Setting Hawaii Back On Track Hawaiian History Kumu Chun, Kalea Yung and Mya Perez April 2, 2024 Imagine ruling an entire kingdom at just 11 years old. A young boy under the name of Kauikeouli, or King Kamehameha III, took the throne of Hawaii in such tender years. He witnessed massive changes and navigated through challenges to leave an indelible mark on Hawaiian history. His reign is a story of resilience and transformation! Kauikeaouli made decisions “civilizing” the Hawaiian society, protecting Hawai’i from being imperialized. Kauikaouli, also known as Kamehameha III, and the longest-reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii, ruling from 1824 to 1854. He ascended to the throne at a young age after the death of his brother, King Kamehameha II. During his reign, Kauikeouli faced the …show more content…
His reign marked the efforts to maintain Hawaiian independence and cultural identity amidst growing external threats. Kauikeaouli created the Mahele system, dividing the land and creating private property. Kauikeaouli’s deliberate action gave more land to the people and was out of the government’s control. Lessening the portion of the government-owned land made it less appealing to take the government’s share to outsiders. Kauikeaouli (Kamehameha III) agreed to the Mahele, which divided all land among the m‘ (king), the ali‘i (chiefs), and the maka‘inana (commoners), in the hopes of keeping the lands in Hawaiian hands even if a foreign power claimed sovereignty over the islands (Van Dyke). By Kauikeaouli creating the Mahele system to divide up Hawai’i’s land, the overtaking of the government for land seemed undesirable for foreigners as there would not be much gain for the amount of effort. Kauikeaouli implanted a constitutional monarchy, a type of government globally recognized as civil. To be recognized as “civil” by foreigners, Kauikeaouli showed the world Hawaiis similar