Hawaii is a group of volcanic islands in the central pacific. It's known for its pineapples, beaches, and nice weather. Hawaii is an American state. But what if wasn't? What would happen if the US never annexed Hawaii. Read on to find out! Chapter One: Introduction Context Hawaii actally use to be an independent country. Hawaii was originally settled by Polynesians. The history of these early peoples is mostly unknown as they lacked a writing system. Recorded history began with Hawaii's first contact with the outside world in 1778, when British explorer James Cook made contact with the island. Shortly after the British arrived, King Kamehameha I conquered all of the islands and united Hawaii into a single kingdom for himself and his descendants. During the reign of monarchy, Europeans bought a bunch of land in Hawaii to set up sugar plantations and imported a large number of East Asian slaves to work on the plantations.