US History - Hawaii and Panama Canal

The first settlers MAY have come from the Marquesas Islands

Who settled Hawaii first? Are we certain?

In the Indian Caste System, there are five classes, your caste is passed down through families, you can’t move from one caste to another, and there are different levels within each individual caste. Untouchables make up the lowest class, they are field workers, or those who do the filthy work like funerals or sewage.

In the European Caste System, also known as feudalism, lower people worked the land in return for protection from the rich (Kings). You could move up in levels, but it was extremely difficult to do.

How does the Indian Caste System work? The European Caste system?

Surfing was first done by Hawaiians. It had religious significance as a way to pray to God. Anybody could surf, there were no restrictions due to social class.

What are some facts about surfing and how does it relate to Hawaiians?

The Queen was supported by the Native Hawaiians.

Who in Hawaii actually supported Queen Liliuokalani?

The U.S. was already leasing Pearl Harbor, its major naval base. Hawaii already had American influence from American sugar plantation owners. 2/3 of Native Hawaiians were denied the right to vote. The Queen made a constitution that supported Native Hawaiians and reduced non-citizen influence. In Hawaii, it was claimed that the Queen was corrupt/non-democratic and that if the U.S. doesn't take over Hawaii somebody else will (probably Japan). The American minister to Hawaii conspired with businessmen to overthrow the Queen. The U.S. Marines landed in Honolulu under neutrality orders and never fired any shots. The Republic of Hawaii was then founded and Sanford Dole appointed himself President. The Queen surrendered and was imprisoned for treason.

What are the facts/what happened in the U.S. takeover of Hawaii?

Sanford Dole was starting his pineapple business and declared himself President of the Republic of Hawaii with no vote. His government found the Queen guilty and gave her a fine and hard labor, but she was only ever put on house arrest.

Who was Sanford Dole?

The Northwest Passage was a supposed sea lane between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the Arctic Ocean that explorers such as James Cook tried to find.What

What was the Northwest Passage?

Sugar was the main Hawaiian export with plantations on four of the main islands.

What was Hawaii’s major export?

James Cook was the 1st European to step foot on Hawaii. He detailed maps of Hawaii and New Zealand. He named the Hawaiian Islands the Sandwich Islands after the European town. The main goal of Cook’s voyage was to find the Northwest Passage. His arrival to Hawaii coincided with Makahiki, the festival to the God Lono. Disease, famine, and war between the chiefs wiped out many Hawaiians after his arrival.

Who was James Cook, where did he travel, and what was his effect on Hawaii?

A sudden, violent overthrow of a government.

What is a Coup d’etat?

He constructed the Suez Canal and was not an engineer but a diplomat. He was hired by the French to build the Panama Canal at sea-level but it ended up being a disaster and many engineers died of disease, so he had to abandon the project.

Who was Ferdinand de Lesseps and what was his involvement with the Panama Canal?

9/10 of workers were Afro-Caribbean workers from the West Indies. French engineers were the paid/prestige from France’s engineering schools.

What was the makeup of the ethinicities/nationalities of the workers on the Panama Canal?

For the Panama Canal, they had to make levels of the canal through mountains up to a height of 361 feet above sea level with lots of excavation through hard rock. Malaria and Yellow Fever were also carried by mosquitos and killed many workers.

What were the French’s issues with building the Canal?

The U.S. couldn’t get the Colombians to sign a good treaty for the Canal, so they brought in Naval support as the New Panama Canal Company helped bribe commanders. They helped Panama break off and gave it independence and quickly signed a new treaty with them for the Canal.

How did the territory of Panama end up becoming a country?

The U.S. owned the canal and could make it 6 miles wide. It would be under the U.S. legal system. They would pay $250,000 a year until 2000.

What controls did the United States have on the canal (under their treaty with Colombia)?

Mahan was a U.S. Naval strategist and historian who believed that three things were needed to dominate: a strong Navy, coaling stations for boats, and a canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Who was Alfred T. Mahan and what were his views on naval supremacy?

The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

What does the Panama Canal connect?

The North Atlantic Ocean and Northern Indian Ocean.

What does the Suez canal connect?

The Suez Canal presented few challenges, had no elevation, and was a big ditch in a sandy desert. The Panama Canal had to have levels through mountains, had a height of 361 feet above sea level, and needed lots of excavation through hard rock.

What were the differences between the Suez and Panama Canal when building them?