USA Hawaii - The History : USA  

USA Hawaii - The History - Travel guide

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USA Hawaii - The History

The History

First settled by Polynesians sailing from other Pacific islands between C.E. 300 and 600. Captain James Cook, the great Pacific explorer, happened upon the islands during his third voyage in 1778 who called the group the Sandwich Islands.
Hawaii's long isolation ended at that moment. Soon, King Kamehameha the Great embarked on his successful campaign to unite the islands into one kingdom.

At about the same time, Hawaii assumed importance in the east-west fur trade and later as the center for the Pacific whaling industry. At times, as many as 500 whaling ships wintered in Hawaiian ports, principally Lahaina and Honolulu.

In 1820, the brig Thaddeus from Boston arrived with the first missionary families.

Hawaii was a native kingdom throughout most of the 19th century, when the expansion of the vital sugar industry (pineapple came after 1898) meant increasing U.S. business and political involvement. In 1893, Queen Liliuokalani was deposed and a year later the Republic of Hawaii was established with Sanford B. Dole as president. Then, following its annexation in 1898, Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1900.

Much has changed about the Hawaii visitor industry since May 14, 1902, when W. C. Weedon convinced a group of Honolulu businessmen to pay him to advertise the Territory of Hawaii on the Mainland. But one thing has stayed the same: Throughout the years, the entities which have promoted Hawaii to the world have also had to promote themselves to Hawaii.
Despite the grumbling of powerful sugar planters, it was under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce and the Merchants Association that the business of tourism promotion began.

In 1941, a record 31,846 visitors arrived. The Japanese attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 brought an abrupt end to tourism in Hawaii. Three years later, the Chamber of Commerce began bringing it back to life with a Hawaii Travel Bureau, which concerned itself with leaving a friendly Territorial impression on the servicemen who were soon to go home.

Steadily during the 60's, 70's, and 80's the tourism exceeded the millions. The yearly tourism total reached nearly seven million people in 1990.

The territorial date Aug. 12, 1898 is that of the formal transfer to the United States, with Sanford B. Dole as first Governor. On August 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th state to unite under America.