1. On August 14, 1813, Kamehameha I, leader of the Kingdom of Hawaii, passed away. Kamehameha I, also known as Kamehameha the Great, united the Hawaiian Islands under one ruling monarchy, creating the Kingdom of Hawaii.

2. The USS Akron, a United States Navy airship, crashed off the coast of Hawaii on August 14, 1933. The Akron, one of the largest airships ever built, was on a test flight when it encountered severe weather conditions and crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Of the 76 crew members on board, only three survived.

3. August 14, 1945, marked the day that Japan officially surrendered to the Allied Powers, ending World War II. The surrender was signed aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, with General Douglas MacArthur representing the Allied Powers and Japanese officials representing Japan.

4. On August 14, 1959, Hawaii officially became the 50th state of the United States. This was the culmination of a long process that began in the late 19th century when Hawaii was annexed by the United States.

5. In 1971, a group of Native Hawaiian activists occupied the island of Kahoolawe, which had been used by the United States military as a bombing range. The occupation lasted for years, and the island was eventually returned to the state of Hawaii in 1994. August 14 is celebrated as Kahoolawe Day in Hawaii, in recognition of this important environmental and cultural victory.