Adam Ruins Everything - The Messed-Up Story of How Hawaii Became a State | truTV

Summary

This video explores the darker and lesser-known history of Hawaii's annexation by the United States. Despite being a sovereign nation with a queen, a democratic system, and international recognition, Hawaii was overthrown in 1893 by a group of white businessmen known as the Hawaiian League. They staged a coup, forcing the queen to surrender the throne. The video challenges popular misconceptions about Hawaiian culture, revealing the true, more complicated story of how Hawaii came to be annexed and its journey toward statehood.

Takeaways

• 😀 Over 8 million tourists visit Hawaii each year, often seeking a 'traditional' Hawaiian experience that is actually not very traditional.
• 😀 Tiki bars, commonly associated with Hawaiian culture, were actually invented by a California restaurant owner.
• 😀 Grass skirts, a staple in the image of Hawaiian hula dancers, only became popular on the U.S. vaudeville circuit.
• 😀 The true history of Hawaii is much darker and more complex than the common perception.
• 😀 Hawaii was once a fully sovereign nation with its own queen, house of representatives, and ambassadors around the world.
• 😀 Despite the sovereignty, Hawaii was eventually taken over by a group of white businessmen from Hawaii who were descendants of Christian missionaries.
• 😀 This group, known as the Hawaiian League, was a secret club of powerful racists that ultimately led to Hawaii's annexation.
• 😀 In 1893, the Hawaiian League threatened a violent coup that forced the Hawaiian queen to abdicate her throne.
• 😀 The Hawaiian League's members believed that they could run Hawaii better than the native government, which led to their actions against the monarchy.
• 😀 The complex history of Hawaiian statehood remains largely unknown to the public, even though it is a crucial part of the state's true past.

Q & A

What is the main misconception about Hawaiian culture for tourists?

Tourists often believe they are experiencing traditional Hawaiian culture, but much of what they encounter, such as tiki bars and hula dancers in grass skirts, is not traditional at all.

What is the real origin of tiki bars and hula dancers wearing grass skirts?

Tiki bars were invented by a California restaurant owner, and hula dancers began wearing grass skirts after they were introduced on the U.S. vaudeville circuit.

How did Hawaii's historical situation differ from popular beliefs?

Hawaii was once a sovereign nation with its own queen, a democratically elected house of representatives, and ambassadors around the world, not a territory taken by force as some may believe.

What role did the Hawaiian League play in Hawaii's history?

The Hawaiian League was a group of powerful white businessmen who threatened a violent coup in 1893, forcing the queen to give up her throne and leading to the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy.

What was the motivation behind the actions of the Hawaiian League?

The Hawaiian League was motivated by a belief that white businessmen, descendants of Christian missionaries, could better govern Hawaii than the native Hawaiian leaders.

What does the script suggest about the irony of Hawaii's statehood?

The irony is that despite Hawaii being a fully functioning sovereign nation with its own government and diplomatic ties, it was eventually overthrown by a group of white businessmen and was not recognized as a U.S. state until later.

How does the script portray Hawaii's sovereignty before statehood?

Hawaii was a full-fledged sovereign nation with a queen, a legislative body, and international recognition, which contrasts with the eventual overthrow and annexation by the United States.

Why is the story of Hawaii's statehood described as 'strange' and 'dark'?

The story is described as strange and dark because it involves the forcible overthrow of a sovereign nation by a group of racist businessmen, an event that is largely unknown to the public.

Who were the key players in the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy?

The key players were a group of white businessmen, some of whom were descendants of Christian missionaries, who organized the Hawaiian League and threatened a coup against the queen.

What did the Hawaiian League do once the queen was forced to give up her throne?

Once the queen relinquished her throne, the Hawaiian League essentially took control of Hawaii, ushering in a period that would eventually lead to Hawaii's annexation by the United States.