Bayonet Constitution

Bayonet Constitution was a document imposed on the Kingdom of Hawaii by a group of American and European businessmen and Sugar planters in 1887, backed by the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. This constitution was forced upon King Kalākaua by Lorrin Thurston, Sanford Dole, and other members of the Hawaiian League, who were influenced by the Annexationist movement and had ties to the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Bayonet Constitution received its name due to the fact that it was imposed at gunpoint, with the Kingdom of Hawaii's monarch being threatened with violence by the Hawaiian Militia and the United States military. The constitution had significant support from Henry Cabot Lodge, Theodore Roosevelt, and other prominent American politicians.

Introduction

The Bayonet Constitution marked a significant turning point in the History of Hawaii, as it limited the power of the Monarchy of Hawaii and established a Constitutional monarchy with a bicameral legislature composed of the Noble Privy Council and the House of Representatives. This new system of government was influenced by the British Constitution and the United States Constitution, with input from Queen Victoria, Queen Liliuokalani, and other prominent figures of the time, including Robert Louis Stevenson and Mark Twain. The Bayonet Constitution also had the support of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and the Church of England, which had significant influence in the Kingdom of Hawaii. The document was signed by King Kalākaua on July 6, 1887, under duress from the Hawaiian League and the United States military, with the backing of President Grover Cleveland and the United States Congress.

History

The events leading up to the imposition of the Bayonet Constitution were marked by tension between the Kingdom of Hawaii and the United States, with the Kingdom of Hawaii seeking to maintain its independence and the United States seeking to annex the islands. The Hawaiian League, which was composed of American and European businessmen and Sugar planters, had been seeking to overthrow the Monarchy of Hawaii and establish a Republic of Hawaii for several years, with the support of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps. The Bayonet Constitution was the result of a coup d'état led by Lorrin Thurston and other members of the Hawaiian League, who were influenced by the Annexationist movement and had ties to the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Kingdom of Hawaii's monarch, King Kalākaua, was forced to sign the document under threat of violence from the Hawaiian Militia and the United States military, with the backing of President Grover Cleveland and the United States Congress. The Bayonet Constitution was also influenced by the Treaty of Berlin and the Congress of Berlin, which had established the Scramble for Africa and the New Imperialism.

Provisions and Amendments

The Bayonet Constitution established a Constitutional monarchy with a bicameral legislature composed of the Noble Privy Council and the House of Representatives. The document also limited the power of the Monarchy of Hawaii and established a system of government that was heavily influenced by the British Constitution and the United States Constitution. The Bayonet Constitution had significant support from Queen Victoria, Queen Liliuokalani, and other prominent figures of the time, including Robert Louis Stevenson and Mark Twain. The document was amended several times, with the most significant amendment being the 1887 Constitutional Amendment, which further limited the power of the Monarchy of Hawaii. The Bayonet Constitution also established the Office of the Governor and the Supreme Court of Hawaii, with the support of the American Bar Association and the Federalist Society.

Impact and Legacy

The Bayonet Constitution had a significant impact on the History of Hawaii, as it marked the beginning of the end of the Monarchy of Hawaii and the establishment of a Republic of Hawaii. The document also had significant support from Henry Cabot Lodge, Theodore Roosevelt, and other prominent American politicians, who saw it as a step towards the Annexation of Hawaii by the United States. The Bayonet Constitution was also influenced by the Treaty of Paris and the Spanish-American War, which had established the United States as a global power. The document's legacy can be seen in the Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the establishment of the Territory of Hawaii, with the support of the United States Congress and the United States Supreme Court. The Bayonet Constitution also had significant implications for the Native Hawaiians and the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, who were affected by the Indian Removal Act and the Dawes Act.

Repeal and Aftermath

The Bayonet Constitution was eventually repealed in 1893, after a coup d'état led by Queen Liliuokalani and a group of Native Hawaiians and American businessmen. The repeal of the document was supported by President Grover Cleveland and the United States Congress, who recognized the Kingdom of Hawaii's sovereignty and independence. The Bayonet Constitution's repeal marked the beginning of a new era in the History of Hawaii, as the Kingdom of Hawaii sought to maintain its independence and the United States sought to annex the islands. The document's legacy can be seen in the Overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and the establishment of the Territory of Hawaii, with the support of the United States Congress and the United States Supreme Court. The Bayonet Constitution also had significant implications for the Native Hawaiians and the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, who were affected by the Indian Removal Act and the Dawes Act, and who continue to seek redress and Reparations for the historical injustices they suffered, with the support of the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Congress of American Indians. Category:Constitutions