The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight volcanic islands in the Central Pacific Ocean. For over 500 years, the islands were ruled by a Hawaiian royal family. While there is much to the history of the islands, a prominent figure is King Kamehameha |, known as King Kamehameha the Great. In the early 1800s, Kamehameha | united all the islands, bringing stability and peace during his region.
Through the 19th century, Hawaii slowly gained international recognization as an independent kingdom and created alliances with countries such as Great Britain and France. In the later years of the 19th century, the discovery of the islands to American businesses owners lead them to exploit the lands for cash crops like pineapple and sugar cane.
The influence of Westerners eventually lead to the colonization and annexation of the Hawaii Islands in 1893. The reigning monarch at the time, Queen Lili'uokalani, was convicted of treason and later sentenced to imprisonment in a room located in the 'Iolani Palace, the residence for the royal family. The bloodshed of Hawaiians on Janurary 17, 1893, signifies the colonization of land that once was Hawaii, which is now culturally and physically transformed by white businessmen and economic motives.