Letter from Lili’uokalani, Queen of Hawai’i to U.S. House of Representatives protesting U.S. assertion of ownership of Hawaii

Letter from Lili’uokalani, Queen of Hawai’i to U.S. House of Representatives protesting U.S. assertion of ownership of Hawaii

Hawai’i
Lili’uokalani
Annexation
Statehood
Protest
Monarchy

This is an image of the typed document written by the Queen of Hawai’i in protest of the United States’ overthrow of her monarchy and the implementation of an American Government. Her use of the English language and the typed form, suggests the Westernised educational and technological advances of Hawai’i. Her tactical use of this also enables her portrayal of equivalence to Americans; she proves that Hawai’i has become ‘civilised’ in the eyes of the Americans and does not need to be annexed. Furthermore, this ascertains her goal as Queen to revive the role of the monarchy. Therefore, this is an important moment in Hawaiian history due to its relation to the annexation. Moreover, it shows the Hawaiian protest of American takeover, depicting the desperation and lengths at which Queen Lili’uokalani took to preserve Hawai’i. This links to the broader themes of annexation and statehood, as well as Westernisation.

Queen Lili’uokalani, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America

The National Archives, Pieces of History

https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2017/08/21/hawaiis-long-road-to-statehood/

19 December 1898

Ameerah Abood

National Archives, National Archives Identifier 306653
HR 55A-H28.3; Records of the U.S. House of Representatives; Record Group 233
https://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/todays-doc/?dod-date=707

English

Textual - typed letter

19th century Hawai'i