Hawaii History and background

A little Hawaii history is a good thing to know before you take off on your family vacation getaway. Many families fail to research a little history before they travel to another culture. This is a mistake. It not only cheapens your experience, but you lose out on a great opportunity to educate your children about another culture. By the way, when you are visiting, remember that Hawaiians and others visiting on the island chain are not slow or trying to annoy you. Part of their culture is to be laid back and easy-going. Go with it! You will find that you will become more relaxed and enjoy your stay more.

To gain a better understanding of Hawaiian history it will be divided into several different time segments.

Ancient Hawaii: Hawaii is believed to have been first settled by Polynesians who came over from the Marquesas Islands in the fourth or fifth century. A second wave of settlers is believed to have come over from Tahiti around 1000 A.D.

Monarch years in Hawaii History :For many centuries, the Hawaiian islands were ruled by numerous chiefs across the different islands. Around the late 1700's, Kamehameha (pronounced-Ka-may-a-may-a -- you will find that many things in Hawaii are named after this king and he holds a significant importance to many Hawaiians) had solidified his rule over the Big Island of Hawaii. He then went on to conquer the rest of the island chain and established himself as the first ruler of all the islands. His sons and subsequent descendants went on to rule Hawaii until around 1872. In 1874, Kalakaua was confirmed king of Hawaii by the Hawaiian Legislature in a popular vote. Not long after, President McKinley of the United States, signed a resolution of annexation (1898 A.D.) and Hawaii quietly became an official territory of the U.S. in 1900.

Modern Hawaiian History: In the early 20th century, Hawaii history shows that sugar and pineapples established itself as as high-demand export and subsequently these farmers became the highest paid workers. The sugar industry is virtually dead on the big island and no where near the prominance it once had on the rest of the island chain. Pineapples continue to be a large export on the island of Oahu, where there is a large Dole pineapple plant, however, these industries are slowly giving way to other more profitable industries like tourism. Today, Hawaii is going through a time of soul-seeking and guidance from her past and its heritage. The Hawaii you visit today is definately not the Hawaii you would have visited 10 years ago. Hawaii history has taken on a more prominent role in today's culture and many Hawaiians have rekindled their interest in their language and culture, making today's Hawaii more "Hawaiian" than ever before.