1. Hawaii’s Last Queen Key Concepts & Terms Quotes King Kalakaua
PBS – American Experience
Key Concepts & Terms
Hawaii Pearl Harbor Imperialism
“Banana Republic” Nationalism Annexation
White Man’s Burden Anglo-Saxon superiority
Quotes
“My grandfather started the Hawaiian League to try to offset some of the acts that Kalakaua was already beginning to do. Kalakaua had been king for about 13 years by that time and he was really aching for more absolute power… [My grandfather] wanted, as did the other members of that group, to do what the colonists had done in 1776, which was to throw off the yoke of monarchy and take on the civil rights and other things of a democracy. And they believed that that was in the best interests of the Hawaiians, and I believe so, too.”
-Thurston Twigg Smith
Grandson, Lorrin Thurston
“Liliuokalani had a great faith in America… and because of that faith, she felt that truth and justice would prevail.”
-Aaron Mahi
Conductor, Royal Hawaiian Band
“When the Hawaiian flag was lowered, it was said that it was cut into small little two- to three-inch ribbons and given out as tokens of remembrance to the sons and daughters of the missionaries so that they could keep those as little tokens of their great victory over the Hawaiian kingdom and the end of the tyrrany of the Hawaiian monarchy.”
-Malcolm Naea Chun
Cultural specialist
King Kalakaua
Queen Liliuokalani
President Sanford Dole

2. Discussion Questions
How did the “Bayonet Constitution” get its name? What changes did it make to Hawaiian government?
What western ways did the Hawaiian royalty adopt? What Hawaiian traditions did they retain?
In what ways was Hawaii dependent upon the United States?
Of what political, economic and military importance was Hawaii to the United States?
What similarities do you see between American imperialism in Hawaii and government policy toward Native Americans?
What is your opinion of Liliuokalani as a leader?
Compare the two depictions of Liliuokalani below. What do they reveal about the artists’ opinions of the queen?