Sixth Grade
Worksheets
Hawaiian Holiday
King Kamehameha Day
Reading Comprehension for June 11
Eight islands in the Pacific Ocean are part of the United States. They are Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lânaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui, and Hawaiʻi.
A single king, King Kamehameha [KUH-may-HA-may-HA] the Great, united these islands in 1816. He called them the Kingdom of Hawaii. Then he had a flag made to represent Hawaii. He died three years later, but the kingdom stayed together. On June 11, 1872, the king's great grandson, Kamehameha V (the Fifth), declared the date King Kamehameha Day -- a holiday to honor his great grandfather, the first ruler of the United Hawaiian Islands.
How did Hawaii become one of the United States of America? The last ruler of Hawaii was removed from the throne in 1893. In 1894, Hawaii was established as the Republic of Hawaii; the people elected a president. In 1900, Hawaii became a U.S. territory. Nearly sixty years later, in 1959, America welcomed Hawaii as the fiftieth state of these United States of America. Hawaii's nickname is the Aloha State.
That Hawaiian king is the only king honored with a holiday in the USA! The people of Hawaii celebrate with luaus, pageants, and songfests. Tall statues of the king are decorated with flower leis [LAYZ].
The Hawaiian alphabet has only twelve letters. They are as follows:
