Malcolm Rivera
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was a legal document drafted by a group of lawyers and plantation owners, including Sanford Dole, the largest sugarcane plantation owner. The constitution aimed to strip King Kalākaua of his authority and transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. The document was signed under duress, with the king threatened with violence and possible assassination if he refused. The Bayonet Constitution changed voting laws that disenfranchised Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants while extending the right to vote to foreign residents, particularly those working on sugar plantations owned by members of the Hawaiian League, a secret society of lawyers, businessmen, and landowners. This constitution marked a pivotal moment in Hawaii's history, as it signalled the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty and the eventual annexation of the islands by the United States.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year | 1887 |
| Drafted by | Group of lawyers, including Thurston, Dole, William Ansel Kinney, William Owen Smith, George Norton Wilcox, and Edward Griffin Hitchcock |
| Goal | Full control of the Hawaiian Kingdom and eventual annexation of Hawai’i by the United States |
| Voting laws | Disenfranchised Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants, extended the right to vote to foreigners who were not naturalized in Hawai‘i |
| Wealth requirements | Required an income of $600 (equivalent to US$20,998 in 2024) or taxable property of US$3000 (equivalent to $104,989 in 2024) to vote for the upper house |
| Control | The Hawaiian League seized control over the Kingdom of Hawai’i, took away Native Hawaiian land rights, and gave the vote to foreign landowners |
| Native Hawaiian reaction | Sought to restore King Kalākaua's power and authority, met with Kalākaua to discuss dismantling the constitution |
| Native Hawaiian petitions | Out of 9,500 registered voters, 6,500 signed the petitions for a new constitution to restore absolute monarchy |
| Queen Liliuokalani's reaction | Proposed the removal of power from the legislature in January 1893, by a new constitution that would restore absolute monarchy |
| Impact | Marked the beginning of the end of Hawaii’s sovereignty, undermined indigenous sovereignty |
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What You'll Learn
- The Bayonet Constitution stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its authority, transferring power to a coalition that included sugar owners
- The constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers and plantation owners, including the largest sugarcane plantation owner, Sanford Dole
- Wealth requirements for voting disenfranchised native Hawaiians and ensured that wealthy white male residents, particularly those in the sugar industry, retained suffrage
- The constitution gave the Hawaiian League, which included sugar owners, complete control over the Hawaiian Kingdom
- The constitution was imposed on King Kalākaua under duress, with the threat of violence and assassination
The Bayonet Constitution stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of its authority, transferring power to a coalition that included sugar owners
The Bayonet Constitution, also known as the 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, was a legal document drafted by a group of lawyers and plantation owners, including the largest sugarcane plantation owner, Sanford Dole. The constitution was created to strip the absolute Hawaiian monarchy of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. The Hawaiian League, a secret society of businessmen, landowners, and missionary descendants, backed by the Honolulu Rifles militia, played a significant role in coercing King Kalākaua to sign the new constitution.
The Bayonet Constitution made significant changes to voting laws, disenfranchising Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants while extending the right to vote to foreign residents who were not naturalized in Hawaii. The voter eligibility requirements, which included literacy and property ownership standards, excluded the majority of Native Hawaiians and disproportionately favoured white male residents, many of whom were wealthy from the sugar industry. This allowed the Hawaiian League to seize complete control over the Hawaiian Kingdom, taking away Native Hawaiian land rights and empowering foreign landowners.
The constitution also altered the balance of power by granting executive power to both the King and the Cabinet members, who could not be removed by the King without a legislative vote. This ensured that the drafters of the constitution could hold positions of power without interference from the King. The Hawaiian League's explicit goal was the end of the kingdom and its annexation by the United States, and the Bayonet Constitution marked a pivotal moment in Hawaii's history as it signalled the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty.
The imposition of the Bayonet Constitution sparked a series of rebellions by Native Hawaiians, who sought to restore the power and authority of the monarchy. Queen Liliuokalani, who succeeded King Kalākaua, affirmed that he had signed the constitution under duress and that his life had been threatened. She proposed a new constitution to restore absolute monarchy, but her efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, and Hawaii was officially annexed by the United States in 1898.
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The constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers and plantation owners, including the largest sugarcane plantation owner, Sanford Dole
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was drafted by a group of lawyers and plantation owners, including the largest sugarcane plantation owner, Sanford B. Dole. Sanford Dole was also the cousin of James Dole, who was nine years old at the time. Sanford Dole went on to become the first Governor of the Territory of Hawaii after the Hawaiian Islands were annexed by the United States in 1898.
The Bayonet Constitution was a legal document prepared by anti-monarchists to strip the absolute Hawaiian monarchy of its authority and transfer power to a coalition of Americans, Europeans, and native Hawaiians. The constitution was drafted over less than a week and included the input of lawyers such as Thurston, William Ansel Kinney, William Owen Smith, George Norton Wilcox, and Edward Griffin Hitchcock, all of whom were associated with the Hawaiian League. The Hawaiian League was a secret society of white businessmen, landowners, and missionary descendants who sought the end of the kingdom and its annexation by the United States.
The constitution was imposed on King Kalākaua under duress, with the armed militia of the Honolulu Rifles, a group of soldiers secretly affiliated with the Hawaiian League, forcing him to sign it or face deposition. The new constitution significantly altered voting laws, disenfranchising Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants while extending the right to vote to foreign landowners who were not naturalized in Hawaii. Sanford Dole and Thurston denied the use of coercion and threats, but Queen Liliuokalani asserted that the King's life was threatened, and he had signed the constitution under compulsion.
The Bayonet Constitution was a pivotal moment in Hawaiian history, marking the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty and the undermining of indigenous sovereignty to advance capitalist interests. It set in motion a series of rebellions by Native Hawaiians, who sought to restore the king's power and overthrow the Republic of Hawaii. The constitution's impact on voting rights and the king's powers symbolised the marginalisation of Native Hawaiians and their sense of national identity in the face of foreign influence.
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Wealth requirements for voting disenfranchised native Hawaiians and ensured that wealthy white male residents, particularly those in the sugar industry, retained suffrage
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was a legal document drafted by a group of lawyers and plantation owners, including Sanford Dole, the cousin of James Dole and the president of the largest sugarcane plantation agency. The constitution was prepared 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 new constitution changed voting laws that disenfranchised Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants, with voter eligibility being tied to English literacy and proficiency standards and holding property that met taxable property standards, thus excluding the majority of Native Hawaiians from voting.
The wealth requirements for voting in the upper house of the Hawaiian legislature under the Bayonet Constitution were set at an income of $600 (equivalent to US$20998 in 2024) or taxable property of US$3000 (equivalent to $104989 in 2024). These requirements disproportionately affected Native Hawaiians, excluding an estimated two-thirds of the Hawaiian population from voting. Wealthy white male residents, particularly those in the sugar industry, were more likely to meet these wealth requirements and retain suffrage under the Bayonet Constitution.
The Hawaiian League, a secret society of white businessmen, landowners, and missionary descendants, played a significant role in the creation and enforcement of the Bayonet Constitution. They were backed by the Honolulu Rifles militia, who used the threat of force to coerce King Kalākaua to sign the new constitution. The Hawaiian League's goals included the end of the kingdom and its annexation by the United States, and they sought to seize control of the Hawaiian government and economy. They also held powerful roles in controlling Hawaii's economy by buying land and monopolizing industries.
The Bayonet Constitution was never ratified by the Hawaiian Kingdom's legislature and was considered by many to be illegal. It marked a pivotal moment in Hawaii's history, as it signified the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty and the eventual annexation of Hawaii by the United States in 1898. The imposition of the Bayonet Constitution and the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani were contrary to the will of the native Hawaiians, who had been seeking to restore the king's power and authority.
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The constitution gave the Hawaiian League, which included sugar owners, complete control over the Hawaiian Kingdom
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was a legal document drafted by a group of lawyers, businessmen, and plantation owners, including the largest sugarcane plantation owner, Sanford Dole. The Hawaiian League, a secret society of white businessmen, landowners, and missionary descendants, was formed with the explicit goal of ending the kingdom and annexing Hawaii to the United States. The Bayonet Constitution stripped King Kalākaua of his personal authority and empowered the legislature and cabinet of the government, giving the Hawaiian League complete control over the Hawaiian Kingdom.
The constitution changed voting laws that disenfranchised Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants, while also extending the right to vote to foreign landowners, including those who were not naturalized in Hawaii. The voter eligibility requirements, which included literacy and property ownership standards, excluded the majority of Native Hawaiians and disproportionately benefited white male residents, many of whom were wealthy from the sugar industry.
The Hawaiian League, which included sugar owners and other foreign businessmen, now held powerful roles in controlling Hawaii's economy. They bought land, monopolized industries, and used their wealth and influence to further their capitalist agenda and undermine indigenous sovereignty. The Bayonet Constitution marked a pivotal moment in Hawaii's history as it signalled the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty and the eventual annexation by the United States.
The imposition of the Bayonet Constitution was met with resistance from Native Hawaiians, who sought to restore King Kalākaua's power and authority. There were several petitions from natives requesting a new constitution to restore absolute monarchy. However, their efforts were unsuccessful, and the Hawaiian Kingdom was officially annexed by the United States in 1898. The annexation allowed rich, white plantation owners, including those in the sugar industry, to solidify their power and further their economic interests.
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The constitution was imposed on King Kalākaua under duress, with the threat of violence and assassination
The 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, was imposed on King Kalākaua under duress and the threat of violence and assassination. This new constitution was drafted by a group of lawyers and plantation owners, including the largest sugarcane plantation owner, Sanford Dole, who was also the cousin of James Dole. The constitution aimed to transfer power from the absolute monarchy to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people.
The Hawaiian League, a secret society of businessmen, landowners, and missionary descendants, backed by the Honolulu Rifles militia, demanded that King Kalākaua dismiss his Cabinet, led by Walter M. Gibson, who supported the king's authority. The Honolulu Rifles, led by Sanford B. Dole, and politicians of the Reform Party of the Hawaiian Kingdom, gave King Kalākaua an ultimatum: either sign the new constitution or be deposed.
The Bayonet Constitution stripped the king of most of his personal authority, empowering the legislature and cabinet of the government. It changed voting laws that disenfranchised Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants while extending the right to vote to foreign landowners who were not naturalized in Hawaii. The new voting requirements, which included literacy and property ownership, excluded the majority of Native Hawaiians and gave disproportionate power to wealthy white male residents, many of whom were involved in the lucrative sugarcane industry.
The imposition of the Bayonet Constitution on King Kalākaua was met with resistance from the Native Hawaiian population, who sought to restore the king's power and authority. Queen Liliuokalani, King Kalākaua's sister and heir, asserted that her brother had signed the constitution under duress and the threat of violence and assassination. She stated that he "signed that constitution under absolute compulsion" and that there were petitions from natives requesting a new constitution to restore her absolute rule. The imposition of this constitution marked a pivotal moment in Hawaii's history, signalling the beginning of the end of Hawaii's sovereignty and the eventual annexation by the United States.
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Frequently asked questions
The sugar plantation owners wanted to gain more power and influence in the Hawaiian Kingdom. They wanted to eventually annex Hawaii to the United States, and they believed they could make more money on sugarcane without tariffs.
The new constitution, also known as the Bayonet Constitution, disenfranchised Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants by changing voting laws. It also allowed foreign resident aliens to vote, which disproportionately benefited wealthy white male residents involved in the sugar industry.
The new voting laws required voters to meet specific income or property ownership requirements, which disproportionately benefited wealthy white male residents involved in the sugar industry. It also required voters to be literate in the Hawaiian, English, or European language, which excluded many Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants.
The sugar plantation owners, who were also members of the Hawaiian League, used coercion and the threat of force to gain King Kalākaua's cooperation. They also utilized large voting blocks of contract laborers from Portugal's Madeira and Azores Islands, who they could influence to vote according to their will.
