Kalakaua (November 16, 1836 - January 20, 1891), born David La`amea Kamananakapu Mahinulani Naloiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalakaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch, was the last king and penultimate monarch of the Kingdom of Hawai`i. Succeeding Lunalilo, he was the last elected monarch of Hawaii. He reigned from February 12, 1874 until his death in San Francisco, California, on January 20, 1891.
Within a year of Kalakaua's election, he helped negotiate the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875, a free trade agreement between the United States and Hawaii, that allowed sugar and other products to be exported the US to be duty free. He led the Reciprocity Commission consisting of sugar planter Henry A. P. Carter of C. Brewer & Co., Hawaii Chief Justice Elisha Hunt Allen, and Minister of Foreign Affairs William Lowthian Green. Kalakaua became the first reigning monarch to visit America. The state dinner in his honor hosted by President Ulysses S. Grant was the first White House state dinner ever given. Many in the Hawaii business community were willing to cede Pearl Harbor to the United States in exchange for the treaty, but Kalakaua was opposed to the idea. A 7-year treaty was signed on January 30, 1875, without giving away any Hawaiian land. San Francisco sugar refiner Claus Spreckels became a major investor in Hawaii's sugar industry, initially buying half of the first year's production, and ultimately being the major shareholder in the plantations. Spreckels became one of Kalakaua's close associates. At its expiration, an extension of the treaty was negotiated, giving exclusive use of Pearl Harbor to the United States. The ratifications of both parties took 2 years and 11 months, and were exchanged on December 9, 1887, extending the agreement for an additional 7 years. Over the term of Kalakaua's reign, the treaty had a major effect on the kingdom's income. In 1874, Hawaii exported $1,839,620.27 in products. The value of exported products for 1890, the last full year of his reign, was $13,282,729.48, an increase of 722%. The exportation of sugar during that time period went from 24,566,611 pounds to 330,822,879 pounds.
What was the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875?
he helped negotiate the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875, a free trade agreement between the United States and Hawaii, a free trade agreement between the United States and Hawaii, that allowed sugar and other products to be exported the US to be duty free. a free trade agreement between the United States and Hawaii, that allowed sugar and other products to be exported the US to be duty free. a free trade agreement between the United States and Hawaii, a free trade agreement between the United States and Hawaii, that allowed sugar and other products to be exported the US to be duty free.
a free trade agreement between the United States and Hawaii, that allowed sugar and other products to be exported the US to be duty free.