HONOLULU (KHON2) — Today, Jan. 20, is the United States Presidential Inauguration. Set months after the election, it originally was meant to give states and Congress enough time to count votes and for the president elect to travel to Washington D.C. to take the helm of the federal government.

But what is a republic, the entity for which soldiers pledge their lives and our state governments continue to adhere to? And what does it mean to Hawaiʻi?

Before we move into what a republic is, let’s explore three terms that have very particular definitions but that are used interchangeably with the risk of blurring the lines.

A state is a region with its own government, laws and control over its territory. For example, Hawai‘i is a state within the United States, with its own local laws and officials.

The United States is also considered a state because it is a political entity with its own government, laws, and control over its territory. Just like Hawai‘i is a state within the U.S., the U.S. itself is a sovereign state made up of 50 states. It has its own national government, which creates laws, manages national defense, and handles foreign relations.

The difference is that while states like Hawai‘i have power over local matters, the national government of the U.S. handles broader issues affecting all the states, like national defense and international policies. So, the U.S. is a country-state.

A nation is a group of people who share a common culture, language, history and identity. Nations can be spread across many states, or one nation can form a state.

A country is a recognized political entity with borders and a government. A country is often made up of several states or regions. For example, the United States is a country made up of 50 states.

So, while Hawaii is a state, it is not a country. And while Native Hawaiians are a nation, they are neither a state nor a country. The Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, before it was illegally overthrown by U.S. industrialists, was a state, a country and a nation.

What is a federal republic?

A federal republic is a type of government where the country is divided into regions or states that share power with a central national government.

In this system, the people elect leaders to represent them both at the national level and at the regional or state level. In the United States, the 50 states along with our give territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Washington D.C.) come together to form a federal republic.

In a federal republic, power is divided between the national government and the individual states. While the central government handles issues that affect the entire country, each state has its own government that manages local matters.

The leaders at both levels are elected by the people to serve their needs and protect their rights.

The United States of America is a federal republic; and the people in each state, including Hawai‘i, have the right to vote for their leaders and influence decisions made at both the state and national levels.

Hawai‘i is a special place in the U.S. because it is an island state in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. But like every other state, Hawai‘i is part of the United States through a process where independent states come together to form a union called the United States of America.

Each of the 50 states and five territories, including Hawai‘i, has its own government with its own constitution and laws. While Hawai‘i follows the laws set by the national government in Washington, D.C., it also has its own local state and county governments.

These governments make rules and policies that are separate from the federal government, which allows Hawai‘i to manage its own affairs and meet the needs of its residents.

The history of Hawai‘i becoming a state

Hawai‘i became the 50th state in the United States on Aug. 21, 1959. Before that, Hawai‘i was an independent kingdom. Then, in 1893, U.S. industrialists illegally overthrew the Kingdom; and Hawaiʻi became a U.S. territory.

It wasn’t until 1959 that the people of Hawai‘i voted to become a state. Once Hawai‘i joined the United States, it became a full member of the union, just like the other 49 states.

However, even after becoming a state, Hawai‘i still keeps some of its independence through its state constitution and laws.

What is a State Constitution?

Each state in the United States, including Hawai‘i, has its own constitution. A state constitution is like a rulebook for how the state will be governed.

It sets up the state government and describes the rights of the people who live there. For example, Hawai‘i’s state constitution lays out how the state will have a governor, a state legislature and a state court system, just like the national government has a president, Congress and the Supreme Court.

However, Hawai‘i’s constitution is different from the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Constitution sets the rules for the national government, while Hawai‘i’s constitution is about the state’s government and local laws.

Just like every other state, Hawai‘i can make laws that work best for its people; but it must also follow the rules set by the U.S. Constitution since the state signed on to become a part of the republic.

Can the President, Congress or the Supreme Court change Hawai‘i’s constitution?

Even though Hawai‘i is part of the United States, the national government does not have the power to change Hawai‘i’s constitution or take over its government.

Here’s a look at what each part of the national government can and cannot do:

Can the President change Hawai‘i’s constitution?

No, the President of the United States cannot change Hawai‘i’s constitution. The President’s job is to lead the country, but the President does not have the power to control the laws or government of any individual state.

Each state, including Hawai‘i, has the right to govern itself and make its own laws. The President can only make decisions that affect the entire country, such as handling national defense, managing foreign relations and making sure federal laws are followed.

But if a state’s laws break the rules set by the U.S. Constitution, the Supreme Court may step in.

Can Congress change Hawai‘i’s constitution?

No, Congress, which is the national lawmaking body, also cannot change Hawai‘i’s constitution.

Congress makes laws for the entire country, but it does not have the power to change or control the constitutions of individual states like Hawai‘i.

However, Congress can pass laws that apply to all the states, such as laws about civil rights or education.

States must follow these national laws, but they can still keep their own constitutions and local laws as long as they don’t violate the U.S. Constitution.

Can the U.S. Supreme Court change Hawai‘i’s constitution?

The U.S. Supreme Court cannot directly change Hawai‘i’s constitution either. The role of the Supreme Court is to make decisions about whether laws and actions follow the U.S. Constitution.

If a law in Hawai‘i goes against the U.S. Constitution or violates the rights of the people, the Supreme Court can rule that the law is unconstitutional.

This means that the law cannot be enforced, but the Supreme Court doesn’t have the power to change Hawai‘i’s constitution.

Instead, the Court just ensures that laws across the country, including in Hawai‘i, follow the rules set by the U.S. Constitution.

Can the National Government breach Hawai‘i’s borders or take control?

Hawai‘i is a state with its own borders, and the national government cannot simply take control of those borders.

Hawai‘i has the right to govern itself; and the national government cannot change that unless something serious happens, like a federal emergency or conflict.

However, the U.S. government can make certain rules that affect Hawai‘i, such as national security measures or federal laws that apply to all states. But these rules do not change Hawai‘i’s right to control its own government.

The importance of state rights

The idea that each state, like Hawai‘i, has its own rights is part of what’s called federalism. Federalism is the system where power is shared between the national government and the state governments.

While the national government handles things like national defense, trade between countries and making laws that protect citizens, states like Hawai‘i can make their own decisions on many important issues like education, health care and local laws.

This system of federalism is important because it allows states to keep their unique cultures, economies and needs while still being part of a larger country.

In Hawai‘i, this means the state can protect its traditions and ways of life while also being connected to the rest of the United States.

Hawai‘i, like the other 49 states, is part of a republic called the United States of America. While Hawai‘i joined the union in 1959, it still keeps its own government and constitution.

The national government, including the President, Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court, cannot change or control Hawai‘i’s constitution or state borders.

The power of the national government is balanced by the rights of individual states like Hawai‘i, which are protected by the U.S. Constitution.

This system allows each state to govern itself while still being part of the larger country.

Hawai‘i’s state constitution ensures that the people of Hawai‘i have control over their local government, and it is an important part of what makes Hawai‘i unique within the United States.