OBJECTIVES:
- Describe the events in Hawai’i that led to the adoption of the “ Bayonet Constitution” of 1887.
- Assess the applicability of the quote by Jeannette Walls (below) to the events in Hawai’i as its sovereignty was weakened over time.
OBJECTIVES:
For most Americans today, Hawai’i is simply seen as another one of the 50 states. Yes, to those on the mainland, it may seem an ideal vacation paradise with a uniquely diverse population, but lost to most students is an understanding of this Pacific island’s history, how it lost its sovereignty, and how it came to be a part of the United States. By investigating a little-known event, students will gain an appreciation of the Native Hawai’ian culture and history, and how they struggled to retain their autonomy and identity. It is also a lesson about history: Who writes it? How does it get reinterpreted?
Why is it important to recognize how the Native Hawaiian people confronted the United States as it used its power to control the island nation of Hawai’i?