Source V I, Liliuokalani, by the grace of God Queen of the Hawaiian Islands, do hereby solemnly protest against the seizure of my government by armed men cl...

This question asks how reliable Queen Liliuokalani's formal protest is as evidence about the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893. Reliability questions require you to evaluate the source's content against known facts, consider the author's purpose and position, and weigh both the strengths and limitations of the evidence.

What the source tells us: Queen Liliuokalani's protest, submitted in January 1893, describes the overthrow as carried out by "American sugar planters" with support from marines from the USS Boston. She states that she surrendered not to the conspirators but to the "superior military force of the United States," and she appeals to the American government to reverse the injustice. She draws a powerful parallel, noting that Americans "themselves overthrew a king in the name of self-government."

How far the source is reliable:

• The key facts Liliuokalani describes are confirmed by historical evidence. American sugar planters led by Sanford Dole and Lorrin Thurston organised the coup. The USS Boston was in Honolulu harbour, and marines were deployed ashore. The queen did surrender under protest.
• President Grover Cleveland later commissioned the Blount Report, which investigated the overthrow and concluded that it was illegal, recommending that the monarchy be restored (though this never happened).
• The source has unique authority as a firsthand account from the person most directly affected by the events.

Limitations of the source's reliability:

• As the deposed ruler, Liliuokalani had a clear personal and political interest in presenting events in the most favourable light for herself. She portrays herself as an entirely innocent victim of foreign aggression.
• She does not mention that some elements within Hawaii, including some Native Hawaiians, had opposed her attempt to strengthen royal power through a new constitution. The planters justified their actions partly by citing concerns about political instability.
• The protest is a diplomatic document designed to persuade the American government to act, so it is framed for maximum emotional and moral impact rather than neutral description.

How to reach the highest marks:

• Level 1 (1-2 marks): Simple statement such as "it is reliable because she was the queen" or "it is biased."
• Level 2 (3-5 marks): Uses source details - identifies claims about the planters, marines, and the appeal to American principles - with some comment on reliability.
• Level 3 (6-7 marks): Critical evaluation that weighs the source's factual accuracy (confirmed by independent evidence like the Blount Report) against its clear partisan perspective. A top answer would note that the source is both reliable and limited: reliable in its factual claims about how the overthrow occurred, but one-sided in omitting any context that might complicate the queen's position.

Remember that "reliable" does not mean "unbiased." A biased source can still contain reliable information. The best answers distinguish between what the source tells us reliably (the mechanics of the overthrow) and where its perspective limits its completeness (the internal Hawaiian political context).