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The Conquest of Hawaii
The Conquest of Hawaii
The Conquest of Hawaii
Unification of Hawaii
Shortly after Cook's death, a succession
struggle ended with Kamehameha
becoming chief of northwestern Hawaii.
From 1794 until 1810,
Original Settlers
Kamehameha set out to unite all
Hawaii was probably settled
the Hawaiian Islands under his
around 350AD by ocean
rule. To ensure success, he
travelers from Tahiti and the
Marquesa Islands. They
employed the help of Isaac Davis
and John Young, two Englishmen
developed an intricate social
who had been stranded on Hawaii
system, and as society
in 1790, and 14 other white men.
expanded, each domain came
under the rule of its own high
European weapons, including
cannons, supplemented his native
chief or king (ali'i 'ai-moku),
armament.
who also enforced taboo
In brutal wars, Kamehameha
(kapu), a system of "thoughshall-nots." Trade with Tahiti
conquered one island after the
other. By 181 0, Kamehameha I,
and the Marquesas continued
also known as Kamehameha the
until about 1200AD. lt was
Great, controlled all the Hawaiian
then that a powerful priest
(kahuna) named Paao led an
Islands except Kauai, which paid
him tribute. In an astute move,
expedition from Samoa and
The Death of Captain James Cook, 14 February 1779, an
Tahiti to Hawaii. Before long, unfinished painting by Johann Zoffany, circa 1795. Cook's Kamehameha also installed the
he had driven priests from
arrival in the region he dubbed the Sandwich Islands led to other defeated chiefs of the
his own death and ultimately to the death of independent
rival orders into hiding,
various islands as their respective
islands' governors. Under
established a tight relationship Hawaii.
Kamehameha's rule, Hawaiians
between chiefs and priests,
lonely one"), a chief who towered above
regained some of the peace and
introduced human sacrifice and cut off
all trade with areas outside Hawaii,
all others (he was nearly seven feet tall
tranquility they had almost forgotten in
and weighed about 300 pounds).
the many years of warfare that preceded
thereby isolating the islands for nearly
Kamehameha was most interested in the
unification.
600 years. Soon, too, war between the
English weapons and struck a friendship
different Hawaiian Islands became
common.
with Vancouver.
Sandalwood
Shortly after the re-provisioned
Meanwhile, white fur traders had made
English ships left, they encountered a
Hawaii a stop for provisioning on their
First Contact
storm on their way to Maui, and the
voyages to China. Slowly, trade began
Although there are some who claim that
the Portuguese or Spanish had
Resolution was dismasted. Cook limped
to develop. In 1812, three Bostonians
back to Hawaii. This time, the welcome
talked Kamehameha into signing a 10discovered Hawaii before Captain
was frosty. By now the natives had
year monopoly agreement on the export
James Cook's visit, most historians
figured out that Cook was no god, and
of sandalwood, which had become very
dismiss that assertion. Cook first arrived
in the Hawaiian Islands on 19 January
their provisions were low. When Cook
popular in the Orient. Until 1829,
decided to take Kalani'opu'u, the ruling
sandalwood was the most prized
1778. He was in command of two ships,
chief of the island of Hawaii, hostage to
Hawaiian commodity. And although
the Resolution and the Discovery. In his
force the return of a stolen tender, an
Kamehameha tried to remain in control
company were Master's Mate William
Bligh, who later became captain of the
already tense situation resulted in battle.