Week 14 4/10
The content of the material covered in the coming weeks is focused on the political events that took place between the years 1887 and 1898. To understand the impact of these events--and their current relevance-- we must first understand the history of the political and legal system within the kingdom and its status in the world. The following information is excerpted from a site that can be found here.
Hawaiian Kingdom recognized as an Independent State in 1843
To counter the strong possibility of foreign encroachment on Hawaiian territory, His Majesty King Kamehameha III dispatched a Hawaiian delegation to the United States and Europe with the power to settle difficulties with other nations, and negotiate treaties. This delegation's ultimate duty was to secure the recognition of Hawaiian Independence from the major powers of the world. In accordance with this goal, Timoteo Haʻalilio, William Richards and Sir George Simpson were commissioned as joint Ministers Plenipotentiary on April 8, 1842. Sir George Simpson, shortly thereafter, left for England, via Alaska and Siberia, while Mr. Haʻalilio and Mr. Richards departed for the United States, via Mexico, on July 8, 1842.
On December 19, 1842, the Hawaiian delegation, while in the United States of America, secured the assurance of United States President Tyler that the United States would recognize Hawaiian independence. The delegation then proceeded to meet their colleague, Sir George Simpson, in Europe and together they secured formal recognition from Great Britain and France. On April 1, 1843, Lord Aberdeen on behalf of Her Britannic Majesty Queen Victoria, assured the Hawaiian delegation that, "Her Majesty's Government was willing and had determined to recognize the independence of the Sandwich Islands under their present sovereign."
On November 28, 1843, at the Court of London, the British and French Governments entered into a formal agreement for the recognition of Hawaiian independence. The Proclamation read as follows:
"Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the French, taking into consideration the existence in the Sandwich Islands of a government capable of providing for the regularity of its relations with foreign nations, have thought it right to engage, reciprocally, to consider the Sandwich Islands as an Independent State, and never to take possession, neither directly or under the title of Protectorate, or under any other form, of any part of the territory of which they are composed.
The undersigned, Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs, and the Ambassador Extraordinary of His Majesty the King of the French, at the Court of London, being furnished with the necessary powers, hereby declare, in consequence, that their said Majesties take reciprocally that engagement."
As a result of the recognition of Hawaiian Independence in 1843 the Hawaiian Kingdom entered into Treaties and Conventions with the nations of Austria, Belgium, Bremen (presently Germany), Denmark, France, Germany, Hamburg (presently Germany), Italy, Hong Kong (former colony of England), Japan, Netherlands, New South Wales (former colony of England), Portugal, Russia, Samoa, the Swiss Confederation, Sweden, Norway, Tahiti (colony of France), United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
The content of the material covered in the coming weeks is focused on the political events that took place between the years 1887 and 1898. To understand the impact of these events--and their current relevance-- we must first understand the history of the political and legal system within the kingdom and its status in the world. The following information is excerpted from a site that can be found here.
Hawaiian Kingdom recognized as an Independent State in 1843
To counter the strong possibility of foreign encroachment on Hawaiian territory, His Majesty King Kamehameha III dispatched a Hawaiian delegation to the United States and Europe with the power to settle difficulties with other nations, and negotiate treaties. This delegation's ultimate duty was to secure the recognition of Hawaiian Independence from the major powers of the world. In accordance with this goal, Timoteo Haʻalilio, William Richards and Sir George Simpson were commissioned as joint Ministers Plenipotentiary on April 8, 1842. Sir George Simpson, shortly thereafter, left for England, via Alaska and Siberia, while Mr. Haʻalilio and Mr. Richards departed for the United States, via Mexico, on July 8, 1842.
On December 19, 1842, the Hawaiian delegation, while in the United States of America, secured the assurance of United States President Tyler that the United States would recognize Hawaiian independence. The delegation then proceeded to meet their colleague, Sir George Simpson, in Europe and together they secured formal recognition from Great Britain and France. On April 1, 1843, Lord Aberdeen on behalf of Her Britannic Majesty Queen Victoria, assured the Hawaiian delegation that, "Her Majesty's Government was willing and had determined to recognize the independence of the Sandwich Islands under their present sovereign."
On November 28, 1843, at the Court of London, the British and French Governments entered into a formal agreement for the recognition of Hawaiian independence. The Proclamation read as follows:
"Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and His Majesty the King of the French, taking into consideration the existence in the Sandwich Islands of a government capable of providing for the regularity of its relations with foreign nations, have thought it right to engage, reciprocally, to consider the Sandwich Islands as an Independent State, and never to take possession, neither directly or under the title of Protectorate, or under any other form, of any part of the territory of which they are composed.
The undersigned, Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs, and the Ambassador Extraordinary of His Majesty the King of the French, at the Court of London, being furnished with the necessary powers, hereby declare, in consequence, that their said Majesties take reciprocally that engagement."
As a result of the recognition of Hawaiian Independence in 1843 the Hawaiian Kingdom entered into Treaties and Conventions with the nations of Austria, Belgium, Bremen (presently Germany), Denmark, France, Germany, Hamburg (presently Germany), Italy, Hong Kong (former colony of England), Japan, Netherlands, New South Wales (former colony of England), Portugal, Russia, Samoa, the Swiss Confederation, Sweden, Norway, Tahiti (colony of France), United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
The Last Monarch
The unit 3 reading material covering the end of the monarchical period is based largely on the autobiography of Mōʻīwahine Liliʻuokalani and the scholarship of Noenoe Silva. In the course work this week, Liliʻuokalani shares her perspectives of the complications surrounding the time period, which, contradicted the narratives put forth by the traitors that overthrew her reign. Silva (reading will be assigned for next week), writing in the late 1990s, worked to debunk the myth that Kānaka ʻŌiwi passively accepted the U.S.-backed illegal overthrow and subsequent annexation of the kingdom of the Hawaiian islands.
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Paʻa Ke Aupuni is a unique 60-minute hand-drawn, animated film that gets straight to the point. It zooms in on key facts explaining how the Hawaiian Kingdom came to be, how it evolved to stand firmly on the international world stage of sovereign nations, and how the United States came to claim Hawai‘i.
In many ways, Ke Aupuni Hawai‘i, the Hawaiian government, remains pa‘a—steadfast and enduring. Yet “pa‘a” can also describe something that is stuck or retained, in this case by powers holding fast to control over Hawai‘i. Pa‘a Ke Aupuni lays bare the realities of this history. It’s a set of facts we all need to know as the push to reestablish a Hawaiian nation gains momentum. |
Activities
Due Dates
- Read Liliuʻokalani, "Hawaiʻi's Story by Hawaiʻi's Queen: Hawaiians Plead for a New Constitution, The Crimes I am Charged Withal and, The Overthrow of the Monarchy" pg. 398
- VIew the video Paʻa Ke Aupuni
- Complete the reading quiz titled, "Unit3-RQ_Liliuokalani"
- Respond to the topic posted in the discussions tool in the Week 14 folder.
Due Dates
- Respond to the topic posted in the discussions tool--Thursday for post 1 and Sunday for posting to a fellow classmate.
- Complete the reading quiz posted in the tests and quizzes tool by Sunday, April 16 at 11:55 pm. \