1778 A British naval squadron commanded by Captain James Cook discovered the Hawaiian Islands.
1779 Cook was killed in an altercation with natives.
1791 Kamehameha unifies the islands under his rule.
1820 New England missionaries arrive on the island to disseminate christianity.
1893 Queen Liliuokalani is overthrown by a group of American residents.
1894 The Republic of Hawaii was established with Sanford Dole as President.
1898 Hawaii was annexed by the United states.
1900 A territorial government was established.
1909 Construction began on the Pearl Harbor naval base.
1941 The Japanese attack the naval base at Pearl Harbor sinking most of the American battleships there.
1959 Hawaii is admitted to the Union.
2008 Hawaiin native Barak Obama elected President