring back power to the monarch and push against the annexationists.

# data[].attributes.body
After the queen announced her new constitution to her cabinet members, two quickly rushed to Hawaii's two leading annexationists, Thurston, and William Smith. When it came time to sign the new constitution into effect, the board refused. After hearing all this news, the annexationists were quick to act. 13 of them banded together and created a Committee of Safety. They had already taken power from the monarch, and they were ready to do it again. Thurston went to Minister Stevens to ask for help. In return, Minister Stevens promised to aid the committee with military support from the U.S.S Boston, which had just finished shooting practice and was ready for action.

This event shows that Lili'uokalani was ready to die for her kingdom and that she would not go down without a fight. Lili'uokalani's constitution would restore power to the monarchy, and bring Hawaii back to its rightful rulers. As this new constitution is being announced, Stevens has promised military support of the U.S.S Boston to help stop this "revolution." This would inherently lead to the marines marching to 'Iolani Palace and the overthrow of the monarchy.

# data[].attributes.body
On January 16, 1893, The Committee of Safety sent Stevens a formal letter asking for "American troops to protect American life and property." They accused the queen of revolutionary acts for attempting to proclaim a new constitution. More than 160 U.S. Marines marched into downtown Honolulu, surrounding 'Iolani Palace. These forces showed the queen that America, through Stevens actions and Americas-trained forces, was supporting the annexationists. The queen stood no chance. Later that day, a man named Sanford Dole became the leader of an 18-member temporary Government dominated by 13 Americans or Americans born in Hawaii, 5 of whom had created the 1887 Bayonet Constitution. The first step of this "temporary Government" was to be seen as a legitimate one. With word spreading around the world, it was already completed. Their next step was to demand that queen Lili'uokalani resign. She protested at first, but with the forces of the U.S.S Boston surrounding her, she yielded. She did not want to blood of the Hawaiian people to be spilled over this, and she believed that the U.S. Government would see this and take action to restore power to the monarchy. President Harrison tried to rush the annexation process before he was kicked from office, but he was unable to receive the necessary amount of votes. The following president, President Grover Cleveland withdrew the treaty from congress and sent congressman James Blount to investigate the overthrow. Blount gave his report to the president, and the president quickly wrote a sharp-tongued message, accusing Stevens and Wiltse of committing "Lawless occupation, armed invasion, and acts of war." President Cleveland tried his best to set things right, even asking Sanford Dole to resign and let Lili'uokalani go back to the throne. In the end, however, Dole refused and told the U.S. to stay out of Hawaii's international affairs.

This was the official overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Lili'uokalani was no longer the queen and was no longer in charge. The newly formed Provisional Government was in charge. Unless the U.S. interfered, nothing could be done to bring power back to the monarchy, but with Grover Cleveland as president, things would look bright for the Hawaiians. But with the upcoming American Depression, this would be the last straw to annexation.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1894, reports by James Blount, and John Morgan were sent to the Senate. Blount's report stated that the overthrow was illegal and that the Hawaiian people did not want nor ask for it. Blount's report recorded the actions of Stevens, the march of marines on 'Iolani Palace, and the hasty creation of the Provisional Government to be illegal and morally wrong. The Power should be restored to the monarchy. On the other hand, senator Morgan, who was an annexationist, also wrote a report on the events that have taken place in Hawaii, and he believed that the acts of Stevens and Wilts were morally and legally correct. He believed and announced that the Hawaiian monarchy "originated in the most slavish conditions of pagan barbarity...Hawaii is an American state, and is embraced in the American commercial and military system.” Just to make things more confusing, the two halves of Congress passed opposing resolutions. The Senate voted against any further action in the islands, while the House agreed with Stevens and Wilts. This led to a political stalemate.

This shows that there were Americans who wanted to annex Hawaii, whether it be for Pearl Harbor or just more territory, but also those who opposed the idea. This was very unfortunate because, since this event led to a political stalemate, there was nothing the U.S. could do immediately. This meant that Hawaii would be on its own even longer. And with the things happening in America, it didn't look like Hawaii would get any help any time soon.

# data[].attributes.body
With the Blount report favoring the independence of Hawaii and making the actions of the annexationists look wrong, many of the annexationists opposed the report. But with the great depression being in full swing in the U.S., President Cleveland could do nothing for the Hawaiian people. Under the order of the Provisional Government, native newspaper editors were arrested; native Hawaiians and Asians were denied the right to vote, and whatever else gave the Hawaiians a chance to revolt was stopped. This government was made by and made for the small population of American heritage. Just 6 months later, Robert Wilcox attempted an unsuccessful revolt to put the monarchy back in power. Because of this, the queen and many of her supporters were locked up or sentenced to death. The Queen abdicated her throne to save the lives of her people from the death penalty when in reality, they were never going to be killed in the first place. The government had secretly decided to get rid of the death penalty to seem more humane. The queen was sentenced to 8 months of house arrest in The 'Iolani palace in 1895, followed by more months in house arrest in Washington Place. In 1897, president William McKinley was elected into office, and he had very different plans for Hawaii than his former president, Grover Cleveland. At the time, the U.S. was at war with Spain, and Pearl Harbor suddenly became a "war necessity." Even with things like the Ku'e petitions, where thousands of Hawaiians signed against the annexation, and protests from the native Hawaiian people, Hawaii was annexed by a Joint Congressional Resolution in 1898, which required only a majority vote. No public vote was ever held for annexation. 40 years later, the first public vote was cast, and it related to Statehood. Many of the people who voted had no idea about the situation of the annexation and cast their vote for statehood. Hawaii became a state in 1959.

This was it. This was the final event on the path to the overthrow. With the Spanish-American war in full swing and a new president in office, Hawaii was officially annexed into America as a territory. The Provisional Government led by Sanford Dole changed things around the islands to highly favor Americans while pushing down other ethnicities such as the Japanese, Chinese, and Hawaiians. This would be a crucial bit of information in the argument that Hawaii was illegally overthrown and should not have been annexed. Along with the petitions signed by thousands of Native Hawaiian people. But what was done was done. The annexation eventually led to the vote for statehood. This vote was given to people who had forgotten about the events of the overthrow. The vote was for statehood, and Hawaii became America's 50th state.