WI Hawaiian Island 7-10 times bigger

I should have been clear about what I meant about the word "discovery" (specifically, the foundation/discovery distinction), because what I wrote above sounds pretty stupid otherwise.
 
There are, in OTL, a bunch of microcontinents across oceans. Mascarene Plateau, topped by Seychelles. Kerguelen Plateau. New Zealand. Madagascar. Plus, we know there were others in geological past, like the accreted terranes that can be found along US west coast.

Suppose that a microcontinent winds up in middle Pacific. Smaller than Cuba, thus smaller than North Island of New Zealand. But not purely basalt volcano edifice like Big Island of Hawaii - featuring old granite mountains, low hills and plains, and long low-gradient river valleys.

Will it be devoid of mammals like New Zealand?

It will not do a big change in ocean currents and climate. New Zealand North Island casts only a small rain shadow and does not disrupt the zones of climate.

The Polynesians will find it - like they did OTL Hawaii. But will they domesticate any native plants? Maori did not, and made do with sweet potato, where it grew.

Now, compared to OTL New Zealand, OTL Hawaii had a more diverse subsistence base and was wealthier. How big were the biggest unified chunks of New Zealand compared to Big Island of Hawaii?

In 16th century, Spaniards started crossing.

But out of the 400 or so Manila Galleons that sailed between 1565 and 1778, not a single one discovered Hawaii. Without any exception, they passed west well south of the isles and east well to the north of Midway.

Between Big Island and Kauai, the islands are mountainous. It is not easy to sail through a channel without seeing land on one or both sides.

An ATL Hawaii could be considerably bigger and still be safely contained in a butterfly net till 1778.
 
Very true. The general problem of all geographical PODs. In this case, however, what about "septupling" the landmass of the whole archipelago? Hence we add some islands and enlarge the existing ones? Unlike a Cuba-like landmass, this should have a smaller effect on climate and oceans?

well, part of the problem is Enlarging them. Taking Erosion, time and volcanic activity, the best way to increase the Size of all the islands, would be to Make the Hotspot more active, and Produce more lava.
However, unless the Hotspot makes massive islands, possible but somewhat unlikely, they will shrink as they move away from the spot.

so maybe under the right condition, Ni'ihau and Kauai could be the size of the OTL Maui, Maui Nui still Exist rather than Eroding apart, and the Big Island is roughly the size of Cuba.

Well, earlier discovery would be quite possible IOTL as well. On the other side, even a larger landmass not necessarily has to be discovered earlier by the Europeans if it's isolated from the other polynesian islands.

Hawaii always was isolated from the Other Polynesian islands.
depending on the way the island is expanded, and I personally think it's an over all enlargement, it may be easier to notice the island and the Spanish, going from the Philipines to Spanish America, might notice it.

I should have been clear about what I meant about the word "discovery" (specifically, the foundation/discovery distinction), because what I wrote above sounds pretty stupid otherwise.

It is somewhat understandable.
sense most of the Members here are Europeans or from the Mainland, they would Consider it to be "Discovered" when one of their own arrive.

living on the Island in question, now that gives you a very different view on things.
 
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Will it be devoid of mammals like New Zealand?

In OTL, Hawaii has only One Native Mammal.
A Bat.
Common theory is that the Bat was some how caught up in a Windstorm and blown to the Islands.

there really is no Safe way for other Mammals to reach the Islands safely.


The Polynesians will find it - like they did OTL Hawaii. But will they domesticate any native plants? Maori did not, and made do with sweet potato, where it grew.

nit pick, our Native/Endemic plants are largely unsuitable for eating.
the Settlers had to bring all there own Food crops from the other Polynesian islands.

Now, compared to OTL New Zealand, OTL Hawaii had a more diverse subsistence base and was wealthier. How big were the biggest unified chunks of New Zealand compared to Big Island of Hawaii?

well, before Kamehameha the great came along, there was Puna, Kona, Kohala, Hamakua, and Ka'u.

so using this as a base:

district-map-hawaii2.gif


just combine the Konas and the Kohalas, and that's about right.

But out of the 400 or so Manila Galleons that sailed between 1565 and 1778, not a single one discovered Hawaii. Without any exception, they passed west well south of the isles and east well to the north of Midway.

there is a theory that the Hawaiians once saw a Spanish Galleon that had been beaten off course, but there is little proof backing it up.

however, there's this:

getfile.php


With a larger Big island, it is Possible that the Spanish could, I don't know be blown off course and end up closer to the Island.
a bit of a strech, but quite possible.
 
Seems there are three questions here:

1) Is the OP -- larger island, settled by polynesians, isolated thereafter until James Cook -- plausible? The answers here have ranged from calls of ASB to claims of plausibility; I'm in the latter camp, but then I did post the thread here...

2) Assuming a positive response to the previous question, what sort of climate, polynesian culture, and the like, would develop on this island? Some good answers here, the island is sounding somewhat similar to New Zealand...

3) And this is the question I'm really curious about now -- under the same assumption, what would happen after Cook found the island? With the island itself, but also how that would affect the rest of the world?

All this seem about right? As to the third question:

I'd think Britain would like to add it to the Empire, seeing as it could prove sufficiently self sustaining; in effect, it'd be a lot like New Zealand's conquest. OTOH, this would take a little time, and the US would arrive on the scene in the meantime; and with the profits of the Old China Trade, they may take exception. So you might see a rebellion, similar to the Maori revolt, with support from the USA.
 
Seems there are three questions here:

1) Is the OP -- larger island, settled by polynesians, isolated thereafter until James Cook -- plausible? The answers here have ranged from calls of ASB to claims of plausibility; I'm in the latter camp, but then I did post the thread here...

on this one, I'm on the Fence.
It's Quite possible for a Blown off course Galleon to stumble upon the larger islands.
It's also completely possible that it remains Unseen by Europeans until the 1770s.

2) Assuming a positive response to the previous question, what sort of climate, polynesian culture, and the like, would develop on this island? Some good answers here, the island is sounding somewhat similar to New Zealand...

this largely depends on How many Volcanos form the Islands too.
however, I don't see too much variation from OTL.

as for the Polynesians, I don't think it will change very much.
in an interesting little note, I think it is quite possible that the Outer Islands Unite while the Big Island remains fractured.

3) And this is the question I'm really curious about now -- under the same assumption, what would happen after Cook found the island? With the island itself, but also how that would affect the rest of the world?

Part of it Depends WHEN he shows up.

OTL, he just so happened to show up during a Makahiki, and was mistaken for a God.
if he doesn't...might get Violent.

He might side with one of the stronger chiefs in an effort to unite the island, possible, but maybe unlikely.

and I don't really see the US getting involved.
 
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