The Constitution of 1852 served as the Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi from 1852 through 1864. It was passed during the reign of King Kamehameha III. It heavily liberalized the structure of the Hawaiian government compared to the previous 1840 constitution, introducing new elements of democracy into the government and reducing the influence of the monarch in kingdom affairs.
The 1852 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi was divided into seven parts.
The seven parts were:
1. Declaration of Rights
2. Form of Government
3. Of the Executive Power
- a. Section I: The King, His Prerogatives
- b. Section II: Of the Kuhina Nui
- c. Section III: Of the Privy Council
- d. Section IV: Of the King's Ministers
- e. Section V: Of the Governors
4. Of the Legislative Power
- a. Of the House of Nobles
- b. Of the House of Representatives
5. Of the Judiciary
6. General Provisions
7. More Amending of the Constitution
The Declaration of Rights stated that the Hawaiians were a free people.
The Form of Government stated that Hawaiʻi was a Constitutional Monarchy.
The section "Of the Executive Power" declared the powers of the executive power.
The section "Of the Legislative Power" declared the powers of the legislative power.
The section "Of the Judiciary" declared the powers of the judiciary.
The General Provisions stated anything unmentioned earlier besides the amending power.
The final section allowed for amending of the constitution.
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“The back meets the front.”
—Hawaiian saying no. 2650, ‘lelo No’Eau, collected, translated, and annotated by Mary Kawena Pukui, Bishop Museum Press, Hawaii (1983)