 Hawaii Travel - History Of Hawaii - History of Hawaii-Varied and Rich
Of the 50 states, Hawaii has one of the richest histories. Long before Hawaii became a prime location for family vacations and romantic getaways, it was home to Polynesian voyagers. It may never be known when the Polynesian people first inhabited the islands we now know as Hawaii.
1778 marks the beginning of the modern history of Hawaii when the first known European, James Cook, arrived on the islands. In 1810, Kamehameha became the first king after a series of conquests over the various islands. Kamehameha succeeded in establishing valuable relationships with foreigners while maintaining the traditional Hawaiian customs.
Many of these customs endure to the present day.
For much of the next century in the history of Hawaii, the monarchy was headed by the descendents of Kamehameha. The last son of Kamehameha to rule, Kamehameha III, ascended to the throne when he was ten years old.
The time of his reign was arguably the most difficult in Hawaii’s history. Much like today, with many people coming to Hawaii for honeymoons, family vacations and romantic getaways, the reign of Kamehameha saw an influx of foreigners to the islands. Their arrival made the ruling of Hawaii much more complicated. The last Hawaiian monarch was Queen Lili’uokalani.
She came to power during a complicated political and economic time. Lili’uokalani attempted to maintain the power of the monarchy but in order to avoid a bloody war, she conceded the throne.
Perhaps one of the most significant events in the history of Hawaii occurred on August 21, 1959. On that day, Hawaii became the fiftieth state of the United States of America. Not long after the establishment of Hawaii’s statehood a period of time called the Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance began.
This was a time of rediscovery of Hawaii’s distinct cultural identity. Hawaiian music was once again embraced. The traditional languages could once again be heard. Traditional Hawaiian crafts and cultural studies once again came into favor. Many of the events and items people enjoy on family vacations and romantic getaways still exist because of the Hawaiian Cultural Renaissance.
Today, Hawaii remains one of the most exciting destinations on earth for family vacations honeymoons, weddings and romantic getaways. Both the beauty and the history of Hawaii are like no other states in our union. Hawaii has something for everyone from tourists to history buffs. Hawaii has long been, and will forever be, far more than the average vacation destination.
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