Sharee Paat Period- 3 12-10-09 How Did Foreigners Influence Hawaiians? In January of 1778, Captain Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands. Many foreigners from around the world began to arrive, introducing many new things to the Hawaiians. Foreign influence brought trade to Hawaii, which gave Hawaiians metal and guns. Even though foreign influence had some positive effects on Hawaii, I believe that foreign influence had a negative impact on Hawaii because trade brought not only guns and metal, but it also led to famine, disease, debt, and the deaths and lessening of the Hawaiian population.
In 1778, Captain Cook and his men stopped in Hawaii during the Hawaiians season of Harvest. The Hawaiians believed that Cook was the God Lono. Captain Cook took advantage of this and began to trade with the Hawaiians. The Hawaiians wanted metal because it had some value as gold. Captain Cook traded iron nails with the Hawaiians, in exchange; the Hawaiians gave him 60 pigs per nail. The Hawaiian women slept with Cook’s men in exchange for nails, which led to the spread of diseases to the Hawaiians.
Captain Cook’s arrival had a negative influence on the Hawaiians because he took advantage of the Hawaiians’ resources by trading excessively and he allowed his men to spread venereal diseases to the Hawaiian women, spreading to many Hawaiians. Soon after Cook’s visit to Hawaii, many foreigners from around the world arrived to trade with Hawaiians. Many foreigners wanted to trade with the Hawaiians for their Sandalwood. Hawaiian chiefs commanded the commoners of Hawaii to cut down sandalwood trees after seeing all the good things they could trade it for, like billiard tables and guns.
All the Hawaiians’ labor was used to cut down sandalwood trees rather than growing and harvesting food for their families. This led to starvation and famine, killing many Hawaiians. The cutting of the sandalwood trees soon ended after the Hawaiians ran out of resources. Because there were no more sandalwood trees, the chiefs were unable to pay off their debts to foreign traders. Trade with foreigners had a negative effect on Hawaii because it led to famine, death, debt, and the destruction of their land.
Trade caused more problems to the Hawaiians than just famine and debt. Trade introduced alcohol to the Hawaiians, which they used to face with their problems caused by debt and death. Because the Hawaiians had nothing to eat, they turned to prostitution to help them get food and other necessities. The Hawaiian women sold their bodies and the men became sailors to attract people who would pay to sleep with the women. Prostitution increased the spread of diseases, killing more Hawaiians. Foreign influence caused diseases, debt, and deaths.
Therefore, foreign influence had a negative impact on Hawaii. Foreigners introduced many new things to the Hawaiian Islands such as; guns, iron, and trade. Although some of these changes made by foreign influence weren’t all that good, the Hawaiians learned more about foreigners and their way of life. Foreign influence had a negative impact on Hawaii which led to venereal diseases that killed hundreds of thousands of Hawaiians, debt, prostitution, alcoholism, the destruction of their homeland and poverty.
