Queen Lili'uokalani's protest of the Bayonet Constitution, which her brother was forced to promulgate at gunpoint, led to the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai'i by a committee of American citizens.

The 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii, commonly known as the Bayonet Constitution by its opponents, stripped the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its authority, and disenfranchised all Asians and poor citizens while generally empowering rich citizens, primarily those of American and European descent but also including some native Hawaiian elites. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Her Majesty Liliuokalani, Queen of Hawaii Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii (September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917), given the Christian name Lydia Liliuokalani and later named Lydia K. Dominis, was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii. ...

The Constitution was written by Lorrin A. Thurston and imposed on the Kingdom of Hawai'i and its monarch David Kalākaua by a group of American and European businessmen and an armed militia called the Honolulu Rifles. The Americans were associated with a secret society called the Hawaiian League, which was in favor of annexation to the United States. Lorrin A. Thurston led the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1893. ... Princess Kaiulani, a member of the Kalākaua Dynasty, was in line to become Queen of Hawaii when her kingdom was overthrown by a small group of Hawaiian citizens (primarily of European descent) and United States citizens. ... David Kalākaua was elected by the legislature to assume the throne of the Kingdom of Hawai‘i upon the death of William Charles Lunalilo. ...

The Bayonet Constitution gets its derogatory name from its opponents, Kalākaua being forced to sign the constitution under threat of arms on July 6; rifles at the time were commonly fixed with bayonets. July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... The US Marine Corps OKC-3S bayonet A bayonet is a knife- or dagger-shaped weapon designed to fit on or over the muzzle of a rifle or similar weapon. ...

Provisions

The Bayonet Constitution effectively repealed suffrage for around 75 percent of the Native Hawaiian population, mostly by imposing strict economic thresholds for voter eligibility. Non-European non-American migrants (i.e., Asians) were denied the right to vote outright. Only Hawaiian, American and European males in Hawai'i were granted full voting rights if they met the economic and literacy thresholds. It should be noted that at the time this constitution came into effect, native Hawaiians, both full and part, accounted for only about one-quarter of the total population. In April of 1990, Daniel K. Akaka became the first native Hawaiian and Chinese American to serve in the United States Congress as a Senator from the State of Hawaii. ... Immigration is the act of moving to or settling in another country or region, temporarily or permanently. ...

At the end of the Kingdom, about three out of four ethnic Hawaiians could not vote at all because of the gender, literacy, property, and age requirements. However, because of the racial disenfranchisement of Asians, ethnic Hawaiians still amounted to about two-thirds of the electorate for representatives and about one-third of the electorate for Nobles. (Kuykendall, Hawaiian Kingdom at 453. The rest of the voters were male residents of European or American ancestry.)

1864 Constitution

Article 62.

Every male subject of the Kingdom, who shall have paid his taxes, who shall have attained the age of twenty years, and shall have been domiciled in the Kingdom for one year immediately preceding the election; and shall be possessed of Real Property in this Kingdom, to the value over and above all incumbrances of One Hundred and Fifty Dollars or of a Lease-hold property on which the rent is Twenty-five Dollars per year--or of an income of not less than Seventy-five Dollars per year, derived from any property or some lawful employment, and shall know how to read and write, if born since the year 1840, and shall have caused his name to be entered on the list of voters of his District as may be provided by law, shall be entitled to one vote for the Representative or Representatives of that District. Provided, however, that no insane or idiotic person, nor any person who shall have been convicted of any infamous crime within this Kingdom, unless he shall have been pardoned by the King, and by the terms of such pardon have been restored to all the rights of a subject, shall be allowed to vote.

1887 Constitution

ARTICLE 59.

Every male resident of the Hawaiian Islands of Hawaiian, American or European birth or descent, who shall have attained the age of twenty years, and shall have paid his taxes, and shall have caused his name to be entered on the list of voters for Nobles for his District, shall be an elector of Nobles, and shall be entitled to vote at any election of Nobles, provided:

• First: That he shall have resided in the country not less than three years, and in the district in which he offers to vote, not less than three months immediately preceding the election at which he offers to vote;
• Second: That he shall own and be possessed, in his own right, of taxable property in this country of the value of not less than three thousand dollars over and above all encumbrances, or shall have actually received an income of not less than six hundred dollars during the year next preceding his registration for such election;
• Third: That he shall be able to read and comprehend an ordinary newspaper printed in either the Hawaiian, English or some European language:
• Fourth: That he shall have taken an oath to support the Constitution and laws, such oath to be administered by any person authorized to administer oaths, or by an Inspector of Elections;

Provided, however, that the requirements of a three years residence and of ability to read and comprehend an ordinary newspaper, printed in the Hawaiian, English or some European language, shall not apply to persons residing in the Kingdom at the time of the promulgation of this Constitution, if they shall register and vote at the first election which shall be held under this Constitution.

The Bayonet Constitution also imposed a very strict threshold for voter eligibility, by requiring that individuals generate annual income of at least US$600 ($12,000 in 2006), and own private property worth at least US$3000 ($60,000 in 2006). This rule was very effective in limiting voter eligibility to wealthy businessmen and landowning Hawaiian elites. The Bayonet Constitution also removed the monarch's power to appoint members of the House of Nobles (the upper house of the Hawaiian legislature).

Lili'uokalani's Constitution

In 1891, Kalākaua died and his sister Lili'uokalani assumed the throne. The queen initiated a poll and found support by native Hawaiians and other Hawaiian citizens to undo the Bayonet Constitution. Despite what she saw as popular support, her attempt to abrogate the 1887 constitution sparked her overthrow 1893. 1891 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Her Majesty Liliuokalani, Queen of Hawaii Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii (September 2, 1838 – November 11, 1917), given the Christian name Lydia Liliuokalani and later named Lydia K. Dominis, was the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii. ...

On January 14, 1893, Lili'uokalani threatened to impose a new constitution restoring the monarchy's lost authority. The United States Government, through its Department of State Minister to Hawai'i John L. Stevens, reacted to the potential unrest of the impending overthrow by ordering the landing of about 160 Marines to protect American businesses and interests. 1500 members of the Honolulu Rifles, a militia of local citizens, and the Committee of Safety, led by Lorrin A. Thurston, forcibly removed the queen from power and declared a provisional government. The Provisional Government quickly gained recognition from the United States Government and all the other governments with embassies in Hawai'i, but was opposed by the administration of Grover Cleveland for years as he attempted to restore the monarchy, beginning with the Blount Report. Following the Morgan Report, Cleveland reversed his stance, rebuffed the Queen's further requests for interference in the matter, and acknowledged the Provisional Government as legitimate. January 14 is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1893 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The United States Department of State, often referred to as the State Department, is the Cabinet-level foreign affairs agency of the United States government, equivalent to foreign ministries in other countries. ... John L. Stevens, United States Minister to Hawaii, ordered the landing of the United States Marine Corps on Oahu to forcibly dethrone Queen Liliuokalani. ... John L. Stevens, an American diplomat, conspired to overthrow the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military. ... Lorrin A. Thurston led the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii through the Committee of Safety in 1893. ... Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837 – June 24, 1908) was the 22nd (1885–1889) and 24th (1893–1897) President of the United States, and the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms. ...

Lili'uokalani's trial

In 1895, an abortive attempt by Hawaiian royalists to restore Queen Lili`uokalani to power resulted in the queen's arrest. She was forced to sign a document of abdication that relinquished all her future claims to the throne. Following this, she was subject to a public trial before a military tribunal in her former throne room.

Convicted of having knowledge of a royalist plot, Lili`uokalani was fined $5000 and sentenced to five years in prison at hard labor. The sentenced was commuted to imprisonment in an upstairs bedroom of `Iolani Palace. During her imprisonment, the queen was denied any visitors other than one lady in waiting. She began each day with her daily devotions followed by reading, quilting, crochet-work, or music composition.

After her release from `Iolani Palace, the Queen remained under house arrest for five months at her private home, Washington Place. For another eight months she was forbidden to leave O`ahu before all restrictions were lifted.

External links

• Was the 1893 overthrow of the monarchy illegal?