Hawaii Island History

Hawaii is made up 8 islands that span across the Pacific Ocean. The islands are Kauai, Maui, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, and Niihau. Out of all the 50 states in america, Hawaii is the only state that grows coffee beans("Hawaii State Facts”). Hawaii has many key features to why people are drawn to the state. The history that holds the roots of Hawaii can create a story. The settlement of people and the changing climate of people can create a stir of wonder to many.

“The Hawaiian Islands were formed by such a hot spot occurring in the middle of the Pacific Plate”(US Department of Commerce, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Hawaii did not just form in one day. It took many years for the islands to become what they are now. Under

the surface of the earth, a hot spot was moving around and with the plate tectonics the ground started to shift. With a conveyor belt like system, the islands emerged, the farthest islands being the oldest and the youngest being near the hotspot.

“In the early 1960s, the related concepts of "seafloor spreading" and "plate tectonics" emerged as powerful new hypotheses that geologists used to interpret the features and movements of the Earth's surface layer”( Geology). Seafloor spreading and plate tectonics worked together, in act with the hotspot to make the Hawaiian islands. Before recent studies, the Hawaiian islands were known as the emperor chain. “Over a span of about 70 million years, the combined processes of magma formation, eruption, and continuous movement of the Pacific Plate over the stationary hot spot have left the trail of volcanoes across the ocean floor that we now call the Hawaiian-Emperor Chain”(Geology). The Island of Hawai'i was known as a huge change of motion due to the direction of plate movement. It is suggested by the bracketing the bend. “However, recent studies suggest that the northern segment (Emperor Chain) formed as the hot spot moved southward until about 45 Ma, when it became fixed”( Geology). Studies have shown that a by downstream motion of the hotspot, the northwesterly plate prevailed leading

to the formation of the hawaiian chain. Since the hotspot created the hawaiian islands, pushing them outward the southeasternmost part is over the hotspot, it is still feeding magma to it. Therefore making it active to its volcanoes. “With the possible exception of Maui, the other Hawaiian islands have moved northwestward beyond the hot spot-they were successively cut off from the sustaining magma source and are no longer volcanically active” (hawaiian history). The drift of the other islands moving northward is causing the point of the hotspot to dislodge making the magma flow from the other islands volcanoes to descend. Over the time span that it took to create the islands, settlers sprawled over to the islands calling it home.
Polynesians found themselves on the islands by using the stars as navigation. After the polynesians came across the islands, the first European to access the island was Captain James Cook. “Captain James Cook lands at Waimea Bay on the island of Kauai, becoming the first European to make contact with the Hawaiian Islands” ("Hawaiian History."). When Captain James Cook arrived at the Hawaiian islands, he soon after named the archipelago islands “sandwich” after earl sandwich. On the year of 1779, Cook was on the bay of Kealakekua when he was suddenly killed just a year after his arrival on the islands on 1778. The battle of Nuuanu that took place in 1795 was an important battle. It took place on the island of Oahu to unite the islands together. The battle of Nuuanu ends when King Kamehameha who a ruler who made a fortune, obliged a government on the islands of Hawaii and people saw his as a prize possession. With many people coming to the islands, other people ventured to the islands because of the rich environment in Hawaii.
Climate plays a key role in Hawaii.

Not only does it draw people into the island, It is home to many species of animals and vegetation. Many tropical commercial fruits are grown in Hawaii. Fruits like pineapple, bananas, guavas, mangoes, and limes are grown and harvest. An assortment of nuts are also grown in the rich soils of hawaii. There are many native wildlife on the islands. Species of rats, frogs and even sheep are happy to call the Hawaiian islands home, but many invasive species are taking over. “Hawai'i also struggles with the many invasive species which have been brought to the islands over the years. This primarily involves plant life, but is most noticeable in the animal populations” (Derrick, John C). Many residents are being driven out of their homes due to the invasive coqui. The coqui was brought over from Puerto Rico. Besides wildlife and vegetation, Hawaii has climate issues on its hands. Wind patterns in Hawaii has taken a turn for the worst. “A decrease in the frequency of northeast trade winds and an increase in eastern trade winds over the past nearly four decades. Northeast trade wind days, which occurred 291 days per year 37 years ago at the Honolulu International Airport, now only occur 210 days per year”( "Wind changes could affect Hawaii climate."). This problem can offset the natural occurrences in Hawaii. Climate change in Hawaii plays hand in hand. When one thing is not happening right, the rest of the chain gets messed up. When the wind

pattern is off, it throws of the waves which are essential. Also wind patterns are essential to clouds, which are a key factor for moisture in Hawaii. Without the proper cycle of wind patterns, can throw off everything. Climate is key to Hawaii.
Hawaii has many interesting concepts to why people are drawn to the islands, and how the islands were created. Hawaii was created by a hotspot and plate tectonics on the ocean floor. When the islands emerged from the ocean floor, people found themselves living there. When people are drawn to a specific place, animals and vegetation come as well. Vegetation and humans rely on Hawaii's climate to make ends meet. Food needs to grow to support all living organisms to live a satanstial lifestyle. When climate change gets thrown off, the cycle is off and things suffer. Hawaii has many spectacular features and history clinging to it. The islands make a great place to travel to or a place to settle down to. Traveling to the islands can be a fun experience with all the rich history and the eye catching land features.