English and Hawaiian are listed as Hawai’i's official
languages in the state's 1978 constitution. Hawaiʻi
Creole English, locally referred to as "Pidgin", is the
first language of many native residents and is a
second language for many others. Despite its high
costs of living, Hawaii is the third-wealthiest state,
and people here have the longest life expectancy of
any U.S. state, at 80.7 years.
Hawai’i is among the most religiously diverse states in
the U.S., with one in ten residents practicing a non-
Christian faith, and it also has the largest Buddhist
community. Hawaiian religion, which was officially
suppressed in the 19th century, was kept alive by
some practitioners to the modern day.
Settled by Polynesians sometime between 1000 and
1200 CE, Hawai’i was home to numerous independent
chiefdoms. In 1778, British explorer James Cook was
the first known non-Polynesian to arrive at the
archipelago, followed by an influx of European and
American explorers, traders, and whalers, which
greatly reduced the indigenous population.
Hawai’i became a unified, internationally recognized
kingdom in 1810, remaining independent until
American and European businessmen overthrew the
Kamehameha monarchy in 1893; this led to
annexation by the U.S. in 1898. As a strategically
valuable U.S. territory, Hawai’i was attacked by Japan
on December 7, 1941, which brought it global and
historical significance, and contributed to America's
entry into World War II.
Hawai’i 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
Hawai’i's monarchic rule, which has spurred the
Hawaiian sovereignty movement and has led to
ongoing efforts to obtain redress for the indigenous
population.
National Hawai’i Day is observed annually on July 5th
to celebrate the 50th state and its unique heritage,
achievements, natural beauty, and history. Some
cultural influences, including the popularity of lūʻau
and hula, are strong enough to affect the wider
United States and even other countries.
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