Isabella Carter
On July 6, 1887, King Kalākaua of Hawaii signed a new constitution that stripped him of his personal authority and empowered the government cabinet and legislature. This document became known as the Bayonet Constitution because of the threat of force used to gain the king's signature. Kalākaua signed the constitution under duress, with an armed militia threatening to depose him if he did not comply. The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by anti-monarchists, including wealthy non-native merchants and businessmen, who aimed to seize power from the absolute monarchy and transfer it to a coalition of Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians.
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What You'll Learn
- Kalākaua was forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution under threat of violence
- The constitution stripped the king of personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet
- It was drafted by American lawyers, merchants, and businessmen
- It was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly
- The constitution took away Native Hawaiians' land rights and voting power
Kalākaua was forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution under threat of violence
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was a legal document prepared by anti-monarchists to strip the Hawaiian monarchy of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people.
The new constitution was drafted by American lawyers and plantation owners, including Sanford Dole, the cousin of one of the Honolulu Rifles. It allowed foreign resident aliens to vote while denying voting rights to a significant proportion of Native Hawaiians by imposing English literacy and property ownership requirements. The Bayonet Constitution stripped the king of his personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet of the government instead.
Queen Liliuokalani, who succeeded Kalākaua, affirmed that he signed the constitution under duress and that his life was threatened. She stated that he "signed that constitution under absolute compulsion." The Bayonet Constitution was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly, and the Native Hawaiian population sought to restore the king's power immediately after its adoption.
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The constitution stripped the king of personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, significantly curtailed the powers of the monarch and transferred authority to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian individuals. This document was signed by King Kalākaua under duress, as an armed militia group known as the Honolulu Rifles, alongside politicians from the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom, demanded that he dismiss his Cabinet, led by Walter M. Gibson, or face deposition.
The Bayonet Constitution stripped King Kalākaua of his personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet of the government instead. Specifically, it replaced the king's absolute veto power with a qualified veto that could be overridden by a two-thirds majority in the legislature. This change ensured that the king could no longer act without the consent of his cabinet, and the legislature gained the authority to dismiss the cabinet, a power previously held solely by the king.
The constitution's impact on the king's authority extended beyond decision-making and governance. It also affected his role as the commander-in-chief of the kingdom's military forces. While the king retained this title, he could no longer proclaim war without the consent of the legislature. Additionally, the formation of any military or naval force required the explicit approval of the legislature, further diminishing the king's autonomy in military affairs.
The Bayonet Constitution's empowerment of the legislature and cabinet significantly altered the balance of power within the Hawaiian Kingdom's government. It transformed the previously absolute monarchy into a system where the king's decisions and actions were subject to the approval and consent of the legislature and his cabinet. This shift marked a substantial transfer of authority away from the monarch and towards a more collective decision-making process.
The creation and imposition of the Bayonet Constitution were driven by a desire to protect the interests of non-Hawaiian merchants, businessmen, and landowners, who had formed the Hawaiian League to safeguard their economic and property rights. The constitution also had significant implications for voting rights, as it granted foreign resident aliens the right to vote while simultaneously disenfranchising a large portion of Native Hawaiians by imposing literacy, proficiency, and property ownership requirements that many Native Hawaiians could not meet.
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It was drafted by American lawyers, merchants, and businessmen
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was drafted by a group of American lawyers, merchants, and businessmen, collectively known as the Hawaiian League. This group was primarily composed of non-Hawaiian, white individuals who aimed to protect the economic interests of white foreigners in the kingdom. Sanford Dole, the cousin of a prominent member of the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was among the key figures in this group, alongside being the largest sugarcane plantation owner.
The Hawaiian League's primary objective was to seize control of the Hawaiian Kingdom and eventually facilitate its annexation by the United States. They sought to achieve this by stripping King Kalākaua of his authority and transferring power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian individuals. The Bayonet Constitution was a pivotal tool in this endeavour, as it allowed foreign resident aliens to vote while simultaneously disenfranchising a significant portion of the Native Hawaiian population.
The drafting process of the Bayonet Constitution was influenced by modern liberal principles, which guided the document's structure and content. It was designed to replace the absolute veto power previously held by the king, empowering the legislature and cabinet of the government instead. This shift in power dynamics significantly diminished the king's personal authority and placed decision-making in the hands of those aligned with the interests of the Hawaiian League.
The involvement of American lawyers, merchants, and businessmen in drafting the Bayonet Constitution was driven by their economic and political aspirations. By shaping the constitution to favour their interests, they could secure greater control over the kingdom's resources and pave the way for potential annexation. This group understood the power that a constitution holds in defining the distribution of rights, responsibilities, and authority within a nation, and they leveraged this knowledge to advance their agenda.
The Bayonet Constitution had far-reaching consequences for the Hawaiian Kingdom, particularly regarding the balance of power and the representation of Native Hawaiians. The involvement of American lawyers, merchants, and businessmen in its drafting process underscores the influence that economic and political elites can exert on a nation's foundational documents. Their role in this historical event highlights the complex dynamics between native populations, foreign interests, and the pursuit of power.
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It was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was a legal document drafted by anti-monarchists to significantly reduce the authority of the absolute Hawaiian monarchy. It was signed by King Kalākaua under duress, as he was threatened with armed rebellion and forced to choose between signing the document or facing deposition.
The constitution was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly, and therefore, it was never a legitimate constitution. This is an important point to emphasize, as it underscores the fact that the document was imposed on the kingdom through coercion and did not follow the established legal pathways to become the official governing document.
The lack of ratification by the Legislative Assembly highlights the unconstitutional nature of the Bayonet Constitution. According to the established laws, any amendments or changes to the constitution required the approval of the Legislative Assembly. In this case, the constitution was imposed by a minority of the kingdom's subjects and foreign nationals who organized a revolt during the summer of 1887 while the Legislature was out of session.
The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by American lawyers and plantation owners, including Sanford Dole, who had economic interests in seizing control of the kingdom and eventually annexing it to the United States. The document served their goals by stripping the king of his personal authority and empowering the legislature and cabinet, which they could more easily influence.
The failure to ratify the constitution in the kingdom's legislature further emphasizes the illegitimacy of the document and the process by which it was imposed. It highlights the disregard for the established legal processes and the rule of law in the kingdom, as those who imposed the constitution prioritized their own interests over the kingdom's established governing framework.
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The constitution took away Native Hawaiians' land rights and voting power
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, significantly diminished the authority of the absolute Hawaiian monarchy and initiated a shift in power towards a coalition comprising Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians. This constitution was drafted by a group of predominantly white, affluent, landowning plantation owners, including the largest sugarcane plantation owner, Sanford Dole, who aimed to protect their economic interests and gain control of the kingdom.
The Bayonet Constitution had far-reaching consequences for Native Hawaiians, eroding their land rights and voting power. The document was designed to favour foreign resident aliens, who were granted voting rights, while simultaneously disenfranchising a significant proportion of Native Hawaiians. The criteria for voter eligibility, which included English literacy, property ownership, and taxable property standards, effectively excluded the majority of Native Hawaiians from participating in elections. This aspect of the constitution was intentionally designed by its drafters to consolidate their power and influence.
The constitution's impact on land rights was equally detrimental to Native Hawaiians. The document's provisions allowed mostly white, non-Hawaiian merchants and businessmen, who referred to themselves as the Hawaiian League, to seize control of the Kingdom of Hawai'i and strip Native Hawaiians of their land ownership rights. This transfer of land rights further solidified the economic and political dominance of the foreign interests that had orchestrated the constitution.
The Bayonet Constitution was imposed on King Kalākaua under duress, with the armed militia of the Honolulu Rifles and the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom demanding his cooperation. Facing the threat of deposition, the king was compelled to sign the document, despite his reservations. The constitution's impact was immediate, and Native Hawaiians mobilised to restore the king's power, even as he initially defended the constitution to his protesting subjects. Queen Liliuokalani, who succeeded Kalākaua, affirmed that he had been threatened with violence if he attempted to reject or undo the new constitution.
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Frequently asked questions
King Kalākaua signed the Bayonet Constitution under duress, facing the threat of armed rebellion and the possibility of being deposed.
The Bayonet Constitution was a legal document drafted by anti-monarchists to strip the absolute monarchy of the Hawaiian Kingdom of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people.
The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by American lawyers and plantation owners, including Sanford Dole, the largest sugarcane plantation owner. A minority of subjects of the Hawaiian Kingdom and foreign nationals, dubbing themselves the Hawaiian League, sought to protect their economic interests and seize control of the kingdom.
The Bayonet Constitution stripped King Kalākaua of his personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet of the government instead. It also took away the land rights of Native Hawaiians and gave the vote to foreign landowners, disenfranchising the majority of Native Hawaiians.
No, the Bayonet Constitution was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly and faced opposition from the Native Hawaiian population, who sought to restore King Kalākaua's power.
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