Hawaii, The Aloha State

by Sandra Merville Hart

 Hawaii’s nickname is The Aloha State. The Hawaiian word ‘aloha’ means love, peace, and compassion. It is also used as a greeting and a goodbye.

Of the 136 Hawaiian Islands, people live on only 7, which are: Oahu, Maui, Hawaii (The Big Island,) Kauai, Nihau, Lanai, and Molokai.

Hawaii’s early history

Many believe that the first people to arrive in Hawaii came from eastern Polynesia and may have traveled over 2,000 miles in long catamaran-style canoes.

Captain James Cook, British explorer, came to Hawaii in 1778. The native Hawaiians were friendly at first. In 1779, Cook was killed.

Diseases brought by North American and European visitors killed many islanders, who had no immunity.

Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1900.

Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor

Early in the morning on December 7, 1941, Japanese fighter planes killed over 2,000 American soldiers and destroyed almost 20 vessels in a surprise attack on an American naval base at Pearl Harbor.

This attack plunged the United States into World War II.

Hawaii becomes a state

Hawaii became a state on August 21, 1959. The capital is Honolulu.

Kilauea began erupting in 1983 and is still erupting!

Kilauea began erupting in 1983 and lava still flows from this volcano daily — enough to cover a two-lane road for twenty miles! It has destroyed 181 homes, a visitor center, a community center, a church, and a drive-in since 1983.

No one knows when Kilauea will stop erupting, but some geologists estimate it may continue for another hundred years!

Hawaiian time zone

Hawaiian Standard Time is the state’s own time zone. They don’t change clocks for daylight savings time.

Pacific Standard Time is two hours behind Hawaii’s time zone, an important fact when planning a visit.

Other fun facts about Hawaii

Only 12 letters make up the Hawaiian language.

It is the only state that grows coffee.

It is the widest state measuring east to west.

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaii (Big Island) contains two of earth’s most active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa.

U.S. Olympic swimmer Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, Hawaiian-born, competed in four Olympics. He won three gold medals and two silver medals.

 

Sources

Gutman, Bill. The Look-It-Up Book of the 50 States, Random House, 2002.

“Hawaii,” History.com, 2016/06/25  http://www.history.com/topics/us-states/hawaii.

“Hawaii,” State Symbols USA, 2016/06/25  http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/states/united-states/hawaii.

“Hawaii Facts and Trivia,” 50 States.com, 2016/06/25  http://www.50states.com/facts/hawaii.htm.

Nielsen, Kristian. “How many Hawaiian Islands are there?” Honolulu Hi 5, 2016/06/25 http://www.honoluluhi5.com/blog/how-many-hawaiian-islands-are-there/.