Hawaii Admitted to the Union
Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States on August 21, 1959, marking a significant moment in both American and Hawaiian history. Initially settled by seafaring Polynesians, the islands experienced transformative changes with the arrival of European explorers like Captain James Cook in 1778, followed by American merchants, missionaries, and whalers throughout the 19th century. The annexation of Hawaii by the United States in 1898 established American control over the archipelago's economy and government. Despite its rich cultural heritage and the impact of Western colonization, the native Hawaiian population faced significant decline. The path to statehood began with the grant of territorial status in 1900, but it wasn't until 1959 that the movement gained momentum, culminating in a successful plebiscite where citizens overwhelmingly supported statehood. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's signing of the Hawaiian Statehood Proclamation confirmed Hawaii's admission to the Union. The event is now celebrated annually on the third Friday in August, underscoring its importance in the state's identity and history.
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Hawaii Admitted to the Union
Hawaii Admitted to the Union
Hawaii became the 50th state of the United States on August 21, 1959.
Captain James Cook of the British navy was the first European to visit Hawaii, reaching the Pacific archipelago in 1778. Many other Westerners followed, including a large number of American merchants, missionaries, and whalers who migrated to the islands in the 19th century. The United States eventually gained control of Hawaii's economy and government, and annexed the islands in 1898.
Consisting of over 100 islands formed by volcanic eruptions, Hawaii is located approximately 2,400 miles west of San Francisco, California. Hawaii, Oahu, Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Kauai, and Niihau are the major islands. Honolulu, the capital city, is on the island of Oahu and is by far the state's biggest population center.
Seafaring Polynesians, probably from Tahiti, first settled the islands. The arrival of Westerners, however, devastated the native Hawaiian population, which has been reduced to a fraction of its former size. Today, Hawaii is polyglot mixture of cultures with mainland, native Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipinos, Japanese, and other ancestries.
The United States Congress granted Hawaii territorial status in 1900. In 1919 Congress considered a bill that would grant the islands statehood. This proposal failed, however, and 40 more years passed before the advocates of statehood achieved success. On March 12, 1959, the United States House of Representatives completed congressional action by passing the Hawaiian Statehood Bill, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill on March 18, 1959. The citizens of Hawaii ratified the act by a margin of nearly 17 to 1 at the June 27, 1959, plebiscite, and on July 28 they elected their first state governor, senators, and representatives. President Eisenhower brought the long process to its culmination by signing the Hawaiian Statehood Proclamation, which officially admitted the new state to the Union on August 21, 1959. The American flag was accordingly redesigned to contain its present field of fifty stars. The third Friday in every August is now a Hawaiian state holiday in order to commemorate the event.