"Islands and Empires "was first published in 1976. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions. This is the first one-volume account of the massive impact of Western civilization on the Pacific Islands and the Far East, principally China and Japan. The effects on the two areas were very different since, in the case of the islands, contact was with peoples who were still in the Stone Age, while in the Far East Westerners came up against sophisticated civilizations more ancient and mature than their own. Because of these differences, the book is divided into two sections, the first dealing with the Pacific Islands and the second with the East Asian mainland. Reverse influences--those of the Eastern cultures on the West--are also discussed.
Hawaii has been referred to as the crossroads of the Pacific. This book illustrates how many world cultures and customs meet in the Hawaiian Islands, providing a chronological overview highlighted by extracts from important works that express Hawaii's unique history. This work starts with chronological chapters on general and ancient Hawaiian history and continues through early Western contact, the 19th century, and Hawaii's annexation to the United States. Topics include politics, religion, social issues, business, ethnic groups, and race relations.
Compiled and annotated by David W. Forbes Volume 3 comprises entries recording the last years of the rule of Kamehameha III, the reigns of Kamehameha IV, Kamehameha V, and Lunalilo, and the first seven years of the Kalakaua era. During this period government was firmly established as a constitutional monarchy; the 1864 constitution of Kamehameha V increased the power of the monarch and remained in effect until 1887. Following the successful negotiation by the Kalakaua government of a reciprocity treaty with the United States in 1875, Hawai'i experienced great prosperity. At the same time, however, it came under increasing economic and social domination by American interests. As in the first two volumes, all books, pamphlets, single-sheet publications, and significant periodical articles have been included. Extensive annotations describe the more than 1,200 works listed, and the exact title, date of publication, size of the volume, collation of pages, number and type of plates and maps, references, and location of copies are given for each publication.