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cover of episode 106: The US Annexation of the Hawaiian Kingdom

106: The US Annexation of the Hawaiian Kingdom

2022/2/28
logo of podcast History That Doesn't Suck

History That Doesn't Suck

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Queen Liliuokalani opposes the Bayonet Constitution, which undermines native Hawaiian voting rights and empowers wealthy foreign sugar planters. The struggle for political control intensifies as the Annexation Club forms a Committee of Safety to push for US annexation.

Shownotes Transcript

“You have my love, and with sorrow I dismiss you.”

This is the story of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s end.

Queen Liliuokalani hates the Constitution of 1887–or “Bayonet” Constitution, as it’s known, since her predecessor and brother King Kalakaua signed it under duress. Under this constitution, wealth rather than citizenship determines who votes. This means a lot of wealthy sugar-planting foreigners of American and European origin control the legislature while few native Hawaiians are enfranchised. 

Liliu is determined to change this. But can she beat back these sugar planters? Or will they dethrone her? The battlelines are drawn …


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