Simone Lawson
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was a pivotal moment in the decline of the monarchy. While it did not overthrow the king, it severely limited his power. The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers, including members of the Hawaiian League, who sought to end the kingdom and annex it to the United States. This new constitution stripped the king of his personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet, which was now under the sole authority of the legislature. It also imposed high property and income requirements for nobles and representatives, disenfranchising many native Hawaiians, while granting suffrage to white non-citizens who met certain requirements. The document was signed under duress and threat of violence, with King Kalākaua believing his life was in danger if he did not comply.
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What You'll Learn
- The Bayonet Constitution stripped the king of personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet
- The constitution was signed under duress and threat of violence
- Voting rights were restricted for many native Hawaiians, leaving power in the hands of American and European men
- Wealth and income requirements to serve in the legislature disenfranchised native Hawaiians
- The constitution limited the king's spending power, requiring him to appoint a Minister of Finance
The Bayonet Constitution stripped the king of personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, significantly weakened the monarchy by stripping the king of personal authority and empowering the legislature and cabinet.
The constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers, including Thurston, Dole, William Ansel Kinney, William Owen Smith, George Norton Wilcox, and Edward Griffin Hitchcock, all associated with the Hawaiian League. The group explicitly wanted to end the kingdom and annex it to the United States. The new constitution transferred much of the king's power to the cabinet, which was controlled by the Hawaiian League. It also gave the legislature, dominated by wealthy, anti-monarchy elites, more power.
The Bayonet Constitution removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, the upper house of the legislature. Instead, members of the House of Nobles were elected by wealthy landowners, with terms lasting six years and membership enlarged to 40 members. Additionally, the constitution 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, addressing the issue of profligate spending that had occurred under King Kalākaua's reign.
The Bayonet Constitution also made significant changes to voting requirements, disenfranchising many Native Hawaiians through income and literacy requirements. It also barred Asians from voting entirely while granting suffrage to white non-citizens who met income and landownership requirements. As a result, power was left in the hands of American and European men, many of whom were profiting from their business interests in the kingdom.
The constitution was signed by King Kalākaua on July 6, 1887, under duress and the threat of violence. Queen Liliuokalani affirmed that the king's life was threatened, and he signed it under "absolute compulsion." The constitution was never ratified in the Hawaiian Kingdom's legislature, and immediately after its adoption, Native Hawaiians sought to restore the king's power and authority.
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The constitution was signed under duress and threat of violence
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was signed by King Kalākaua under duress and the threat of violence. The constitution stripped the king of most of his personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet of the government.
The constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers, including Thurston, Dole, William Ansel Kinney, William Owen Smith, George Norton Wilcox, and Edward Griffin Hitchcock. All the drafters were also associated with the Hawaiian League, which had wanted the end of the kingdom and its annexation by the United States since its inception. The constitution transferred power from the king to the new cabinet, which was controlled by the Hawaiian League. It also facilitated the domination of the legislature by wealthy, anti-monarchy elites, and disenfranchised many Native Hawaiians through income and literacy requirements.
The Bayonet Constitution was never ratified in the Hawaiian legislature. Multiple sources suggest that the king signed it under duress and that he genuinely believed his life was in danger if he did not. Queen Liliuokalani affirmed that the king was threatened with violence and that his life was threatened. Thurston and Dole, however, denied the use of coercion and threats.
The Bayonet Constitution allowed the Hawaiian monarch to appoint a cabinet but placed that cabinet under the sole authority of the legislature. It also required any executive actions of the monarch to receive cabinet approval. The constitution also removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, making it a body elected by wealthy landowners and enlarging it to 40 members. The qualification requirements to serve in the legislature included high property and income requirements, which stripped almost all of the native population of the ability to serve. The Bayonet Constitution also restricted voting rights for many native Hawaiians, leaving power in the hands of American and European men, most of whom were already profiting from their business interests in the kingdom.
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Voting rights were restricted for many native Hawaiians, leaving power in the hands of American and European men
The 1887 Bayonet Constitution, which was drafted by a group of lawyers, significantly altered the political landscape in the Hawaiian Kingdom. This constitution, which the king signed under duress, stripped the monarch of much of their power and placed it in the hands of the legislature and cabinet.
One of the most significant ways in which the Bayonet Constitution weakened the monarchy was by restricting the voting rights of many native Hawaiians. The new constitution introduced high property and income requirements for eligibility to vote and serve in the legislature. This effectively disenfranchised two-thirds of the Hawaiian population, who were predominantly native Hawaiians, as they could no longer meet the requirements.
The income requirement to vote for the upper house was set at $600 (equivalent to US$20998 in 2025), while for serving in it, one needed taxable property worth US$3000 (equivalent to $104989 in 2025). These requirements disproportionately affected native Hawaiians, who were largely excluded from suffrage. On the other hand, white male residents, particularly those profiting from the sugar industry, retained their voting rights and gained even more influence.
The Bayonet Constitution also barred Asians from voting entirely, further shifting the power towards American and European men. This group, known as the Hawaiian League, had explicit anti-monarchy sentiments and sought the annexation of Hawaii by the United States. They dominated the legislature and cabinet, seizing complete control over the kingdom.
The restrictions on voting rights, coupled with the concentration of power in the hands of a few, left the native Hawaiian population largely powerless and unable to challenge the growing influence of American and European interests in the kingdom. This ultimately paved the way for the overthrow of the monarchy in 1893 and the establishment of the Republic of Hawai'i in 1894.
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Wealth and income requirements to serve in the legislature disenfranchised native Hawaiians
The 1887 Bayonet Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii stripped the monarchy of its powers, transferring them to the legislature and cabinet of the government. It was drafted by a group of lawyers, including Thurston, Dole, William Ansel Kinney, William Owen Smith, George Norton Wilcox, and Edward Griffin Hitchcock, who were also associated with the Hawaiian League. The Hawaiian League was a secret organisation of white businessmen, landowners, and missionary descendants who wanted to end the kingdom and annex it to the United States.
The Bayonet Constitution included significant changes to voting and legislative service requirements, disenfranchising many Native Hawaiians. The new constitution required an income of $600 (equivalent to US$20998 in 2025) or taxable property of US$3000 (worth $104989 in 2025) to vote for the upper house or serve in it. These requirements excluded an estimated two-thirds of the Hawaiian population, disproportionately affecting Native Hawaiians.
The wealth and income requirements to serve in the legislature, as well as the voting requirements, disenfranchised Native Hawaiians by setting a high economic bar that favoured wealthy, non-native residents. The constitution also removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, instead making it a body elected by wealthy landowners. This further disenfranchised Native Hawaiians, as the qualifications to serve as a noble or representative now included high property and income requirements.
The Bayonet Constitution also granted suffrage to white non-citizens who met the income and landownership requirements, while specifically denying suffrage to Asians, including those who previously had the right to vote. It allowed foreign resident aliens to vote, not just naturalised citizens, as long as they were Hawaiian, American, or European men who met the economic and literacy thresholds. These requirements ensured that power was concentrated in the hands of wealthy, non-native residents, marginalising Native Hawaiians in the political process.
The impact of the Bayonet Constitution was significant, and it led to a decline in the monarchy's power and influence. Native Hawaiians sought to restore the king's power, and there were petitions calling for a new constitution to restore absolute monarchy. However, the Hawaiian League seized complete control over the kingdom, allocating power to their Cabinet members and securing the disenfranchisement of their opposition.
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The constitution limited the king's spending power, requiring him to appoint a Minister of Finance
The 1887 Bayonet Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the "Bayonet Constitution", significantly limited the king's spending power and introduced several measures to regulate government expenditures. One of the key provisions was the requirement for the king to appoint a Minister of Finance.
This constitution was a pivotal moment in the decline of the monarchy's power, although it did not officially depose the king. The constitution stripped the king of his personal authority and transferred it to the legislature and the cabinet of the government. The king was allowed to appoint the cabinet, but this cabinet was under the sole authority of the legislature, and any executive actions by the monarch required cabinet approval.
The Minister of Finance was tasked with overseeing government spending and submitting an annual budget proposal to the legislature. This measure was implemented to address the issue of profligate spending, which had become a concern during King Kalākaua's reign, particularly with the expensive construction and maintenance of Iolani Palace.
The requirement to appoint a Minister of Finance and the overall limitations on the king's spending power were part of a broader effort to curb the monarch's influence and empower the legislature and cabinet. This shift in power dynamics marked a significant change in the Hawaiian Kingdom's political landscape, ultimately leading to the concentration of power in the hands of wealthy, anti-monarchy elites.
The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers associated with the Hawaiian League, which sought the kingdom's annexation by the United States. The constitution was signed under duress, with King Kalākaua reportedly believing that his life was in danger if he did not comply. Despite the lack of formal ratification, the document significantly weakened the monarchy and paved the way for subsequent political developments in Hawaii.
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Frequently asked questions
The Bayonet Constitution was the nickname given to the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom. It was called the Bayonet Constitution because it was signed under the threat of violence.
The Bayonet Constitution stripped the king of most of his personal authority and transferred power to the legislature and the cabinet, which was controlled by the Hawaiian League. It also removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles.
The Bayonet Constitution disenfranchised many Native Hawaiians through income and literacy requirements, while granting suffrage to white non-citizens who met income and landownership requirements. This left power in the hands of American and European men, many of whom were profiting from their business interests in Hawaii.
