What significant land reform occurred in Hawaii in 1848?

The Great Mahele, enacted in 1848, was a pivotal land reform in Hawaii that fundamentally altered land tenure in the islands. Prior to the Great Mahele, land in Hawaii was traditionally held in a communal system under the Ahupua'a system, which divided lands from the mountains to the ocean and allowed for sustainable management of resources by local populations.

The Great Mahele aimed to transition from this communal land system to a more private ownership structure. It formalized the allotment of land to chiefs, the king, and commoners, with the intent of increasing personal property rights and enabling land ownership among Hawaiian citizens. This reform led to the establishment of Kuleana land, which allowed individuals, particularly native Hawaiians, to claim land for their personal use and cultivation.

By redistributing land in a way that recognized private ownership, the Great Mahele made significant changes to the socio-economic structure of Hawaii, eventually leading to a mix of native and foreign ownership of land and complicating the status of native land rights. Thus, this reform was significant in shaping the future of land use and property rights in Hawaii.