Hawaii is a U.S. state in the Western United States, composed entirely of islands, and the only state in the tropics. Hawaii is also one of a few U.S. states to have once been an independent nation.
Settled by Polynesians some time between 124 and 1120, Hawaii was home to numerous independent chiefdoms. The British explorer James Cook was the first known non-Polynesian to arrive at the archipelago, in 1778; early British influence is reflected in the state flag’s design. An influx of European and American explorers, traders, and whalers arrived shortly thereafter, introducing diseases that decimated the once isolated indigenous community. Hawaii became a unified, internationally recognized Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810, remaining independent until Western businessmen overthrew the monarchy in 1893 as the Provisional Government of Hawaii and was replaced by the Republic of Hawaii; this led to annexation by the U.S. as the Territory of Hawaii in 1898. As a strategically valuable U.S. territory, Hawaii was attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941, which brought it global and historical significance, and contributed to America’s decisive entry into World War II.
Hawaii is the most recent state to join the union, on August 21, 1959. In 1993, the U.S. government formally apologized for its role in the overthrow of Hawaii’s government, which spurred the Hawaiian sovereignty movement.
Articles
- Big Blue 1840-1940: Classical Stamps of Hawaii
- Philatelic Database: Hawaii – A Classic Bogus Issue
- Untold Lives: Female royalty on Hawaiian definitive Postage Stamps, 1864-1893
Blogs
Dealers
- Hawaiian Philatelic Society – @HawaiianStamps
Websites
- Hawaii Philatelic Society
- Hawai’i Post
- Hawai’i Postcard Club
- United States Possessions Philatelic Society
YouTube
- Postal History Symposium 2020: Government Post in Hawaii: Creation and Reform (1849 – 1859)
- Stamp Chats: Collecting Hawaii – How to Get Started
