A Guide to Primary Resources for U.S. History : Queen Lydia Liliuokalani University of Illinois at Chicago: Office of Women's Affairs Queen Liliuokalani's Life and Times PBS: The American Experience Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen University of Pennsylvania Library: A Celebration of Women Writers This group of resources concerns the life and the fate of independent Hawaii's last sovereign, Queen Liliuokalani, who was deposed by a group of American businessmen eager for the United States to annex the lush island territory. The first is a brief biographical sketch of Hawaii's last queen; the second is a short, helpful timeline of political and military events surrounding her fall from power; and the third is the Western-educated queen's autobiography, a resource that is not otherwise readily accessible. The electronic text version of the autobiography is broken into many short chapters of five to ten paragraphs each, and gives students the chance to hear about the events that led to Liliuokalani's deposition from power from her own perspective. The crucial period of her imprisonment and deposition are covered in Chapters 39 through 49 (scroll down the resource title page to see the hypertext index for these very short chapters). Chapter 49 is probably the most salient; especially helpful in expressing how an indigenous person viewed the United States' efforts to "civilize" third-world peoples. This autobiography can help the teacher demonstrate to students that the same events can be viewed from very different perspectives, particularly when one of the victims of a political coup is given her own voice. Students could brainstorm a list of reasons for and against Hawaii becoming a part of the United States. Students could then elaborate on one of the reasons by writing a paragraph or making an illustration to describe that reason in greater depth. Students could share their paragraphs or illustrations with the class. Students could compare and contrast the three versions of events leading to Liliuokalani's deposition in (a) the autobiography, (b) the brief biographical sketch, and (c) their textbook. Students could categorize their responses around a checklist that includes (1) what sort of government the native islanders wanted, (2) problems with the existing monarchy from a native islander perspective, (3) problems with the existing monarchy from a U.S. perspective, (4) reasons given for Liliuokalani's removal, and (5) description of the new government. Students could then write a short essay summarizing the events leading to Liliuokalani's removal, and the impact of her replacement by a U.S.-sponsored government on native Hawaiians. Students should be encouraged to include both positive and negative results of the change in government. Students could divide into groups and choose different areas of the world where the United States was involved in overseas expansion after 1890. Students could identify several features of U.S. involvement, including economic motivations, means of gaining control, reaction of the native population, and resultant relationship between the United States and the country in question. Students could share their information with the class in a brief presentation.

(a) explaining the changing policies of the United States toward Latin America and Asia and the growing influence of the United States in foreign markets;

Queen Lydia Liliuokalani
University of Illinois at Chicago: Office of Women's Affairs

Queen Liliuokalani's Life and Times
PBS: The American Experience

Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
University of Pennsylvania Library: A Celebration of Women Writers

Description: This group of resources concerns the life and the fate of independent Hawaii's last sovereign, Queen Liliuokalani, who was deposed by a group of American businessmen eager for the United States to annex the lush island territory. The first is a brief biographical sketch of Hawaii's last queen; the second is a short, helpful timeline of political and military events surrounding her fall from power; and the third is the Western-educated queen's autobiography, a resource that is not otherwise readily accessible. The electronic text version of the autobiography is broken into many short chapters of five to ten paragraphs each, and gives students the chance to hear about the events that led to Liliuokalani's deposition from power from her own perspective. The crucial period of her imprisonment and deposition are covered in Chapters 39 through 49 (scroll down the resource title page to see the hypertext index for these very short chapters). Chapter 49 is probably the most salient; especially helpful in expressing how an indigenous person viewed the United States' efforts to "civilize" third-world peoples. This autobiography can help the teacher demonstrate to students that the same events can be viewed from very different perspectives, particularly when one of the victims of a political coup is given her own voice.

Teaching Tips:

"Do Now" Suggestion

Students could brainstorm a list of reasons for and against Hawaii becoming a part of the United States. Students could then elaborate on one of the reasons by writing a paragraph or making an illustration to describe that reason in greater depth. Students could share their paragraphs or illustrations with the class.

Suggestion for Using this Resource as Part of a Lesson

Students could compare and contrast the three versions of events leading to Liliuokalani's deposition in (a) the autobiography, (b) the brief biographical sketch, and (c) their textbook. Students could categorize their responses around a checklist that includes (1) what sort of government the native islanders wanted, (2) problems with the existing monarchy from a native islander perspective, (3) problems with the existing monarchy from a U.S. perspective, (4) reasons given for Liliuokalani's removal, and (5) description of the new government. Students could then write a short essay summarizing the events leading to Liliuokalani's removal, and the impact of her replacement by a U.S.-sponsored government on native Hawaiians. Students should be encouraged to include both positive and negative results of the change in government. Students could divide into groups and choose different areas of the world where the United States was involved in overseas expansion after 1890. Students could identify several features of U.S. involvement, including economic motivations, means of gaining control, reaction of the native population, and resultant relationship between the United States and the country in question. Students could share their information with the class in a brief presentation.