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The Hawaiian kingdom was tiny, and the big world was huge. The 19th century was the high water mark of Western imperialism, worldwide, and the great powers were planting their flags across the Pacific. Hawai’i was in their sights. By late in the century, two strong American currents were running: one east from the islands, one west from the continent.
Sugar plantations had become Hawai’i’s biggest moneymaker. And many of the biggest names in the business were of American blood – the sons of missionaries, devout capitalists.
At the same time, the United States was beginning to envision itself as an imperial naval power in the Pacific. This was the doctrine of Manifest Destiny, and Hawai’i’s Pearl Harbor was a strategic key. In 1893, they forced Queen Lili’uokalani to surrender the kingdom to them, and straight away they offered Hawai’i to the United States. The Hawaiians resisted, but they could not hold off the big world.
From warrior culture to constitutional government, to unstable monarchy, to revolution, to provisional government, to republic, to annexation, it had taken barely a hundred years.
Finally, in 1959, Hawaii was admitted to the Union…. Fiftieth star… Aloha State.
Customers say
Customers find this book to be a well-documented and readable account of Hawaii’s social, economic, and political history, with rich details and extensive scope. The writing is engaging, with many characters both native and foreign, and customers appreciate the storytelling that carries the narrative forward. They value the information provided, with one customer noting how it helped plan their trip, while another mentions how it gave their visit context.
