How white planters usurped Hawaii s last queen
The bloodless but brutal coup brought Hawaii s monarchy to an end and paved the way for U.S. statehood.
ByErin Blakemore
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In her Honolulu palace, Liliʻuokalani wavered over the piece of paper that, once signed, would remove her standing as the country’s queen. If she abdicated, six of her most ardent supporters would be released from the prison where they awaited execution for treason. The men had rallied a small army of fewer than a hundred to defend her position as the ruler of Hawaii, but after a few unsuccessful skirmishes, they had stood down.
Painting of Princess Ka’iulani
Princess Ka’iulani was the last heir apparent to the throne of the Hawaiian Kingdom. When she was 13, her mother died, and she was sent to Europe to finish her education. In 1893, Ka’iulani was 17 when the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom occurred. There were pleas from Ka’iulani s father and Sanford B. Dole, the provisional president of Hawaii, to end the takeover of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Queen Lili’uokalani was convinced her best chance at justice for Hawaii was to temporarily relinquish ruling authority to the United States. Ruling power was never returned to Hawaii s constitutional monarchy.