Summary
Say "Aloha!" to Queen Lili'uokalani, the last monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii. She spent her short reign fighting to protect Hawaii's independence. But she was overthrown in a coup by a group of local businessmen, who wanted to make Hawaii part of the United States. Hawaii was an independent kingdom long before it became a state. But under the rule of Lili'uokalani's brother, King Kalākaua, a group of wealthy sugar planters grew more and more powerful. After Lili'uokalani took the throne, she tried to restore the monarchy's strength. But the sugar planters, along with other wealthy allies, overthrew her government. With the backing of the U.S. Ambassador, they declared themselves the new government of Hawaii. To avoid violence, the queen stepped down. Eventually, the U.S. annexed Hawaii. But Lili'u never stopped fighting for her people! Even today, she is a hero to many Hawaiians. Press "play" to learn more about Hawaii's last queen!
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Teaching resources
Discussion questions
A few questions to talk through after watching Queen Lili’uokalani:
- What is one new thing you learned about queen lili’uokalani?
- Can you explain it to a partner in your own words?
- Where might you see this in the real world?
- What is one question you still have?
Quick work-a-long
Try it:
- Write one sentence explaining queen lili’uokalani.
- Draw or give one example of your own.