Connecting the Kingdom

Więcej o książce

In this groundbreaking work, Peter Mills uncovers the emergence of the Hawaiian nation-state through largely overlooked sources. He examines how early Hawaiian chiefs utilized Western sailing technology to develop their island nation, detailing the history of sixty Hawaiian-owned vessels, including schooners, brigs, barks, and peleleu canoes. Often dismissed as examples of folly, these ships played a crucial role in the evolving monarchy, facilitating transformations in interisland tributary systems, alliances, exchanges, and Indigenous capitalism. Part One explores broad trends in Hawaiʻi's maritime traditions, beginning with the evolution of Hawaiian archaic states pre-contact. Mills argues that Indigenous political intensification set the stage for Kamehameha I's appropriation of Western vessels. From the first Western-style ship acquired in 1790 to the constitutional monarchy's establishment in 1840, these vessels were integral to a strategy that diversified the monarchy's revenue and enhanced its international standing. Part Two delves into the histories of the sixty vessels, discussing their significance, origins, and purposes. Mills meticulously documents over 2,000 voyages, providing insights into the movement of chiefs and commoners as they built an interconnected Hawaiian nation. Part Three links these maritime stories to broader historical narratives of Hawaiian agency, offering readers engaging glimpses into the li