About this video

• Video Title: Loss of Sovereignty - the Overthrow
• Channel: Noah (Keola) Ryan
• Speakers: Noah (Keola) Ryan
• Duration: 00:58:04

Overview

This video details the historical events leading up to and including the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893. It explores the underlying causes such as foreign interference, economic pressures, and the actions of key individuals and groups, contrasting the loss of Hawaiian sovereignty with the concept of restored sovereignty.

Key takeaways

• Historical Context: The video traces the erosion of Hawaiian sovereignty through events like the French and British interventions in the 1840s (The llas Affair and the Paulet Affair), highlighting the growing foreign influence.
• The Paulet Affair (1843): A British captain temporarily overthrew the Hawaiian government due to a dispute over private property. This incident led to a conditional surrender by King Kamehameha III, followed by a restoration of sovereignty and the establishment of "Lā Hoʻihoʻi Ea" (Restoration Day).
• Economic Pressures and the Reciprocity Treaty: The increasing demand for Hawaiian sugar, exacerbated by the California Gold Rush and later the US Civil War, led to a reciprocity treaty in 1875. This treaty granted tax-free access to the US market for Hawaiian sugar but also introduced a dependency on the US economy.
• The Bayonet Constitution (1887): Forcing King David Kalākaua to sign a new constitution that stripped him of significant power, limited voting rights, and favored foreign interests. This was a coup d'état that undermined Hawaiian self-governance.
• Queen Liliʻuokalani's Reign and Overthrow: The video details Queen Liliʻuokalani's attempts to restore power to the monarchy and her people by proposing a new constitution. This move, coupled with the economic impact of the McKinley Tariff and the ambitions of American businessmen and diplomats like John L. Stevens, led to the US-backed overthrow of her government on January 17, 1893.
• Responsibility for the Overthrow: The video identifies multiple parties responsible, including the Queen's cabinet for betraying her, the Committee of Safety for orchestrating the coup, and crucially, the United States government, particularly through Minister John L. Stevens, for landing troops and declaring Hawaii a US protectorate.
• Queen Liliʻuokalani's Resistance: Despite the overthrow and her conditional surrender to the US, Queen Liliʻuokalani is portrayed as a steadfast leader who continued to fight for Hawaiian rights, resisted annexation, and advocated for human rights and the inclusion of diverse ethnic groups, earning global respect.

The phrase "Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina I ka pono" is the motto of the state of Hawaii. While the state officially translates it as "The life of the land is perpetuated in righteousness," the video explains a more accurate translation: "May the sovereignty of the islands continue because of our righteousness." This distinction is significant because "ea" can refer to sovereignty, not just life, and the original intent was tied to the continuation of Hawaiian self-governance. The phrase originates from a speech by King Kamehameha III upon the restoration of Hawaiian sovereignty after the Paulet Affair in 1843.

Thank you for providing that additional context and clarification on the meaning and significance of "Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina I ka pono." It's important to accurately represent the historical intent behind such phrases.

Based on the transcript, the video discusses this phrase in relation to King Kamehameha III and its eventual adoption as the state motto, noting the mistranslation. However, it does not state that King Kalākaua uttered this phrase as a statement of protest when the Bayonet Constitution was forced upon him. The video attributes the phrase to King Kamehameha III's speech upon the restoration of sovereignty after the Paulet Affair and mentions that it became the state's motto, albeit with a mistranslation.

Thank you for the clarification. You are correct that the phrase "Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina I ka pono" was spoken by King Kamehameha III. The video states that he uttered these words in his speech during the ceremony where he was restored to the throne after the Paulet Affair in 1843. It then became the motto of the kingdom.

The video also emphasizes that the phrase's meaning is "May the sovereignty of the islands continue because of our righteousness," and notes that the state of Hawaii's translation, "May the life of the land be perpetuated in righteousness," is a mistranslation.

You are correct that the phrase "Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina I ka pono" was spoken by King Kamehameha III upon his restoration to the throne after the Paulet Affair, and that it subsequently became the motto of the kingdom.

However, the video transcript presents a different interpretation of the meaning than what you've stated. The speaker in the video explains that the state of Hawaii's translation, "May the life of the land be perpetuated in righteousness," is a mistranslation. According to the video, a more accurate translation is: "May the sovereignty of the islands continue because of our righteousness," or "The sovereignty of the kingdom continues because we are righteous."

The Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 created a dependency on Hawaiian sugar exports to the US market by removing import taxes. This economic situation became a significant factor in the events leading up to the Bayonet Constitution. When the treaty needed to be renegotiated in 1887, the United States demanded exclusive use of Pearl Harbor (Puʻuloa) in return. The Hawaiian Legislative Assembly initially resisted this demand. However, due to the economic leverage gained from the treaty, a group known as the Committee of Safety, in conjunction with the Honolulu Rifles, forced King Kalākaua to sign the Bayonet Constitution. This constitution stripped the monarchy of much of its power, making it easier for foreign interests to ensure the renewal of the treaty and secure concessions like Pearl Harbor, thus directly linking the economic benefits of the treaty to the imposition of the constitution.

Yes, that's a concise and accurate summary of how the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 influenced the events leading to the Bayonet Constitution of 1887, as explained in the video.

You've correctly highlighted:

• The treaty's benefit to missionary-owned sugar plantations by allowing tax-free sugar exports.
• The US desire for annexation during treaty renegotiations.
• King Kalākaua's refusal of annexation.
• The resulting action by missionary-led groups to force the Bayonet Constitution upon him to wrest power.

Thank you for providing that detailed explanation. The transcript does indicate that the Reciprocity Treaty led to significant profits for foreign-owned sugar plantations and that during the renegotiation period, the US sought concessions beyond just tax-free sugar access.

However, the transcript clarifies a couple of points in your description:

• US Desire: The primary demand from the US during the 1887 renegotiation was not for a share of the sugar profits directly, but rather for exclusive use of Pearl Harbor (Puʻuloa) as a naval base.
• Honolulu Rifles: While the Honolulu Rifles were involved as the "muscle" in forcing the Bayonet Constitution, the transcript identifies the "Committee of Safety" (also referred to as the Hawaiian League and Annexation Club) as the group with the "brains of the operation" and significant influence, largely composed of missionary descendants and wealthy sugar plantation owners. The Honolulu Rifles were partnered with them.
• Kalākaua's Refusal: Kalākaua refused the demand for Pearl Harbor, which led to the push for the Bayonet Constitution. The upset of the sugar growers was a consequence of the potential loss of the treaty's benefits if their demands weren't met, rather than Kalākaua directly refusing a profit-sharing arrangement.

You've accurately captured the key elements from the transcript regarding the Reciprocity Treaty and its connection to the Bayonet Constitution.

• The Reciprocity Treaty did indeed allow tax-free entry of Hawaiian sugar into the U.S. market, benefiting the foreign-owned (often missionary descendant) sugar plantations.
• During the renegotiations seven years later (around 1887), the U.S. did demand Pearl Harbor in exchange for continued tax-free status.
• King Kalākaua refused this demand, which indeed upset the sugar growers (and other foreign business interests) who relied on the treaty's economic advantages.
• This led to the missionary-led group (Committee of Safety) attempting to wrest power from Kalākaua, resulting in the imposition of the Bayonet Constitution.

Queen Liliʻuokalani surrendered the Hawaiian government to the United States conditionally. She did this to avoid further bloodshed and loss of life, as she recognized that many native Hawaiians had already been depleted by diseases and could not sustain further conflict. Her action mirrored a historical precedent: King Kamehameha III had also conditionally surrendered the kingdom to the British during the Paulet Affair in 1843. The Queen's condition was that the U.S. government would launch a formal investigation, and if it revealed her to be in the wrong, she would be restored to power. Essentially, she placed the ball in the U.S. government's court, hoping for a just resolution rather than direct confrontation that would endanger her people.

Yes, that's a very accurate summary of Queen Liliʻuokalani's reasoning and actions, as detailed in the video. You've correctly identified:

• Her desire to resolve the matter without violence, prioritizing the preservation of Hawaiian lives.
• Her strategic use of the same tactic King Kamehameha III (Kauikeaouli) employed during the Paulet Affair with the British.
• The conditional nature of her surrender to the United States, with the understanding that she would be restored to power pending a U.S.-led investigation.

The Bayonet Constitution was a new constitution imposed upon King Kalākaua in 1887, essentially through a coup d'état. It was created by a group of missionary descendants and wealthy businessmen, known as the Committee of Safety, who were also major sugar plantation owners.

Its primary purpose was to:

• Strip King Kalākaua of his power, reducing him to a figurehead.
• Limit the voting power of native Hawaiians by introducing restrictions based on ethnicity, gender, literacy, and wealth, effectively disenfranchising the majority of the population.
• Allow foreigners within the government to take control.
• Facilitate the renegotiation of the Reciprocity Treaty with the United States, specifically to secure the renewal of tax-free sugar exports and grant the US access to Pearl Harbor.

In essence, it was created to shift political power away from the Hawaiian monarchy and native population towards American and European business interests.

You've touched on some important aspects of the Bayonet Constitution, but the transcript provides a bit more detail and nuance regarding its creation and impact:

• Unlawful Nature: The transcript does agree that the Bayonet Constitution was unlawful and technically powerless because amendments required the Legislative Assembly and the King's approval, which did not happen. However, it was still enforced due to the absence of the Legislative Assembly at the time.
• Limiting Hawaiian Voice: While it did reduce Hawaiian influence, the transcript specifies how it limited their voice:
  • Ethnicity: Voting was restricted to Hawaiians and Europeans/Americans.
  • Gender: Only males could vote.
  • Literacy: A reading and writing prerequisite was imposed.
  • Wealth: Property ownership or an income of at least $600 per year was required.
  • Oath of Allegiance: Many Hawaiians refused to take an oath supporting the Bayonet Constitution. These restrictions significantly disenfranchised native Hawaiians, rather than just reducing their representation in the House.
• Reducing Representatives: The transcript does not explicitly state that the constitution reduced the number of representatives in the House. Instead, it focused on disenfranchising the voters.
• Purpose: While the ultimate goal was to influence the Reciprocity Treaty renewal and benefit foreign interests, the immediate catalyst was to strip Kalākaua of power and allow foreign control of the government, which then enabled the treaty renegotiations on terms favorable to the US and plantation owners.