Skip to main content

1893 One Hundred Years Ago

March 2023
1min read

Trouble in Paradise

Hawaii’s Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown on January 17 by a coalition of sugar speculators and missionaries (and some rogue Marines) who had felt compelled to act by the recent course of her government. Some 160 U.S. Marines who had been stationed nearby were recruited for the coup effort, but they joined the action only unofficially. Sanford Dole, who had lived most of his life in the Hawaiian Islands as the child of missionaries, had, before his election to the legislature in 1884, been part of the revolution of 1887 that established a constitutional monarchy. He now assumed temporary powers as head of the provisional government while the movement waited for the United States to proclaim its annexation of Hawaii.

Cooperation was slow in coming. President Cleveland opposed the move, and the revolution’s leaders had to wait for a change of government on the mainland to get what they wanted. When Cleveland requested that the group restore Queen Liliuokalani to power, Dole accused the President of attempting to meddle in Hawaiian politics. After establishing the Republic of Hawaii without U.S. government approval, on July 4, 1894, the group made Dole president until 1900, when the McKinley administration finally annexed Hawaii and named Dole the territory’s first governor.

We hope you enjoy our work.

Please support this 72-year tradition of trusted historical writing and the volunteers that sustain it with a donation to American Heritage.

Donate

Stories published from "February/march 1993"

Authored by: The Editors

Jno. Trlica’s photographs of Granger, Texas

Authored by: The Editors

The First Flight

Authored by: The Editors

Trouble in Paradise

Authored by: The Editors

Spring Forward, Fall Back

Authored by: The Editors

“Barnyard Marriage”

Authored by: The Editors

Swashbuckler

Authored by: The Editors

Enter Clean Gene …

Authored by: The Editors

… Exit LBJ

Authored by: Jill Jonnes

One man invented the modern narcotics industry

Authored by: John Steele Gordon

It opened fifty years ago and changed Broadway forever

Featured Articles

The world’s most prominent actress risked her career by standing up to one of Hollywood’s mega-studios, proving that behind the beauty was also a very savvy businesswoman. 

Rarely has the full story been told about how a famed botanist, a pioneering female journalist, and First Lady Helen Taft battled reluctant bureaucrats to bring Japanese cherry trees to Washington. 

Often thought to have been a weak president, Carter was strong-willed in doing what he thought was right, regardless of expediency or the political fallout.

Why have thousands of U.S. banks failed over the years? The answers are in our history and politics.

In his Second Inaugural Address, Abraham Lincoln embodied leading in a time of polarization, political disagreement, and differing understandings of reality.