Malcolm Rivera
Queen Liliʻuokalani's attempt to promulgate a new constitution in 1893 was driven by her desire to restore power to the Hawaiian monarchy and address the grievances of her native subjects. The previous Bayonet Constitution of 1887 was viewed as illegitimate by the Hawaiian population as it had not been submitted to a vote, and it concentrated power in the hands of Euro-American business elites. The Queen's proposed constitution aimed to increase suffrage, reduce property requirements for voting, and eliminate the voting privileges of non-citizen European and American residents. Her efforts were supported by numerous petitions and delegations from across the kingdom, but they ultimately led to her overthrow and the end of the monarchy in Hawaii.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for a new constitution | To restore power to the monarch and abrogate the 1887 Bayonet Constitution |
| Who urged the Queen to take this measure? | Native Hawaiian subjects |
| How did they urge the Queen? | Through petitions and delegations |
| What did the Queen's cabinet think of the plans? | They withheld their support |
| What was the 1887 Bayonet Constitution? | A constitution that was illegally forced upon the nation without a vote |
| Who plotted the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom? | Non-native Hawaiian Kingdom subjects (five US nationals, one English national, and one German national) |
| What were the stated goals of the conspirators? | To depose the queen, overthrow the monarchy, and seek Hawaii's annexation to the US |
| Who started the overthrow of the monarchy? | Newspaper publisher Lorrin Thurston, a Hawaiian subject and former Minister of the Interior |
| Who led the overthrow? | The Chairman of the Committee |
| Who supported the provisional government? | The Honolulu Rifles, a militia group |
Explore related products
![Provisional Constitution [microform]: the Victorian Order of Nurses in Canada, Founded in Commemoration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61AeWbMcShL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
What You'll Learn
- The 1887 Constitution was forced upon the nation without a vote
- The Queen's native subjects urged her to restore power to the monarch
- The Queen's cabinet withheld support for the new constitution
- The new constitution would have strengthened the power of the monarch
- The Queen's attempt led to her deposition and the overthrow of the monarchy
The 1887 Constitution was forced upon the nation without a vote
The 1887 Constitution, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was forced upon the Hawaiian Kingdom without a vote. It was drafted by a group of lawyers, including Thurston, Dole, William Ansel Kinney, William Owen Smith, George Norton Wilcox, and Edward Griffin Hitchcock. This new constitution was an attempt 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 force by an armed militia, the Honolulu Rifles. The Honolulu Rifles were a group of soldiers who were secretly the military arm of the Hawaiian League, a political organisation. The King was pressured to dismiss his Cabinet, which supported his authority, and comply with the demands of the rebels.
The 1887 Constitution made significant changes to the existing power structure in Hawaii. It stripped the king of most of his personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet of the government. It replaced the king's absolute veto with one that could be overridden by two-thirds of the legislature. Additionally, it required the king to appoint a Minister of Finance to oversee spending and submit a budget to the legislature, addressing the profligate spending that had occurred under Kalākaua's reign.
The constitution also made changes to voting requirements, allowing foreign resident aliens to vote while specifically denying suffrage to Asians. It raised the economic and literacy thresholds for voting, with full voting rights granted only to Hawaiian, American, and European men who met these requirements. These changes further diminished the power of the king and the native Hawaiian population, who felt that the constitution was illegally imposed upon them without their consent.
The Queen, Liliuokalani, took the oath of office to support the 1887 Constitution, but her chief desire was to restore power to the monarch by promulgating a new constitution. She received support from the Hawaiian population, who presented her with petitions for a new constitution, but her cabinet withheld their support due to the anticipated response from her opponents. The 1887 Constitution was never ratified by the Legislative Assembly and was opposed by the National Party, who advocated for a new constitution that would restore the rights of native rulers and the people.
Exploring the Constitution's Sectional Divisions
You may want to see also
The Queen's native subjects urged her to restore power to the monarch
The Queen's attempt to promulgate a new constitution was driven by the desire to restore the rights and powers enjoyed by native rulers and the people under the Constitution of 1864. The new constitution would have strengthened the power of the monarch relative to the legislature, where Euro-American business elites held disproportionate influence. The Queen toured several islands, discussing her ideas with the people and receiving broad support, including through numerous petitions.
The 1893 Constitution would have increased suffrage by reducing property requirements and eliminating the voting privileges of European and American residents, who were not Hawaiian citizens. This would have effectively reduced the influence of foreign interests in Hawaiian politics. The Queen's actions were a response to the growing discontent among her subjects, who saw the 1887 Constitution as a threat to Hawaiian sovereignty.
The Queen's attempt to promulgate a new constitution, however, faced opposition from her cabinet, who were concerned about the likely response from her opponents. This opposition included non-native Hawaiian subjects, who sought to depose the Queen, overthrow the monarchy, and annex Hawaii to the United States. The Queen's efforts ultimately contributed to the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom on January 17, 1893, when she was deposed and a provisional government was established with the support of American troops.
Methods Employed to Achieve Constitutional Goals
You may want to see also
The Queen's cabinet withheld support for the new constitution
Queen Liliʻuokalani of Hawaii attempted to promulgate a new constitution in 1893, which aimed to strengthen the power of the monarch relative to the legislature. This new constitution would have increased suffrage by reducing property requirements and eliminating the voting privileges of European and American residents, who were not citizens of Hawaii.
The Queen's cabinet withheld their support for the new constitution due to their understanding of how her opponents would likely respond. The 1893 Constitution would have threatened the disproportionate power held by Euro-American business elites, potentially disenfranchising many resident European and American businessmen. The Queen's attempt to promulgate a new constitution ultimately led to the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom on January 17, 1893, by conspirators who sought to depose the Queen, overthrow the monarchy, and annex Hawaii to the United States.
The Queen's cabinet likely withheld their support to avoid the potential backlash from these opponents, who had significant influence and power. By withholding their support, the cabinet may have believed they were preserving stability and avoiding potential conflict. However, their decision ultimately contributed to the downfall of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the removal of Queen Liliʻuokalani from power.
The Queen's attempt to promulgate a new constitution was not an impulsive decision. She toured several islands, speaking to the people and receiving overwhelming support for her ideas. The Hawaiian population broadly supported the new constitution, as it aimed to restore power to the monarch and address the grievances against the 1887 Bayonet Constitution, which had been forced upon the nation without a vote. The Queen's chief desire was to abrogate the Bayonet Constitution and restore the rights of native rulers and people under the 1864 Constitution.
The withholding of support by the Queen's cabinet highlights the political tensions and complexities within the Hawaiian Kingdom at the time. It also underscores the challenges faced by the Queen in her attempts to uphold the wishes of her people while navigating opposition from powerful groups, ultimately leading to the downfall of her reign.
Signatory Authority: Who Can Sign on the Dotted Line?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$3.29 $16
![Constitution and By-laws of the Ontario Association of Architects [microform]: as Adopted at the Convention Held at the Queen's Hotel, Toronto, on Thursday, March 21st, A.D., 1889](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61UPiM5zmBL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
The new constitution would have strengthened the power of the monarch
Queen Liliʻuokalani of Hawaii attempted to promulgate a new constitution in 1893. This new constitution would have strengthened the power of the monarch relative to the legislature, where Euro-American business elites held disproportionate power. The queen's chief desire was to restore power to the monarch by abrogating the 1887 Bayonet Constitution and promulgating a new one. This idea was broadly supported by the Hawaiian population, as the 1887 Constitution was seen as having been illegally forced upon the nation without a vote.
The new constitution would have increased suffrage by reducing some property requirements and eliminating the voting privileges extended to European and American residents. It would have disenfranchised many resident European and American businessmen who were not citizens of Hawaii. The queen toured several of the islands on horseback, receiving overwhelming support for her ideas, including a lengthy petition in favour of a new constitution.
However, the queen's cabinet withheld their support, understanding the likely response of her opponents. The conspirators, who were non-native Hawaiian Kingdom subjects (five US nationals, one English national, and one German national), had stated goals to depose the queen, overthrow the monarchy, and seek Hawaii's annexation to the United States. Led by newspaper publisher Lorrin Thurston, they started the overthrow of the monarchy, which culminated in the queen's statement yielding authority on January 17, 1893.
The Hawaiian monarchy, an absolute monarchy since its founding in 1810, had transitioned to a constitutional monarchy in 1840 when King Kamehameha III promulgated the kingdom's first constitution. The 1887 Bayonet Constitution further threatened the sovereignty of the kingdom, and Queen Liliʻuokalani's attempt to promulgate a new constitution aimed to restore power to the monarch and address the grievances of her subjects. However, the outcome ultimately led to the deposition of the queen and the overthrow of the monarchy, demonstrating the delicate balance of power between the monarch and other political forces within a constitutional framework.
The Constitution's Heart: The Most Vital Section
You may want to see also
The Queen's attempt led to her deposition and the overthrow of the monarchy
Queen Liliʻuokalani of Hawaii attempted to promulgate a new constitution that would restore power to the monarch and abrogate the 1887 Bayonet Constitution. The 1887 Bayonet Constitution was viewed as an "outrage" by native Hawaiians as it was illegally forced upon the nation without being submitted to a vote. The Queen's new constitution would have strengthened the power of the monarch relative to the legislature, where Euro-American business elites held disproportionate power. It would have increased suffrage by reducing property requirements and eliminated the voting privileges of European and American residents.
The Queen toured the islands, receiving petitions and overwhelming support for a new constitution. However, her cabinet withheld their support, anticipating the likely response from her opponents. The Queen's attempt to promulgate a new constitution ultimately led to her deposition and the overthrow of the monarchy.
The stated goals of the conspirators, which included non-native Hawaiian subjects and former government officials, were to depose the Queen, overthrow the monarchy, and seek Hawaii's annexation to the United States. The overthrow of the monarchy was initiated by newspaper publisher and former Minister of the Interior, Lorrin Thurston, and formally led by the Chairman of the Committee. The Queen's deposition and the monarchy's overthrow were supported by American military presence and the Honolulu Rifles, a militia group defending the Bayonet Constitution.
On January 17, 1893, Queen Liliʻuokalani yielded to the superior force of the United States, protesting against the acts of those claiming to have established a provisional government. This event marked the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom and the end of the monarchy, transitioning the nation towards annexation to the United States.
Exploring the Multiple Versions of the US Constitution
You may want to see also
