Which state was once an independent kingdom?

Hawaii is the only U.S. state that was once a kingdom with its own monarchy. From 1810 to 1893, Hawaii was an independent kingdom, ruled by King Kamehameha I and his successors, including David Kalakaua, the last king of Hawaii. It was formally annexed by the United States in 1898, became a territory in 1900, and was admitted to the Union as a state in 1959. The state of Hawaii is made up of eight main islands—Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, and the Big Island of Hawaii—and is America’s 50th state.

A statue of King Kamehameha stands in front of Honolulu’s Judiciary Building. Hawaii was an independent kingdom before it became America’s fiftieth state.