History
Industry
Snapshot | Economy/Cost of Living
Education | Recreation & Entertainment
| Transportation
Geography & Climate
| Suggested Reading
List
Hawaii prides itself on its rich cultural heritage and interesting history. Polynesians arrived on the
Big Island of Hawaii nearly 2,000 years ago. Tahitians arrived later, enriching the islands with
their own cultural and religious systems. Warring native kings ruled the islands until after the
arrival of Europeans.
The English explorer Captain James Cook arrived on Kauai in 1778 and named the islands the Sandwich
Islands, for the Earl of Sandwich. While Captain Cook perished soon after, he had set the stage for
western settlement. In 1810, Kamehameha I united all of the islands into one kingdom. During this
time, ancient native traditions and religions began to erode under western influence, and western
diseases decimated the Hawaiian population. Missionaries who arrived in 1820 found a society whose
kapu, or the ancient system of laws and regulations, had been abolished by Kamehameha’s son, Liholiho.
Hawaii had become a bustling seaport with strong ties to the United States, and in 1893, the Americans
peacefully overthrew the Kingdom. Hawaii subsequently became a United States territory in 1898.
Prior to its becoming a territory, Hawaii’s sugar industry was established, and eventually the
pineapple industry gained economic importance for the islands. Hawaii’s economic expansion led to a
wave of immigrants from Japan, China, the Philippines, and Portugal.
On December 7, 1941, the Japanese made a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on Oahu, an act which
ushered the United States into World War II. As a result, the Hawaiian Islands became a base of
operations for the Pacific Theater. The Japanese surrendered on September 2, 1945.
Following the end of World War II, the sugar and pineapple workers pushed for labor unionism.
Tourism became even more prevalent with the rise of air travel and remains a tremendous influence to
this day. On August 21, 1959, Hawaii was admitted to the union as the 50th state.
Many famous personages have called Hawaii their home. Among these are actors Don Stroud, Jason
Scott Lee, and Harold Sakata; singer and actress Tia Carrere; philanthropist Charles R. Bishop; the
first Chinese-American senator Hiram L. Fong; actress Bette Midler; and astronaut Ellison Onizuka.
Hawaii’s timeless allure and rich diversity continue to draw many to the Islands. With its promise
of endeavors in biotechnology and life sciences, the Aloha State emerges as a rising economic star in
the Pacific.
Related Resources:
Back to Destination Hawaii
|
