What was established as a result of the Great Mahele in Hawaii?

What was established as a result of the Great Mahele in Hawaii?

• A. Acknowledge of commoners’ rights
• B. A system of tenant farming
• C. A return to feudal land distribution
• D. A creation of a monarch-controlled land system

Answer: (A)

The Great Mahele, which took place in 1848, fundamentally transformed land ownership in Hawaii by recognizing and formalizing the rights of commoners to own land. Prior to the Great Mahele, land was predominantly held by the Hawaiian monarch and chiefly classes. With the enactment of this land reform, the law allowed common people, or makaʻāinana, to claim parcels of land for themselves, which empowered them and granted them new rights to property ownership. This shift meant that for the first time, many commoners could legally own land, which was a significant move away from the traditional feudal system that predominately favored the ruling class. The legal acknowledgment of these rights enabled broader social and economic changes, as it provided the foundation for individual land ownership and reduced the absolute control held by the monarchy. The other options do not accurately reflect the main outcome of the Great Mahele. Tenant farming is not the primary result, nor was there a return to feudal land distribution or the establishment of a monarch-controlled land system following the reforms. Instead, the focus on recognizing the rights of commoners illustrates the progressive nature of the Great Mahele in reshaping land ownership in Hawaii.

The Great Mahele, which took place in 1848, fundamentally transformed land ownership in Hawaii by recognizing and formalizing the rights of commoners to own land. Prior to the Great Mahele, land was predominantly held by the Hawaiian monarch and chiefly classes. With the enactment of this land reform, the law allowed common people, or makaʻāinana, to claim parcels of land for themselves, which empowered them and granted them new rights to property ownership.

This shift meant that for the first time, many commoners could legally own land, which was a significant move away from the traditional feudal system that predominately favored the ruling class. The legal acknowledgment of these rights enabled broader social and economic changes, as it provided the foundation for individual land ownership and reduced the absolute control held by the monarchy.

The other options do not accurately reflect the main outcome of the Great Mahele. Tenant farming is not the primary result, nor was there a return to feudal land distribution or the establishment of a monarch-controlled land system following the reforms. Instead, the focus on recognizing the rights of commoners illustrates the progressive nature of the Great Mahele in reshaping land ownership in Hawaii.