Understanding Hawaiian Sovereignty

Free Webinar:
For most of the 19th century, the Hawaiian Kingdom was a sovereign and independent country on the world stage. Recognized through treaties and brandishing all the traditional symbols of a sovereign nation, the Kingdom had 25 consulates in countries around the world. How did this group of traditional chiefdoms become a modern country, and why is it not still independent? Based on the Smithsonian exhibition “E Mau Ke Ea: The Sovereign Hawaiian Nation,” this presentation will walk you through the unification of the islands under Kamehameha I, the formation of a constitutional monarchy, international recognition, the impact of Western businesses, and the overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy. From there it explores the impact of Americanization through the Territorial Period, Pearl Harbor and post Statehood, leading up to the Hawaiian Renaissance and the growth of the sovereignty movement. Various approaches to sovereignty are explained.

This is essential history for anyone visiting or residing in these islands.