RISE OF KAMEHAMEHA

 

I.  Background

         A.  Born in Kohala (~1758)

                  1.  descent from ÔUmi

                  2.  his real parents:

                           a) Keōuakupuapāikalaninui (father)

                           b) KekuÔiapoiwa (mother)

                  3.  foster parents:  KahaÔōpulani & NaeÔole

                           a) AlapaÔinui & the kahuna's prediction

                           b) raised as PaiÔea until age 5

         B.  Early experiences

                  1.  raised by KalaniÔōpu'u

                  2.  trained by KekūhaupiÔo

                  3.  overturned the Naha stone

                  4.  meets Captain Cook

II.  Kamehameha's Rise to Power

         A.  Events of 1782

                  1.  KalaniÔōpuÔu dies

                           a) KīwalaÔō -- political heir

                           b) Kamehameha -- care of KūkāÔilimoku

                  2.  KīwalaÔō fails to KālaiÔāina

                           a) two sides:

                                    -- KīwalaÔō, Keōua, KeawemaÔuhili  [east]

                                    -- Kamehameha & Five Kona "Uncles"  [west]

                                             -- KekūhaupiÔo

                                             -- Keaweaheulu

                                             -- KeÔeaumoku

                                             -- twins: KameÔeiamoku & Kamanawa

                           b) Battle of MokuÔōhai  -- KīwalaÔō is killed

                  3.  Hawaii Island = 3 kingdoms

                           a) KeawemaÔuhili = Hilo, Puna, Hamakua       

                           b) Keoua = KaÔu, Puna 

                           c) Kamehameha = Kona, Kohala, Hamakua 

         B.  Peace & Trade (1786 - 1789)

                  1.  foreign fur traders

                  2.  armament race

                  3.  KaÔiana

         C.  Metcalfe Incident (Jan. 1790)

                  1.  Simon Metcalfe --Eleanora

                           a) HonuaÔula, Maui

                           b) Olowalu Massacre

                  2.  Thomas Metcalfe -- Fair American

                           a) KameÔeiamoku's revenge

                           b) Isaac Davis

                           c) Lopaka

                  3.  Eleanora at Kealakekua Bay -- leave John Young

         D.  Battle of Kapaniwai on Maui (Spring 1790)

                  1.  KeawemaÔuhili joins Kamehameha

                  2.  Kamehameha vs. Kalanikūpule

                  3.  ÔĪao Valley

         E.  Visit to Molokai (1790)

                  1.  reconcile with Kalola

                           a) widow of KalaniÔōpuÔu

                           b) sister of Kahekili

                           c) mother of KīwalaÔō & Liliha

                  2.  Keōpūolani (daughter of Liliha & KīwalaÔō)

                  3.  messenger to Kahekili

                  4.  soothsayer of KauaÔi

         F.  Keōua on the Big Island (1790)

                  1.  kills KeawemaÔuhili

                  2.  plunders Kamehameha's lands

                  3.  Kilauea crater erupts

         G.  Kepūwahaulaula -- Hawaii's fist naval battle (Spring 1791)

                  1.  Kahekili w/ Mare Amara

                  2.  Kamehameha w/ Young & Davis

         H.  PuÔukoholā heiau (Summer 1791)

                  1.  invites Keōua for peace talks

                  2.  Keōua killed by KeÔeaumoku & sacrificed

III.  Interlude of Peace & Foreign Alliances

         A.  Honolulu Harbor "discovered" (1793)

                  1.  Capt. William Brown

                  2.  "Fair Haven"

                  3.  deal with Kahekili

         B.  Capt. George Vancouver visits (1794)

                  1.  "ceded" Hawaii to Britain

                  2.  alliance with Kamehameha

                  3.  helps build Britannia

IV.  Final Acts of Conquest

         A.  Death of Kahekili (1794)

                  1.  divided kingdom

                           a) Kalanikūpule = Oahu

                           b) KāÔeo = Kauai, Maui, Molokai, Lanai

                  2.  Kamehameha conquers Maui, Molokai, Lanai (1795)

         B.  Battle of NuÔuanu (April 1795)

                  1.  KaÔiana deserts & joins Kalanikūpule

                  2.  Oahu warriors driven over Pali

                  3.  Kalanikūpule captured & sacrificed

         C.  KauaÔi

                  1.  attempts to conquer

                           a) first in 1796 --> peleleu canoes swamped

                           b) second in 1804 --> epidemic struck warriors

                  2.  negotiated peace w/ KaumualiÔi (1810)

                           a) Nathan Winship

                           b) death of Isaac Davis

 

 

 

Think/Write Question

Do you think Kamehameha was able to unite the Hawaiian islands because he used foreign weapons and advisors? Is this the only way to explain his success? What else might have factored into his rise to power?