Eleanor Finch
The Great Mahele, which culminated in 1848, was a process of Hawaiian land tenure that separated the rights of the government, Konohikis, and native tenants. This led to the dispossession of land for native Hawaiians and a shift in power dynamics. Nearly four decades later, in 1887, the Hawaiian monarchy faced a new challenge with the Bayonet Constitution. This document, drafted by a group including lawyers and politicians, aimed to strip the absolute monarchy of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians. The Bayonet Constitution, signed under the threat of violence, marked a significant step in the decline of the monarchy and the rise of foreign influence in Hawaii.
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What You'll Learn
- The Great Mahele was a process of Hawaiian land tenure, not a singular event
- It separated the rights of the government, Konohikis, and native tenants
- The Bayonet Constitution stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of power
- It transferred power to a coalition of Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians
- The constitution was signed under threat of violence
The Great Mahele was a process of Hawaiian land tenure, not a singular event
The Great Mahele, or the 1848 Mahele, was a process of Hawaiian land tenure that had catastrophic negative consequences for the native Hawaiian people. It was not a singular event, but a process of separating the rights of the government, Konohikis, and native tenants. Before the Mahele, the 1839 Declaration of Rights established three vested rights in all the lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom. As explained in the 1840 Constitution, Kamehameha I, the founder of the kingdom, was the head of the chiefs and people with whom he shared ownership of the land.
The Mahele, therefore, was a process of dividing these rights, with 'mahele' translating to 'divide' in the Hawaiian language, and 'mahele'ole' meaning 'undivided'. The process aimed to separate the rights of the three entities, which had previously been undivided. This process eventually led to the dispossession of land for Native Hawaiians, as the rights to the land were now divided between the government, Konohikis, and native tenants.
The Great Mahele had far-reaching implications for the Hawaiian people, and it is considered a turning point in the history of Hawaiian land tenure. It is a critical event in understanding the evolution of land tenure systems in Hawaii and the subsequent political and social changes that occurred.
The Mahele also set in motion a series of events that contributed to the rise of the Hawaiian League, a secret cabal of white businessmen, landowners, and missionary descendants. This group, backed by the armed militia of the Honolulu Rifles, forced King Kalākaua to sign the 1887 Bayonet Constitution, which stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its power. The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers, all associated with the Hawaiian League, and it transferred power from the monarchy to a coalition that included Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians.
The Bayonet Constitution was a significant step in the decline of the monarchy and the rise of foreign influence in Hawaii. It placed considerable limitations on the king's power, including the requirement to appoint a Minister of Finance and submit an annual budget proposal to the legislature. The constitution also removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, instead making it an elected body dominated by non-natives.
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It separated the rights of the government, Konohikis, and native tenants
The Great Mahele, or the "1848 Mahele", as Professor Lilikala Kame'eleihiwa calls it in her book, *Native Land and Foreign Desires*, was a significant event in Hawaiian history. It was a process of separating the rights of the government, Konohikis, and native tenants, which had previously been undivided. The Hawaiian term "mahele" means "to divide", while "mahele'ole" means "undivided".
Prior to the Great Mahele, the 1839 Declaration of Rights and the 1840 Constitution established three vested rights in all the lands of the Hawaiian Kingdom. These documents asserted that all the land in the kingdom belonged to Kamehameha I, the founder and head of the kingdom's chiefs and people. The land tenure system was feudal, and the 1882 Surveyor General reported that it differed from the tribal ownership systems in New Zealand.
The Great Mahele had a significant impact on the rights of native tenants in particular. According to Professor Kame'eleihiwa, it was a "terrible disaster" and a "catastrophic" turning point for the Hawaiian people. This view is shared by Professor Osorio in his book, *Dismembering Lahui*. The process eventually led to the dispossession of land for Native Hawaiians, as they became landless and had to pay rent to foreign landlords.
The Great Mahele was a key step in the process of Hawaiian land tenure, which ultimately led to the Bayonet Constitution in 1887. This constitution stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its power and transferred it to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers, many of whom were associated with the Hawaiian League, which sought to end the kingdom and annex it to the United States. The constitution was signed by King Kalākaua under threat of violence from the Honolulu Rifles militia, who were affiliated with the Hawaiian League. The new constitution empowered the legislature and cabinet of the government, which were now dominated by wealthy, anti-monarchy elites. It also included income and literacy requirements for voting, disenfranchising many Native Hawaiians, while granting suffrage to white non-citizens who met income and landownership requirements.
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The Bayonet Constitution stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of power
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was a legal document 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 associated with the Hawaiian League, which sought to end the kingdom and annex it to the United States. The document was signed on July 6, 1887, by King David Kalākaua under duress, as he was threatened with violence and possible deposition if he did not comply. This event marked a significant shift in power dynamics within the Hawaiian monarchy, as the constitution stripped the king of much of his authority and empowered the legislature and cabinet of the government.
The Bayonet Constitution made several changes that diminished the power of the Hawaiian monarchy. Firstly, it removed the monarch's ability to appoint members of the House of Nobles, the upper house of the legislature, instead making it an elected body. The property and income requirements for serving as a noble or representative effectively disenfranchised many native Hawaiians, as they were unable to meet these new qualifications. The constitution also addressed concerns about profligate spending under Kalākaua's reign by requiring the king to appoint a Minister of Finance to oversee government expenditures and present an annual budget proposal to the legislature.
Furthermore, the Bayonet Constitution facilitated the domination of the legislature by wealthy, anti-monarchy elites. It granted suffrage to foreigners, particularly Americans and Europeans, by linking the right to vote with property ownership. This provision disenfranchised many native Hawaiians and Asians, who were barred from voting entirely, while empowering a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian individuals. The constitution also enhanced the power of the cabinet, which was now controlled by the Hawaiian League and could only be removed by a vote of no confidence from the legislature.
The signing of the Bayonet Constitution was met with opposition and resistance from the Hawaiian citizenry. The document was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly, and many saw it as an illegitimate coup d'etat. The Hawaiian Political Association (Hui Kalai'aina) was established to restore the constitutional system that existed before June 30, 1887. Additionally, the Liberal Patriotic Association, a secret society, was formed to restore the former system of government and the rights of the king. These efforts included an unsuccessful armed attack against the cabinet ministry led by Robert Wilcox in July 1889.
In conclusion, the Bayonet Constitution significantly weakened the Hawaiian monarchy by curtailing the king's authority, empowering foreign interests, and disenfranchising native Hawaiians. It marked a pivotal moment in the decline of the monarchy and the increasing influence of foreign powers in Hawaii. The lasting impact of the Bayonet Constitution underscores the tensions and power struggles that shaped Hawaii's political landscape during this period.
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It transferred power to a coalition of Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was a legal document that stripped the absolute Hawaiian monarchy of its authority and transferred power to a coalition of Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians.
The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers, all associated with the Hawaiian League, which had explicitly sought the end of the kingdom and its annexation by the United States. The constitution was signed by King Kalākaua under duress, with an armed militia, the Honolulu Rifles, forcing him to agree to it or face being deposed.
The document transferred power from the monarchy to a cabinet and legislature controlled by the Hawaiian League, which was composed of a coalition of Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians. The new constitution also empowered wealthy, anti-monarchy elites and disenfranchised many Native Hawaiians through income and literacy requirements, while also granting suffrage to foreigners who met income and landownership requirements.
The Bayonet Constitution was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly, and it faced significant opposition from the Hawaiian population, who sought to restore the king's power. The constitution marked the beginning of the decline of the monarchy and the transfer of power to a coalition that included foreign interests.
The Great Mahele, or the 1848 Mahele, was a separate event that occurred earlier and related to Hawaiian land tenure. It was a process that separated the rights of the government, Konohikis, and native tenants, and it had negative consequences for native Hawaiians, leading to their dispossession of land. The Bayonet Constitution and the Great Mahele are distinct events in Hawaiian history, with the former being a direct challenge to the monarchy and a transfer of power to a new coalition.
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The constitution was signed under threat of violence
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was signed by King Kalākaua under threat of violence. The constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers, all associated with the Hawaiian League, which sought to end the kingdom and annex it to the United States. The document aimed to strip the absolute monarchy of its powers and transfer authority to a coalition of Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians.
The Hawaiian League, a group of white businessmen, landowners, and missionary descendants, backed by the armed militia of the Honolulu Rifles, demanded that the king dismiss his Cabinet, led by Walter M. Gibson, who supported the king's authority. The Honolulu Rifles, made up largely of white settlers, presented a serious threat of force, with guns surrounding the king on the day he signed the constitution.
King Kalākaua's successor, his sister Queen Liliuokalani, affirmed that he was threatened with violence and that his life was in danger: "He signed that constitution under absolute compulsion." She also stated that there were petitions from natives requesting a new constitution to restore her absolute rule. The Bayonet Constitution was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly, and it is considered the first great implement in the decline of the monarchy, significantly limiting the king's power.
The constitution made significant changes to voting requirements, disenfranchising many Native Hawaiians through income and literacy requirements, while granting suffrage to white non-citizens who met income and landownership qualifications. It also removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, enlarging it to 40 members elected by wealthy landowners, ensuring control by non-natives. Additionally, the king was required to appoint a Minister of Finance to oversee spending and submit annual budget proposals.
The Bayonet Constitution sparked a revolt, with the Hawaiian citizenry offering peaceful resistance and some unsuccessful armed attacks. The Hawaiian Political Association (Hui Kalai'aina) was established to restore the constitutional system that existed before June 30, 1887. The Liberal Patriotic Association, a secret society, was also formed with the same goal of restoring the former system of government and the king's rights.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Mahele was a process of Hawaiian land tenure that separated the rights of the government, Konohikis, and native tenants.
The Bayonet Constitution was a legal document that stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its authority, transferring power to a coalition of Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians.
On July 6, 1887, King David Kalakaua was forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution at gunpoint by a militia group called the Honolulu Rifles, compromising the legislative and judicial branches of the government.
The Bayonet Constitution placed considerable limitations on the power of the Hawaiian monarchy, leading to its decline. It also disenfranchised many Native Hawaiians and facilitated the domination of the legislature by wealthy, anti-monarchy elites.
