Portal:Hawaii/Selected article/2

Kingdom of Hawaii
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The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai and Kauai by the chiefdom of Hawaii (or the "Big Island") into one unified government.

Through swift and bloody battles, led by a warrior chief later immortalized as Kamehameha the Great, the Kingdom of Hawaii was established with the help of such British sailors as John Young and Alexander Adams and western weapons. Although successful in attacking both Oahu and Maui, he failed to secure a victory in Kauai, his effort hampered by a storm. Eventually, Kauai's chief swore allegiance to Kamehameha's rule. The unification ended the feudal society of the Hawaiian islands transforming it into a "modern", independent constitutional monarchy crafted in the tradition of European empires. For the full article, click here.