Eleanor Finch
The Hawaiian people wanted a new constitution to replace the 1887 Bayonet Constitution, which stripped the absolute monarchy of its authority and placed limitations on the king's power. The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by a group of anti-monarchist lawyers, including Sanford B. Dole, who was also the leader of the Committee of Safety, a group of non-native US businessmen and politicians with sugar interests. The new constitution was never ratified in the Hawaiian Kingdom's legislature, and the Native Hawaiian population sought to restore the king's power and authority. Queen Liliuokalani, the last monarch of Hawaii, proposed a new constitution to restore her absolute rule, which was supported by 6,500 out of 9,500 registered voters.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1887 |
| Reason | To strip the absolute monarchy of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people |
| Other names | Bayonet Constitution, 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom |
| Drafted by | A group of lawyers, including Lorrin Thurston, Dole, William Ansel Kinney, William Owen Smith, George Norton Wilcox, and Edward Griffin Hitchcock |
| Result | Placed limitations on the king's power, removed language implying the king was above the law, allowed the legislature to dismiss the cabinet, and gave the cabinet voting rights in the legislature |
| Public opinion | The Native Hawaiian population sought to restore the king's power and petitioned for a new constitution to restore absolute rule |
| Amendments | Numerous amendments have been made since its adoption, including one stating that there should be no nuclear power plants in the state without prior approval by a 2/3 vote of each house of the legislature |
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What You'll Learn
- The 1887 Constitution stripped the monarchy of power and gave it to a coalition of non-natives and Hawaiians
- The King was forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution or be deposed
- The new constitution followed modern liberal principles
- Hawaiians wanted to restore the monarchy and the rights of Queen Liliuokalani
- The 1839 Declaration of Rights and Constitution were seen as products of Western influence
The 1887 Constitution stripped the monarchy of power and gave it to a coalition of non-natives and Hawaiians
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was a legal document drafted by anti-monarchists to strip the monarchy of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiians. The constitution was imposed on King Kalākaua by an armed militia, who was forced to sign it or face being deposed. The Honolulu Rifles, a group of soldiers who were secretly the military arm of the Hawaiian League, played a significant role in this uprising.
The 1887 Constitution made substantial changes to voting requirements. It allowed foreign resident aliens to vote, while specifically denying suffrage to Asians. Hawaiian, American, and European men were granted full voting rights only if they met economic and literacy thresholds, which disproportionately favoured white male residents with wealth from the sugar industry. This resulted in the disenfranchisement of many Native Hawaiians and gave control of the government to a coalition of non-natives and Hawaiians.
The new constitution replaced the king's absolute veto with a requirement for a two-thirds majority in the legislature to override it. It also took away the king's power to act without the consent of his cabinet and gave the legislature the authority to dismiss the cabinet instead of the king. The cabinet could now vote in the legislature, but the king was not allowed to appoint legislators to any other government post to reduce his influence.
The 1887 Constitution was never ratified in the Hawaiian Kingdom's legislature. It was viewed as a coup d'etat by some, facilitating the domination of the legislature by wealthy, anti-monarchy elites and enabling planter business interests to cede Pearl Harbor to the United States. This tied Hawaii's sugar economy more closely to that of the US. Immediately after its adoption, Native Hawaiians sought to restore King Kalākaua's power and dismantle the constitution, as it was signed under duress.
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The King was forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution or be deposed
The Hawaiian Kingdom's 1887 Constitution, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was a document drafted by anti-monarchists to reduce the power of the absolute monarchy and transfer it to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. The Bayonet Constitution was a significant factor in the decline of the monarchy, as it imposed significant restrictions on the king's authority.
On June 30, 1887, an armed militia known as the Honolulu Rifles, along with politicians from the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom, demanded that King Kalākaua dismiss his Cabinet, led by Walter M. Gibson, who supported the king's authority. The group gave the king an ultimatum: either sign the new constitution or be deposed. Under duress, King Kalākaua chose to sign the Bayonet Constitution, preserving his position but ceding much of his power.
The Bayonet Constitution replaced the king's absolute veto with a qualified veto that could be overridden by a two-thirds majority in the legislature. It also required the king to obtain the consent of his cabinet for his actions and gave the legislature the authority to dismiss the cabinet instead of the king. Additionally, it removed language suggesting that the king was above the law and replaced it with a provision stating that he was subject to the same laws as his subjects. To further reduce the king's influence, the constitution prohibited him from appointing legislators to other government posts.
The imposition of the Bayonet Constitution was met with resistance from the Native Hawaiian population, who sought to restore King Kalākaua's power. Queen Liliuokalani, who succeeded King Kalākaua upon his death in 1891, also introduced a new constitution to restore her authority and Hawaiian rights. However, her efforts were thwarted by the "Committee of Safety," a group of non-native U.S. businessmen and politicians with financial interests in maintaining Hawaii's free-trade status. On January 17, 1893, the Committee, led by Sanford Dole, overthrew Queen Liliuokalani in a bloodless coup, marking the end of the Hawaiian monarchy.
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The new constitution followed modern liberal principles
The Hawaiian Kingdom's 1887 Constitution was a legal document drafted by anti-monarchists, including lawyers and politicians, to strip the absolute monarchy of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. It was influenced by Western ideas and followed modern liberal principles.
The new constitution replaced the king's absolute veto with one that could be overridden by two-thirds of the legislature. It took away the king's power to act without the consent of his cabinet and gave the legislature the power to dismiss the cabinet instead of the king. The document also removed language implying the king was above the law and replaced it with language stating that the king was required to obey the laws as his subjects were. The cabinet could now vote in the legislature, but to reduce the king's influence, he was not allowed to appoint legislators to any other government post.
The 1887 Constitution, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was a significant factor in the decline of the monarchy. It did not depose the king, but it did place considerable limitations on his power. The Native Hawaiian population sought to restore King Kalākaua's authority, and a committee of Hawaiians met with him to discuss dismantling the constitution, as they knew he had signed it under duress. Queen Liliuokalani, who succeeded her brother, King Kalākaua, upon his death in 1891, introduced a new constitution to restore her power and Hawaiian rights. However, her efforts were countered by the "Committee of Safety," a group of non-native US businessmen and politicians with sugar interests.
The Hawaiian Constitution has been amended several times since its inception, with the people of Hawaii voting to adopt and ratify changes. The constitution has specific amendments that benefit the Hawaiian people, such as prohibiting nuclear power plants in the state without prior approval by a two-thirds vote of each house of the legislature. It also includes sections on Hawaiian education, promoting the teaching of Hawaiian language, culture, and history in public schools.
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![Publication No. 1. Archives of Hawaii. Roster, Legislatures of Hawaii, 1841-1918: Constitutions of Monarchy and Republic, Speeches of Sovereigns and President. [Honolulu-1918]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41TTExIS24L._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Hawaiians wanted to restore the monarchy and the rights of Queen Liliuokalani
Queen Liliuokalani, who succeeded her brother, King Kalākaua, after his death in 1891, introduced a new constitution to restore her power and Hawaiian rights. The new constitution proposed by Queen Liliuokalani aimed to restore her absolute monarchy. However, her efforts were countered by the "Committee of Safety," a group of non-native U.S. businessmen and politicians with financial interests in maintaining Hawaii's free-trade status.
The Committee of Safety, led by Sanford Dole, overthrew Queen Liliuokalani in a bloodless coup on January 17, 1893, and proclaimed itself the Provisional Government. The overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani and the imposition of the Republic of Hawaii were contrary to the will of the native Hawaiians, who had sought to restore the monarchy and the rights of their queen.
The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers associated with the Hawaiian League, which explicitly advocated for the end of the monarchy and the annexation of Hawaii. The constitution was forced upon King Kalākaua by the Honolulu Rifles, an armed militia, and he was made to sign it under threat of deposition. The new constitution significantly curtailed the king's powers, giving the legislature the authority to override his veto and dismiss his cabinet.
The Native Hawaiian population of the Hawaiian Kingdom sought to restore King Kalākaua's power and authority. They met with the king to discuss dismantling the constitution, as it was signed under duress. Queen Liliuokalani affirmed that the king was threatened with violence if he attempted to undo the new constitution. Additionally, there were petitions from natives requesting a new constitution to restore her absolute rule, with a significant number of registered voters signing these petitions.
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The 1839 Declaration of Rights and Constitution were seen as products of Western influence
The outcome, however, was neither completely Anglo-American nor "traditionally" Hawaiian, but a combination of both. The Hawaiian King directed David Malo, John Papa Ī‘ī, Boaz Māhune, and others to begin drafting the Declaration of Rights after the No Ke Kālai‘āina seminars. This declaration was published in Honolulu in 1839, with the original Hawaiian, current Hawaiian usage, and an English translation available.
The Constitution built upon the Declaration by outlining the structure and function of the Hawaiian government. It established a house of representatives, elected by the people, giving common citizens a voice in government for the first time. Additionally, it created Hawai'i's first independent judicial body, the Supreme Court.
The Declaration and Constitution had a significant impact on Hawaiian society, leading to a dramatic shift in the social order. The King surrendered absolute rule, and the high ali'i released much of their control over the people. This transformation was facilitated by the death of old chiefs who had refused to approve similar laws, allowing for the passage of these new Western-influenced declarations.
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Frequently asked questions
The Hawaiian people wanted a new constitution to transform Hawaii by giving equal rights to commoners and establishing a formal government and public school system.
The Hawaiian people wanted to restore the power and authority of King Kalākaua, which had been stripped by the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution.
The Hawaiian people wanted to restore the power of Queen Liliuokalani, who had succeeded King Kalākaua in 1891, and to restore Hawaiian rights.
