This first exhibit of Eia Hawai‘i: 1819 – 1841 explores the events in Hawai‘i and New England before missionaries first arrived in Hawai‘i in 1820. Within a period of fifty years, Hawai‘i had experienced a dramatic transition from geographic isolation to playing a pivotal role as a provisioning stop for growing Western trade and colonial exploration, a shift that profoundly impacted the indigenous culture and practices of the islands. The islands were unified for the first time by Kamehameha I. During that same fifty years in New England, Americans declared independence from Great Britain, fought the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, while economic, cultural and political change accompanied a passionate spiritual awakening.
These changes set the context for the intersection of the two worlds: the first company of missionaries’ arrival in Kona. What were challenges and opportunities for Hawaiians at that time, particularly the ali‘i? What motivated their actions and decisions? What drove the missionaries to board the Thaddeus for Hawai‘i? What were their aspirations?

Explore the timeline below that shows the chain of events in Hawai‘i and New England.
