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Kalākaua forced to sign the Bayonet Constitution

When
1887
Where
Hawaiian Kingdom
Episodes
2

In 1887, anti-monarchists prepared a constitution to strip the Hawaiian monarchy of authority. Known as the Bayonet Constitution, it was signed by King Kalākaua under duress from an armed militia. The document transferred power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people, initiating a decline in royal power.

Episodes

  1. 1887 · Hawaiian KingdomSigning of the Bayonet Constitution

    King Kalākaua was forced by an armed militia to sign the 1887 Constitution or be deposed, stripping the monarchy of authority.

  2. 1887 · Hawaiian KingdomDisenfranchisement and Political Control

    The constitution's voting requirements and cabinet appointments allowed the Hawaiian League to seize complete control over the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Background and detail

Background. The 1887 Constitution was prepared by anti-monarchists to strip the absolute Hawaiian monarchy of much of its authority. It initiated a transfer of power to a coalition of American, European, and native Hawaiian people. The Hawaiian League and Americans had developed a vast majority of the Hawaiian Kingdom's wealth, setting the stage for political conflict.

Constitutional Changes. The new constitution followed modern liberal principles, replacing the king's absolute veto with one that two-thirds of the legislature could override. It attempted to limit profligate spending, particularly regarding Iolani Palace. Significant changes to voting requirements included income or property thresholds for the upper house, effectively disenfranchising many subjects.

People involved

Sources

  1. 1887 Constitution of the Hawaiian Kingdom Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-25
  2. Kalākaua Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-22

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.