Analysis of The Last King of Hawaii

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David Kalakaua, also known as the Merrie (or merry) Monarch, was the last king of Hawaii. He was elected as king, and during his reign, he tried to reclaim Hawaii from foreign control, along with travelling the world, raising awareness and knowledge of Hawaii, before dying in 1891.
Before Kalakaua, the king was King Kamehameha V. He died on December 12, 1872, and left no successor. The Hawaiian Kingdom’s constitution declared that, in this case, the legislature would appoint a new one. In this vote, the two main candidates were Kalakaua and a man named William Lunalilo. Lunalilo was more popular and closer related to Kamehameha V, and his goal was to give the Hawaiians more say in the government. Kalakaua, on the other hand, wished for Hawaiians to be in power, not foreigners, and for independence. In this first vote, Lunalilo won with a massive majority.
On February 3, 1874, Lunalilo died, and once again there was an election. The two main contenders in this election were Kalakaua and Queen Emma, the wife of Kamehameha IV. Upon his victory, many supporters of Emma rioted, requi...

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