Hawaii is located in the outer tropics and is part of the Polynesian cultural area. Its climate is mild and balanced. Along with English, the Hawaiian language is an official language of the US state. The earliest evidence of settlement is evidenced by archaeological finds that point to the 4th century AD. They may have been Polynesians who came from the Marquesas (French Polynesia). Another wave of immigrants is said to have come from Bora Bora in the 11th century. British navigator James Cook landed on the island of Kaua’i in 1778. From 1810 Hawaii was a kingdom. The monarchy was overthrown in a coup in 1893 and the Republic of Hawaii was established in 1894. This republic only lasted until 1898, when Hawaii was annexed by the United States. This takeover of power met with resistance from many locals. From June 14, 1900, the US territory received an American administration. After World War I, Pearl Harbor became the most important US naval base in the Pacific. The US entered World War II on December 7, 1941 with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Asian and American immigration made Hawaiians a minority in their own country, and on August 21, 1959, a referendum made Hawaii the 50th state in the United States. Check topschoolsoflaw.com for brief history of the state of Hawaii.