1) In 1792, British explorer Captain George Vancouver landed on the island of Maui and met with Hawaiian King Kamehameha I, cementing the first diplomatic relationship between the Hawaiian Kingdom and a European power.
2) On May 16, 1819, Ka'ahumanu, the favorite wife of Kamehameha I and one of the most powerful women in Hawaiian history, declared herself co-ruler of the kingdom with her stepson Liholiho (Kamehameha II) and began a sweeping campaign to overturn the traditional kapu (taboos) system.
3) In 1893, Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii was officially dethroned in a coup led by American businessmen and politicians. May 16 was the day that she formally abdicated under protest, leading to the eventual annexation of Hawaii by the United States in 1898.
4) The 1975 Hawaii State Senate elections saw the first Native Hawaiian candidate, Sparky Kawamoto, elected to the legislature. This marked a significant milestone in the ongoing struggle for Native Hawaiian sovereignty and political representation.
5) On May 16, 2014, Hawaii became the first state to raise the legal smoking age to 21, citing concerns about the harmful effects of nicotine addiction on young people. Since then, several other states have enacted similar laws.
5 Fun Facts About May 16 In Hawaii History
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