Isabella Carter
Queen Liliuokalani did not get rid of the Bayonet Constitution. In fact, she affirmed it. On 29 January 1891, she took an oath to support the constitution. On 30 June 1887, the Bayonet Constitution was signed at gunpoint by King Kalākaua, who was forced to dismiss his Cabinet and endorse a new constitution that stripped him of his authority and transferred power to the legislature and cabinet of the government. The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by a group of anti-monarchists and led to the domination of the legislature by wealthy, non-native, anti-monarchy elites.
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What You'll Learn
The Bayonet Constitution was signed under threat of violence
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was a legal document drafted by a group of twenty anti-monarchists to significantly limit the powers of the absolute Hawaiian monarchy. It was signed by King Kalākaua on June 30, 1887, after a meeting with an armed militia, the Honolulu Rifles, and politicians from the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom. This group demanded the dismissal of the king's cabinet, which supported his authority, and the endorsement of a new constitution that would transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people.
The Bayonet Constitution was indeed signed under threat of violence. King Kalākaua was forced to sign the document or face deposition. The Honolulu Rifles, a group of white soldiers, served as the secret military arm of the Hawaiian League, a secret society with the aim of annexing Hawaii to the United States. The Hawaiian League, composed of white businessmen, landowners, and missionary descendants, posed a credible threat to the king's life.
Queen Liliuokalani, King Kalākaua's sister and heir, later affirmed that her brother had signed the constitution under duress. She stated that he had been threatened with violence and had received assurances that conspirators were planning to assassinate him if he refused to comply. Additionally, James Blount, Hon. James H. Blount, concluded that the presence of foreign ships in Honolulu harbor during this time may have deterred any potential resistance from the natives.
The Bayonet Constitution had far-reaching consequences for the Hawaiian monarchy and the native Hawaiian population. It removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, the upper house of the legislature, and instituted high property and income requirements for serving in the legislature, effectively disenfranchising most native Hawaiians. The constitution also addressed issues of profligate spending under Kalākaua's reign, requiring the king to appoint a Minister of Finance and submit an annual budget proposal to the legislature.
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The constitution stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its power
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was a legal document drafted by a group of twenty individuals, including Lorrin Thurston, the Hawaiian Minister of the Interior, and members of the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom. This document effectively stripped the absolute Hawaiian monarchy of its power and initiated a transfer of authority to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people.
The Bayonet Constitution was signed under duress and threat of violence. On June 30, 1887, King Kalākaua was confronted by an armed militia, the Honolulu Rifles, and Reform Party politicians. They demanded the dismissal of his Cabinet, which supported the king's authority, and the endorsement of a new constitution. Under the threat of assassination, Kalākaua was forced to comply, signing a document that significantly reduced his power and that of the monarchy.
The new constitution made several changes that diminished the monarch's authority. Firstly, it removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, the upper house of the legislature, instead making it an elected body. High property and income requirements were instituted for nobles and representatives, effectively disenfranchising almost all native Hawaiians. The constitution also required the king to appoint a Minister of Finance, limiting his control over government spending.
The Bayonet Constitution was never submitted to the Legislative Assembly, and it placed control of the legislature and cabinet in the hands of individuals with foreign allegiances. The cabinet could only be removed by a vote of no confidence from the legislature. These provisions ensured that non-natives controlled the elected representatives, as the nobles were selected by people holding foreign allegiances.
The signing of the Bayonet Constitution marked a significant shift in the balance of power in the Hawaiian Kingdom, setting the stage for further attempts to overthrow the monarchy and annex Hawaii to the United States. Queen Liliuokalani, who succeeded Kalākaua, sought to restore power to the monarchy by abrogating the Bayonet Constitution and promulgating a new one. However, her efforts faced opposition, and she was ultimately deposed by a group of Caucasian businessmen and lawyers in 1893, leading to the establishment of a Provisional Government of Hawaii.
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It was drafted by a group of anti-monarchists
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was drafted by a group of anti-monarchists. This group consisted of a select twenty individuals, including Sanford B. Dole, who was related to the then nine-year-old heir to the throne, and two members of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Albert F. Judd and Associate Justice Edward Preston. The constitution was created with the aim of stripping the absolute Hawaiian monarchy of its authority and transferring power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people.
The Bayonet Constitution was drafted during a period when a minority of subjects of the Hawaiian Kingdom and foreign nationals were plotting a revolt to take control of the government. The Hawaiian League, a secret society formed in 1887 with the goal of annexing Hawaii to the United States, played a significant role in this. They, along with American businessmen, controlled a large portion of the kingdom's wealth.
On June 30, 1887, the Hawaiian League's military arm, the Honolulu Rifles, joined forces with the Reform Party politicians and demanded that King Kalākaua dismiss his pro-monarchy cabinet and endorse the new constitution. The king was forced to sign the document under the threat of violence and the risk of being deposed.
The Bayonet Constitution made significant changes to the voting and power structure in Hawaii. It removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, instead making it an elected body dominated by wealthy landowners. High property and income requirements were instituted, effectively disenfranchising many native Hawaiians and ensuring that Nobles would be non-natives. The constitution also addressed issues of profligate spending under Kalākaua's reign, requiring the king to appoint a Minister of Finance to oversee government expenditures and submit annual budget proposals.
Queen Liliuokalani, who took the oath of office to support the 1887 Constitution, later proposed the removal of power from the legislature and the restoration of absolute monarchy in January 1893. She affirmed that King Kalākaua had been threatened with violence if he attempted to undo the new constitution and stated that there were petitions from natives requesting a new constitution to restore her absolute rule.
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The constitution was never submitted to the Legislative Assembly
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was a legal document drafted by a group of twenty individuals. It was designed to strip the Hawaiian monarchy of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. Notably, this constitution was never submitted to the Legislative Assembly for approval.
The Bayonet Constitution was created in response to concerns about King Kalākaua's spending, particularly on the construction and maintenance of Iolani Palace. It made significant changes to the structure and power of the Hawaiian government. One notable change was the removal of the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, the upper house of the legislature. Instead, the House of Nobles became an elected body, with members serving six-year terms and needing to meet high property and income requirements. These new requirements effectively prevented almost all native Hawaiians from serving in the legislature.
The constitution also stipulated that the King was required to appoint a Minister of Finance to oversee government spending and submit an annual budget proposal to the legislature. Additionally, it maintained a unicameral legislature and gave the legislature the power to remove the cabinet through a vote of no confidence. The property qualifications for candidates ensured that Nobles would be non-natives and would control the elected Representatives.
Queen Liliuokalani, who took the oath to support the Bayonet Constitution, later proposed a new constitution in January 1893 to restore absolute monarchy and remove power from the legislature. She affirmed that King Kalākaua had signed the Bayonet Constitution under duress and that there were petitions from native Hawaiians requesting a new constitution to restore her absolute rule.
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Queen Liliuokalani affirmed that King Kalākaua signed it under duress
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was a legal document drafted by a group of twenty individuals to strip the Hawaiian monarchy of its authority. The constitution was signed by King Kalākaua on June 30, 1887, after a meeting with an armed militia of the Honolulu Rifles, who were secretly the military arm of the Hawaiian League, and politicians of the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The Honolulu Rifles were a group of white soldiers.
Queen Liliuokalani affirmed that King Kalākaua signed the Bayonet Constitution under duress. She stated that he was threatened with violence if he did not comply and that he was forced to sign it. Liliuokalani's statement is supported by evidence that suggests the King faced pressure from the Hawaiian League, a secret society formed in 1887 with the aim of annexing Hawaii to the United States. The League, along with American businessmen, controlled a significant portion of the kingdom's wealth.
Liliuokalani herself opposed the Bayonet Constitution and sought to restore the monarchy's powers. She proposed a new constitution in January 1893 that would restore absolute monarchy. However, before she could take any significant steps, she was deposed in a U.S. military-backed coup in 1893, and Hawaii was declared a republic in 1894.
Liliuokalani's opposition to the Bayonet Constitution and her efforts to restore the monarchy's powers were well-known. She even travelled to Washington to seek support for the restoration of the Hawaiian monarchy. Her actions and statements provide strong evidence that King Kalākaua signed the Bayonet Constitution under duress and that the document was imposed on the Hawaiian monarchy against their will.
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Frequently asked questions
The Bayonet Constitution was a revised constitution that stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its power and transferred it to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. It was signed by King Kalākaua at gunpoint on July 6, 1887.
Yes, Queen Liliuokalani supported the Bayonet Constitution. On August 30, 1887, she took the oath to support the constitution and affirmed that King Kalākaua was threatened with violence should he attempt to undo it.
The Bayonet Constitution had a significant impact on the Hawaiian Kingdom. It removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, disenfranchised many Native Hawaiians through income and literacy requirements, and granted suffrage to white non-citizens who met certain requirements. It also facilitated the domination of the legislature by wealthy, anti-monarchy elites and enabled the planter business interests to cede Pearl Harbor to the US.
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