Isabella Carter
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was a legal document drafted by a group of twenty lawyers and politicians, including Sanford B. Dole, William Ansel Kinney, and Lorrin Thurston. This group, known as the Hawaiian League, was a secret society of wealthy, non-native businessmen and landowners who aimed to strip King Kalākaua of his power and reduce the influence of the native Hawaiian population in the government. The constitution was signed by King Kalākaua under duress, with the threat of force and violence against him and his people if he did not comply.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 8th July, 1887 |
| Group Responsible | The Hawaiian League, a group of wealthy non-natives, mostly US businessmen and landowners |
| Members | Sanford B. Dole, William Castle, Lorrin Thurston, Francis Hatch, William Kinney, and others |
| Purpose | To strip the absolute monarchy of power and transfer it to a coalition of Americans, Europeans, and Native Hawaiians |
| Impact | Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants were disenfranchised, while foreigners gained voting rights |
| King's Response | King Kalākaua signed under duress and later defended the constitution to protesting natives |
| Queen's Response | Queen Liliuokalani proposed a new constitution to restore absolute monarchy, but the Hawaiian League overthrew her |
| Outcome | Annexation of the Hawaiian Islands to the US on 7th July, 1898 |
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What You'll Learn
The Bayonet Constitution was a legal document drafted by anti-monarchists
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was a legal document drafted by anti-monarchists to strip the absolute Hawaiian monarchy of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. The constitution was imposed on King Kalākaua, who was forced to sign it under the threat of violence by the Hawaiian League, an armed militia group known as the Honolulu Rifles. The group consisted of wealthy non-native businessmen and landowners, as well as politicians from the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The constitution's imposition marked a pivotal moment in Hawaiian history, as it signalled the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty and the rise of foreign influence in the country's politics.
The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers associated with the Hawaiian League, including Thurston, Dole, William Ansel Kinney, William Owen Smith, George Norton Wilcox, and Edward Griffin Hitchcock. It was completed in less than a week and effectively stripped the king of his personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet of the government instead. The constitution also made significant changes to voting requirements, disenfranchising Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants while extending the right to vote to foreign residents who were not naturalized in Hawaii.
One of the main motivations behind the creation of the Bayonet Constitution was the desire to reduce the king's power. The haole, or non-Hawaiian businessmen, felt threatened by King Kalākaua's authority and wanted to limit his influence. The constitution achieved this by granting executive power to both the king and cabinet members, who could not be removed by the king without a legislative vote. Additionally, the king's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles was removed, and it became an elected body dominated by individuals with foreign allegiances.
The imposition of the Bayonet Constitution led to a series of rebellions by Native Hawaiians, who sought to restore the king's power and authority. King Kalākaua himself defended the constitution to protesting natives, but his sister and successor, Queen Liliuokalani, affirmed that he had signed it under duress. In 1893, Queen Liliuokalani proposed a new constitution to restore absolute monarchy, but this was countered by the "Committee of Safety," a group of non-native U.S. businessmen and politicians. Ultimately, the Hawaiian League overthrew the monarchy, and the legislature took control of the country.
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It stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its authority
The 1887 Bayonet Constitution was a legal document drafted by a group of twenty lawyers, politicians, and businessmen, including Thurston, Dole, William Ansel Kinney, William Owen Smith, George Norton Wilcox, and Edward Griffin Hitchcock. They were anti-monarchists and members of the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The constitution stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its authority and initiated a transfer of power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people.
The Bayonet Constitution was drafted and signed under duress. An armed militia, the Honolulu Rifles, which was secretly the Hawaiian League's military arm, forced King Kalākaua to sign the document or face being deposed. The Hawaiian League was a secret society of wealthy, non-native businessmen and landowners, mostly of European descent, who wanted to end the kingdom and annex it to the United States. The constitution was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly, and the king signed it under threat of violence.
The Bayonet Constitution made significant changes to the voting requirements and the structure of the government. It removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, the upper house of the legislature, and instead made it an elected body. The new property and income requirements for nobles and representatives effectively prevented natives from serving in the legislature. The constitution also required the king to appoint a Minister of Finance to oversee government spending and submit an annual budget proposal to the legislature.
The Bayonet Constitution was a pivotal moment in Hawaiian history as it marked the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty. It led to a series of rebellions by Native Hawaiians, who sought to restore the king's power and authority. The Hawaiian monarchy would eventually be overthrown, and the legislature, now controlled by non-natives, took control of the country.
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It transferred power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiians
The 1887 Bayonet Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom was a legal document drafted by a group of lawyers and politicians, including Sanford B. Dole, William Ansel Kinney, and Lorrin Thurston. This group was associated with the Hawaiian League, a secret society of wealthy, non-native, mostly U.S. businessmen and landowners who sought to end the kingdom and annex Hawaii to the United States. The constitution stripped King Kalākaua of much of his personal authority and transferred power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people.
The Bayonet Constitution was a significant moment in Hawaiian history as it marked the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty and the traditional Hawaiian monarchy. The constitution was imposed on King Kalākaua under duress, with guns pointed at him and threats of harm to him and his people. The Hawaiian League, also referred to as the Honolulu Rifles, was the armed militia that forced the king to sign the document, demonstrating the rising influence of foreign powers in Hawaiian politics.
The new constitution made significant changes to voting requirements, disenfranchising Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants while extending the right to vote to foreign residents who were not naturalized in Hawaii. It also removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, instead making it an elected body dominated by non-natives due to high property and income requirements for candidates. This effectively gave control of the legislature to non-natives, as only a small fraction of the native population could meet the new qualifications.
The Bayonet Constitution was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly and was opposed by many Native Hawaiians, who saw it as an illegal overthrow of their kingdom. There were a series of rebellions by Native Hawaiians following its imposition, and Queen Liliuokalani, who succeeded King Kalākaua, attempted to restore absolute monarchy. However, her efforts were countered by non-native U.S. businessmen and politicians, and ultimately, the Hawaiian Islands were annexed by the United States in 1898.
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It was signed by King Kalākaua under duress
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was signed by King Kalākaua under duress. This event marked a pivotal moment in Hawaiian history as it signalled the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty and the monarchy's power.
The Bayonet Constitution was a legal document drafted by a group of twenty individuals, including lawyers and politicians, with anti-monarchist sentiments. They aimed to strip the absolute monarchy of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian individuals. The constitution was never submitted or ratified in the Legislative Assembly, and the king lacked the constitutional authority to promulgate it without legislative approval.
The Hawaiian League, a secret society of wealthy non-native businessmen and landowners, played a significant role in coercing King Kalākaua to sign the document. They were supported by an armed militia, the Honolulu Rifles, who were secretly the military arm of the Hawaiian League. With guns pointed at the king and threats of harm to him and his people, he had no choice but to acquiesce. The Honolulu Rifles also ensured that the election took place with the foreign population well-armed, further intimidating the native population.
The Bayonet Constitution had far-reaching consequences. It removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles, instead making it an elected body dominated by non-natives due to high property and income requirements. It also empowered the legislature and cabinet, giving them control over the government. The constitution changed voting laws, disenfranchising Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants while extending the right to vote to foreign non-naturalized residents.
The signing of the Bayonet Constitution under duress led to a series of rebellions by Native Hawaiians, who sought to restore the king's power and Hawaiian rights. It ultimately contributed to the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands by the United States in 1898.
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It was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly
The 1887 Bayonet Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom was a legal document drafted by a group of twenty lawyers, politicians, and businessmen, including Thurston, Dole, William Ansel Kinney, William Owen Smith, George Norton Wilcox, and Edward Griffin Hitchcock. They were associated with the Hawaiian League, a non-native, mostly U.S. businessmen's political party that sought to end the monarchy and annex Hawaii to the United States.
The Bayonet Constitution stripped King Kalākaua of his powers, transferring authority to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. It was signed by the King under duress, with guns pointed at him and threats of harm to him and his people. The new constitution changed voting laws, disenfranchising Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants while extending the right to vote to foreign non-naturalized residents. It also replaced the cabinet with non-natives and gave them control of the legislature and cabinet.
The Bayonet Constitution was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly and, therefore, was never a legitimate constitution. The 1864 Constitution remained the official constitution of the country. The Legislative Assembly's role was compromised, and the new property qualifications ensured that Nobles would be non-natives, further solidifying foreign control.
The imposition of the Bayonet Constitution marked a pivotal moment in Hawaiian history, representing the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty and the rise of foreign influence. It led to a series of rebellions by Native Hawaiians, who sought to restore the King's power and Hawaiian rights. The Bayonet Constitution was a critical step towards the eventual annexation of the Hawaiian Islands by the United States in 1898, ending the internal struggle between native Hawaiians and non-native American businessmen for control of the government.
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Frequently asked questions
The Bayonet Constitution was a legal document that stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its authority and transferred power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people.
The Bayonet Constitution was imposed by the Hawaiian League, a group of wealthy non-native businessmen and landowners.
The Hawaiian League wanted to reduce the king's power and strip almost all of the native population of their ability to serve in the legislature.
The Hawaiian League used coercion and threats of violence to force King Kalākaua to sign the Bayonet Constitution.
The Bayonet Constitution marked the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty and led to a series of rebellions by Native Hawaiians. It also changed voting laws, disenfranchising Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants while extending the right to vote to non-naturalized foreigners.
