Quiz of the Day
Hawaii: The 50th State
Friday, 21 August 2026
On August 21, 1959, Hawaii became the 50th US state — explore the islands, Polynesian culture, volcanic geology, and Pacific history
1. On what date did Hawaii officially become the 50th US state?
- January 3, 1960
- August 21, 1959
- March 18, 1959
- June 2, 1958
Hawaii became the 50th US state on August 21, 1959, just 7 months after Alaska became the 49th. Both were admitted in 1959 in a package deal to balance political representation — Alaska leaned Republican and Hawaii leaned Democratic. Hawaii was the last contiguous expansion of the US states and the only state located entirely outside North America and in the tropics.
2. How many main islands make up the Hawaiian archipelago?
- 12
- 6
- 137
- 8
Hawaii has 8 main islands: Hawaii (the Big Island), Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau, and Kahoolawe. However, the Hawaiian archipelago stretches over 2,400 km and includes 137 islands, islets, atolls, and shoals. The chain was formed as the Pacific tectonic plate moved slowly over a stationary 'hot spot' in Earth's mantle — progressively creating new islands, with the Big Island being the youngest and most geologically active.
3. What volcano on Hawaii's Big Island is considered the most active in the world?
- Haleakalā
- Kīlauea
- Mauna Kea
- Mauna Loa
Kīlauea has been erupting almost continuously since 1983 — one of the longest eruption sequences in recorded history. It regularly adds new land to the Big Island as lava flows into the ocean. The 2018 eruption was particularly destructive, destroying 700 homes and creating a 1.6 km wide lava channel. Hawaiians consider Kīlauea the home of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes, fire, and creation.
4. What is the name of the traditional Hawaiian navigation technique that guided Polynesian voyagers across the Pacific?
- Wayfinding
- Horizon navigation
- Star mapping
- Celestial cartography
Polynesian wayfinding was one of the most remarkable navigation achievements in human history. Using star positions, ocean swell patterns, bird behavior, wave reflection off islands, and cloud formations, Polynesian navigators traversed the Pacific in double-hulled canoes (waka hourua) without instruments. The Polynesian Voyaging Society's Hōkūleʻa canoe, relaunched in 1975, proved these techniques still work by sailing from Hawaii to Tahiti using only traditional methods.
5. What is the significance of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in World War II history?
- It was where the Pacific Fleet was established in 1910
- Japan's attack on December 7, 1941 brought the US into WWII
- It was the base from which the atomic bombs were launched
- It was where the peace treaty with Japan was signed
Japan's surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 — which FDR called 'a date which will live in infamy' — killed 2,403 Americans and drew the US into World War II. The USS Arizona, which sank during the attack with 1,177 crew members aboard, still lies at the bottom of Pearl Harbor and slowly leaks oil called 'black tears' — visible on the water surface. It's an active Navy tomb, not just a memorial.
6. Hawaiian is a Polynesian language. How many letters are in the Hawaiian alphabet?
- 22
- 26
- 18
- 13
The Hawaiian alphabet has only 13 letters: 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and 8 consonants (h, k, l, m, n, p, w, ʻ — the last being the ʻokina, a glottal stop). This makes Hawaiian words sound very melodic and vowel-heavy. The word 'Hawaii' itself should technically be spelled 'Hawaiʻi' with an ʻokina. Hawaiian was nearly extinct by the 1980s but a remarkable revitalization movement has brought it back to schools and daily life.
7. What is Mauna Kea's remarkable distinction regarding world's tallest mountains?
- Measured from its ocean floor base, it's taller than Mount Everest
- It's the closest mountain to the Sun due to Earth's equatorial bulge
- It's the only mountain that spans two tectonic plates
- It's the tallest volcano on Earth
Mauna Kea on the Big Island measures 4,207 meters above sea level, but from its base on the ocean floor, it's 10,210 meters tall — taller than Mount Everest's 8,849 meters. Most of the mountain is underwater. Mauna Kea's summit is also among the world's best sites for astronomical observation — above 40% of Earth's atmosphere and in the Pacific's clear, dry air, making it home to 13 major observatories.
8. What is hula, and what was its original purpose in Hawaiian culture?
- A form of martial arts
- An entertainment form for tourists
- A sacred art form preserving oral history, spirituality, and cultural knowledge
- A competitive sport between islands
Hula is a complex dance form accompanied by chant (mele) or song (oli) that served as Hawaii's oral library — preserving genealogies, legends, historical events, and spiritual knowledge. It was suppressed by Christian missionaries after 1820 who considered it immoral. King David Kalākaua — known as the 'Merrie Monarch' — revived hula in the 1880s despite missionary opposition. Today's annual Merrie Monarch Festival in Hilo is the Olympics of hula.
9. The Hawaiian concept of 'aloha' means more than just hello and goodbye. What does it encompass?
- It only means hello in formal contexts
- An expression of gratitude for food and hospitality
- A life philosophy involving love, peace, compassion, and presence
- A formal greeting only used with elders
The word 'aloha' breaks down as: alo (presence, face), ha (divine breath of life). In Hawaiian philosophy, aloha embodies a complete worldview — living in harmony with others and nature, sharing, being present, showing kindness. The 'Aloha Spirit' is actually enshrined in Hawaii state law (Hawaii Revised Statutes §5-7.5), which defines it as 'the coordination of mind and heart within each person.'
10. What percentage of Hawaii's flora and fauna are found nowhere else on Earth?
- About 20%
- About 70%
- Over 90%
- About 50%
Over 90% of Hawaii's native species are endemic — found nowhere else on Earth. Hawaii is considered the endangered species capital of the United States, with more extinctions per square mile than anywhere else. Because the islands are so remote (the world's most geographically isolated land mass), species that arrived evolved in isolation for millions of years into entirely unique forms. The Hawaiian honeycreeper birds evolved from a single finch ancestor into over 50 species.
11. What is the Hawaiian Islands' closest geographic neighbor among the US states?
- Oregon
- Alaska
- Washington
- California
California is the closest US state to Hawaii, approximately 3,900 km (2,400 miles) away. Hawaii is the most geographically isolated population center on Earth — 3,855 km from California and 6,200 km from Japan. This extreme isolation shaped everything: its unique ecology, Polynesian settlement history, and even modern infrastructure challenges (nearly all goods must be shipped or flown in).
12. King Kamehameha I united the Hawaiian Islands under a single monarchy. When did he accomplish this?
- 1750
- 1840
- 1810
- 1795
Kamehameha I — known as 'Kamehameha the Great' — began his military campaign to unify the islands around 1782 and completed unification in 1810 when the islands of Kauai and Niihau voluntarily joined the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was reportedly a physically imposing leader known for strategic brilliance. He also benefited from being among the first Hawaiians to use European muskets and cannons, giving him decisive military advantage.
13. What is the primary environmental threat to Hawaii's coral reefs?
- Overfishing only
- Runoff from sugar cane plantations
- Anchor damage from tourism boats
- Ocean warming and acidification from climate change
Hawaii's coral reefs — covering about 85% of all US coral reef area — are under severe stress from climate-driven ocean warming. When water gets too warm, corals expel their symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae), turning white in a process called bleaching. Without the algae, corals starve. Hawaii experienced devastating mass bleaching events in 2014, 2015, and 2019. Ocean acidification (from absorbed CO2) further weakens coral skeletons.
14. What does 'poke' (the popular food) mean in Hawaiian?
- Raw seafood salad
- Fresh fish
- Ocean harvest
- To slice or cut crosswise
Poke (pronounced POH-kay) literally means 'to slice or cut crosswise' in Hawaiian — referring to the method of preparation. Traditional Hawaiian poke used reef fish seasoned with sea salt, seaweed, and kukui nut. The version with ahi (yellowfin tuna) and soy sauce reflects Japanese immigrant influence. Poke has become a global food trend, though Hawaiians are sometimes bemused by mainland versions piled with toppings they'd never use.
15. What was the cause of the collapse of native Hawaiian population after European contact?
- Introduction of European diseases to which Hawaiians had no immunity
- Warfare with European settlers
- Famine due to disruption of traditional agriculture
- Forced labor under plantation systems
When Captain James Cook arrived in Hawaii in 1778, the native Hawaiian population was estimated at 300,000–500,000. By 1900, only about 29,000 ethnic Hawaiians survived — a 90%+ population collapse driven almost entirely by introduced diseases including measles, influenza, smallpox, and sexually transmitted diseases. This catastrophic depopulation is sometimes called the 'Great Dying' and is one of history's most devastating epidemiological disasters.