Republic of Hawaii

As United States Marines marched past ‘Iolani Palace on their way to their peacekeeping stations, they dipped their U.S. flag while passing by, as a sign of respect to the Queen. The 152 sailors never entered the Palace grounds, never fired a shot, and did not participate in the takeover of any buildings.

Bayonet Constitution of 1887

In 1887, a constitution was drafted by Lorrin A. Thurston, Minister of Interior under Kalakaua. The constitution was proclaimed by the king after a mass meeting of 3,000 residents, including an armed militia, demanded he either sign it or be deposed. The document stripped the King of most of his authority, empowering the Legislature.

Related Topics:
1887 - Constitution - Lorrin A. Thurston

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The Bayonet Constitution empowered the citizenry to elect members of the House of Nobles (who had previously been appointed by the King). It increased the value of property a citizen must own to be eligible to vote, above what the previous Constitution of 1864 (unilaterally proclaimed by Kamehameha V) had required. One result was to deny voting rights to some native Hawaiians and some vagabond whites who previously could vote. It also guaranteed a voting monopoly by native Hawaiians and whites, by denying voting rights to Asians who now comprised the vast majority of the population (A few Japanese and some Chinese had previously become naturalized as subjects of the Kingdom and now lost voting rights they had previously enjoyed). Americans and Europeans in Hawai‘i were given full voting rights without the need for Hawaiian citizenship. The Bayonet Constitution continued allowing the monarch to appoint cabinet ministers, but stripped him of the power to dismiss them without approval from the Legislature.

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