This Day in History

Jan. 17, 1893: Queen Lili`uokalani of Hawai`i is Overthrown

Time Periods: 1877
Themes: Democracy & Citizenship, Pacific Islander, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
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Queen Lili'uokalani.

Queen Lili’uokalani. Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

On Jan. 17, 1893, Queen Lili`uokalani of the independent kingdom of Hawai`i was overthrown as she was arrested at gunpoint by U.S. Marines.

American businessmen, particularly sugar plantation owners, led by Lorrin Thurston, had supported annexation of the islands to the United States. The Queen had been working on a new constitution that would restore voting rights to native Hawaiians.

A new provisional government was installed with Sanford B. Dole as president. The troops had landed the day before, providing support “to protect American lives and property.” In 1898, Pres. William McKinley signed a joint resolution of Congress authorizing the annexation. [Description from Peace Buttons.]

Related Resources
Books: Non-Fiction

Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq

Book — Non-fiction. By Stephen Kinzer. 2007. 416 pages.
A history of U.S. government supported (often initiated) regime change around the world.

Teaching Guides

Resistance in Paradise: Rethinking 100 Years of U.S. Involvement in the Caribbean and the Pacific

Teaching Guide. Edited by Debbie Wei and Rachel Kamel. 1998. 199 pages.
Readings and teaching ideas for high school students on the Spanish-American War.

Films

Act of War: The Overthrow of the Hawaiian Nation

Film. By Na Maka o ka `Aina. 1993. 58 minutes.
A comprehensive documentary that focuses on the events surrounding the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893.

The 1897 Petition Against the Annexation of Hawaii.
This Day in History

July 8, 1898: Hawai’i Annexation

Hawai’i was annexed to the United States.

Lumumba at the 1960 Round Table conference | Zinn Education Project: Teaching People's History
This Day in History

Jan. 17, 1961: Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba was Executed

Prime minister of the Republic of the Congo, Patrice Lumumba, was executed with the assistance of the governments of Belgium and the United States.