Liliuokalani proclaimed queen of Hawaii
Following the death of her brother King Kalakaua Liliuokalani becomes the last monarch of the Hawaiian Islands.Hawaii first settled by Polynesian voyagers sometime in the eighth century saw a massive influx of American settlers during the 19th century most coming to exploit Hawaiis burgeoning sugar industry.In 1887 under pressure from U.S.investors and American sugar planters King Kalakaua agreed to a new constitution that stripped him of much of his power.
However in 1891 Liliuokalani ascended to the throne and refused to recognize the constitution of 1887 replacing it instead with a constitution that restored the monarchys traditional authority.Two years later a revolutionary Committee of Safety organized by Sanford B.Dole a Hawaiian-born American staged a coup against Queen Liliuokalani with the support of U.S.Minister John Stevens and a division of U.S.
Marines.Stevens recognized Doles new government on his own authority and proclaimed Hawaii a U.S.protectorate.
Dole submitted a treaty of annexation to the U.S.Senate but most Democrats opposed it especially after it was revealed that most Hawaiians did not want annexation.President Grover Cleveland sent a new U.S.
minister to Hawaii to restore Queen Liliuokalani to the throne under the 1887 constitution but Dole refused to step aside and instead proclaimed the independent Republic of Hawaii which was organized into a U.S.territory in 1900.Liliuokalani herself spent much of the remainder of her life in the United States where she unsuccessfully petitioned the federal government for compensation for seized property and other losses.The territorial legislature of Hawaii finally voted her an annual pension of 4000 and permitted her to receive the income from a small sugar plantation.
In additional to her political fame Liliuokalani is also known for composing many Hawaiian songs including the popular Aloha Oe which translates to Farewell to Thee.
