Jonah Patel
Queen Liliuokalani was the first and last queen of Hawaii, ruling from 1891 until her overthrow in 1893. She was also the last sovereign of the Kalākaua dynasty, which had ruled a unified Hawaiian kingdom since 1810. Queen Liliuokalani's chief desire was to restore power to the monarchy by abrogating the 1887 Bayonet Constitution, which had stripped the absolute monarchy of its authority and transferred power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. The Bayonet Constitution was signed by her brother, King Kalākaua, under duress, and Queen Liliuokalani believed that it had weakened the monarchy and removed the right of native Hawaiians to vote, unless they were landowners.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for the name "Bayonet Constitution" | It was called the "Bayonet Constitution" because it was signed under the threat of violence. |
| Loss of power for the monarchy | The Bayonet Constitution reduced the power of the monarch relative to the legislature. |
| Loss of voting rights for native Hawaiians | The Bayonet Constitution removed the right of native Hawaiians to vote unless they were landowners. |
| Loss of support | Queen Liliuokalani lost the support of foreign businessmen because of her opposition to the Bayonet Constitution. |
| Restoration of power | Queen Liliuokalani wanted to restore the power of the monarchy and Hawaiian rights by implementing a new constitution. |
| Popular support | Queen Liliuokalani's efforts to restore power to the monarchy were broadly supported by the Hawaiian population. |
| Overthrow of the monarchy | Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown in a coup backed by the U.S. military and led by non-native businessmen and politicians. |
| Annexation of Hawaii | The Hawaiian Islands were annexed by the United States in 1898, marking the end of the internal struggle between native Hawaiians and non-native businessmen for control of the government. |
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What You'll Learn
It was signed under duress
The Bayonet Constitution was signed by King Kalākaua, Queen Liliʻuokalani's brother, in 1887. It was called the Bayonet Constitution because it was signed under duress. An armed militia, the Honolulu Rifles, forced the king to sign the document, threatening to depose him if he did not comply.
The Bayonet Constitution stripped the absolute monarchy of its authority and transferred power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. It also removed the right of native Hawaiians to vote, unless they were landowners. Queen Liliʻuokalani opposed this constitution as it limited the power of the monarchy in Hawaii.
When Queen Liliʻuokalani ascended the throne in 1891, she attempted to restore the powers of the monarchy by introducing a new constitution. However, she was overthrown by a group of non-native U.S. businessmen and politicians with sugar interests, known as the ""Committee of Safety". They were supported by John Stevens, the U.S. Minister to Hawaii, and a contingent of Marines from the warship U.S.S. Boston. On January 17, 1893, Queen Liliʻuokalani was overthrown in a bloodless coup.
The queen continued to protest against the overthrow and appealed to U.S. President Grover Cleveland for reinstatement, but was unsuccessful. In 1895, she signed a formal abdication. The Hawaiian Islands were eventually annexed by the United States in 1898, marking the end of the Hawaiian monarchy.
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It stripped the monarchy of power
The Bayonet Constitution was a legal document prepared by anti-monarchists to strip the absolute monarchy of its authority. It was signed by King Kalākaua in 1887 under duress, with the threat of violence if he attempted to undo the new constitution. The document initiated a transfer of power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people.
The Bayonet Constitution limited the power of the monarchy in Hawaii, and Queen Liliuokalani opposed it. The constitution removed the right of native Hawaiians to vote, unless they were landowners. It reduced the king to a powerless figurehead. The Queen toured the islands on horseback, receiving overwhelming support for a new constitution that would restore her power and Hawaiian rights.
Queen Liliuokalani's chief desire was to restore power to the monarch by abrogating the Bayonet Constitution. The new constitution she was putting forward would have restored voting rights to native Hawaiians and increased her powers as a constitutional monarch. It would have strengthened the power of the monarch relative to the legislature, where Euro-American business elites held disproportionate power.
The Queen's attempt to promulgate a new constitution was countered by the "Committee of Safety", a group of non-native U.S. businessmen and politicians with sugar interests. They had monetary reasons for opposing the Queen's move—they wanted to protect Hawaii's free-trade status and prevent the United States from establishing tariffs on sugar imports, thus endangering their profits.
The Queen's efforts to restore the monarchy ultimately failed, and she was overthrown in a bloodless coup on January 17, 1893. The Hawaiian Islands were annexed by the United States in 1898, marking the end of the monarchy and the beginning of a republic.
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It removed voting rights for native Hawaiians
Queen Liliʻuokalani opposed the Bayonet Constitution, which was signed by her brother, King Kalākaua, in 1887. The constitution stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its powers, transferring them to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian groups. This coalition comprised an elite class of businessmen and wealthy landowners, many of whom were American. The Bayonet Constitution was drafted by anti-monarchists and signed under duress, with King Kalākaua facing the threat of violence and deposition if he refused.
One of the primary grievances Queen Liliʻuokalani had with the Bayonet Constitution was that it removed voting rights for native Hawaiians. The constitution restricted suffrage to landowners, disenfranchising many native Hawaiians who were not landowners. This effectively disenfranchised the majority of native Hawaiians, as the right to vote was now contingent on land ownership. This provision was intentionally included by the white businessmen who drafted the constitution to consolidate power and maintain control over the Hawaiian government.
Queen Liliʻuokalani strongly advocated for the restoration of voting rights for native Hawaiians. She proposed a new constitution that would have increased suffrage by reducing property requirements, thereby enfranchising more native Hawaiians. The queen toured the islands, garnering widespread support for her proposed constitution, including a lengthy petition. However, her efforts were ultimately thwarted by white businessmen and politicians, who conspired to overthrow her and annex Hawaii to the United States.
The removal of voting rights for native Hawaiians under the Bayonet Constitution was a significant factor in the growing tensions between native Hawaiians and non-native American businessmen. This power struggle culminated in the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and the annexation of Hawaii by the United States in 1898. The Bayonet Constitution marked a pivotal moment in Hawaii's history, as it represented the diminishing power of the monarchy and the increasing influence of foreign interests.
Queen Liliʻuokalani's opposition to the Bayonet Constitution and her efforts to restore voting rights for native Hawaiians demonstrated her commitment to preserving the sovereignty and self-governance of the Hawaiian people. Her actions reflected the broader struggle between native Hawaiians and foreign interests vying for control of the islands.
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It gave power to non-native businessmen
Queen Liliʻuokalani's chief desire was to restore power to the monarchy by repealing the Bayonet Constitution and drafting a new constitution. The Bayonet Constitution, imposed on King Kalākaua in 1887, stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its authority and transferred power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. This new elite class of businessmen and landowners, many of them non-native, held disproportionate power in the legislature.
The Bayonet Constitution was forced upon King Kalākaua by an armed militia, who demanded that he dismiss his cabinet, led by Walter M. Gibson, who supported the king's authority. The militia was secretly the military arm of the Hawaiian League, a group of politicians from the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom. The constitution was signed under duress, with the king being threatened with violence should he refuse or attempt to undo it.
Queen Liliʻuokalani, who succeeded her brother as the first and only female sovereign of Hawaii, strongly opposed the Bayonet Constitution. She proposed a new constitution that would restore absolute monarchy and the rights of native Hawaiians, including their voting rights. The queen toured the islands on horseback, garnering overwhelming support from the Hawaiian population for her proposed constitution.
However, the non-native businessmen and politicians, known as haole, who had benefited from the Bayonet Constitution, were already plotting her overthrow. Led by Sanford Dole, they had monetary motives for their actions—they wanted to protect Hawaii's free-trade status to safeguard their profits from sugar imports to the United States. With the support of John Stevens, the U.S. Minister to Hawaii, and a contingent of Marines, they deposed Queen Liliʻuokalani in a bloodless coup on January 17, 1893.
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It was enforced by an armed militia
The Bayonet Constitution was enforced by an armed militia, which included the Honolulu Rifles, a group of soldiers who were secretly the military arm of the Hawaiian League. On June 30, 1887, this militia, alongside 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 Bayonet Constitution was signed under duress, with King Kalākaua being forced to sign or face being deposed. Queen Liliuokalani affirmed that her brother, King Kalākaua, was threatened with violence should he attempt to undo the new constitution. The Queen herself faced similar threats, with a plot to overthrow her accidentally discovered in January 1888, less than 48 hours before it would have been initiated.
The Honolulu Rifles militia group continued to defend the system of government established by the Bayonet Constitution during the Wilcox rebellion of 1889. The Bayonet Constitution was enforced and maintained through the use of military force and the threat of violence against those who opposed it, including the monarch and their supporters.
The imposition of the Bayonet Constitution and the subsequent overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani were contrary to the will of the native Hawaiians, who had broadly supported the Queen's efforts to restore power to the monarchy and Hawaiian rights. The Queen's attempts to restore her authority and resist U.S. annexation were ultimately unsuccessful, and Hawaii was formally annexed by the United States in 1898.
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Frequently asked questions
The Bayonet Constitution was a new constitution forced upon King Kalākaua in 1887 by an elite class of business owners (mainly white) that limited the power of the Hawaiian monarchy and removed the right of native Hawaiians to vote unless they were landowners.
Queen Liliuokalani opposed the Bayonet Constitution because it stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its powers and removed the right of native Hawaiians to vote. She desired to restore power to the monarch and Hawaiian rights by promulgating a new constitution.
Queen Liliuokalani's attempt to restore power to the monarchy was countered by the "Committee of Safety", a group of non-native U.S. businessmen and politicians. Led by Sanford Dole, they overthrew Queen Liliuokalani in a bloodless coup on January 17, 1893, with the support of John Stevens, the U.S. Minister to Hawaii, and a contingent of Marines from the warship U.S.S. Boston.
