A Brief New Zealand History Timeline
What is the history of New Zealand? New Zealand History is a young country that has few centuries of history. It is located in the Pacific Ocean, 1,500 km southeast of Australia, from which it is separated by the Tasman Sea. Because of their remote situation, “modern” man was slow to discover and colonize their lands.

Origin of New Zealand History
Origin New Zealand History: One of the most curious legends about the origins of New Zealand and the arrival of the Maori in New Zealand tells how Kupe, a fisherman from Wawaiki, common land of the Polynesians, discovered the islands for his insistence on chasing an octopus that did not stop eating his bait. He baptized them with the name of Aotearoa, “long white cloud”, because this is the first image that appears before the navigator from the high seas. Thus, around the tenth century, the traditions of the warm islands of the South Seas were transplanted into a cold and rough land, with snow-capped peaks and rugged coasts.
The commitment that New Zealanders have acquired since its origins for the preservation of their natural heritage is very old: their first national park, which was the fourth in the world, has been protected since 1892.
More than 15% of its territory has been declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) a World Heritage Site, and one of the Maori sacred sites, Tonganro, was the model chosen by this body to create and define the figure of cultural landscape.
- Continent: Oceania.
- Area: 267.844 km².
- Capital: Wellington.
- Population: 4,926,521 inhabitants.
- Currency: New Zealand dollar.
Official Languages of New Zealand
Official Language of New Zealand: English and Maori: 92% of New Zealanders have English as their mother tongue. For Maori (related to Tahitian and Hawaiian), out of about 300,000 Maori, only 40,000 speak it fluently. The History of New Zealand.
When New Zealand was Discovered
Abel Tasman Timeline: The islands of New Zealand were discovered by the Dutch navigator Abel Tasman in 1642..
But Tasman, faced with the terrible hostility shown by the Maori who inhabited the islands, did not dare to enter them. It was not until 1769 that the British James Cook explored them. The History of New Zealand.
At the end of the eighteenth century the archipelago was visited by whaling ships and factories were established on its coasts.

Colonization of New Zealand History
The colonization of New Zealand began from 1838,coinciding with the creation of the New Zealand Company.
To get out of the way of French pretensions, Britain signed in 1840 with the Maori the Treaty of Waitangi, which guaranteed possession of the territory to the Indians in exchange for recognition of British sovereignty. The breach of this treaty by the English was the cause of the Maori wars (1845-47, 1860-69), which decimated the Aboriginal population. The History of New Zealand.
The colony depended on New South Wales(Australia)until 1852, when it was granted an autonomous Constitution. From 1860 the discovery of gold attracted numerous emigrants. The History of New Zealand.
The History of New Zealand Timeline
A Brief History of New Zealand Timeline: They are Polynesians (from the Society Islands, the Cook Islands, Eastern Polynesia …) who first gained a foothold in New Zealand, between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries. Nomadic, then sedentary, they established Maori culture. The tribes (iwi) were subdivided into clans (hapu) and kinships (whanau). Clans and tribes clashed over available resources. The History of New Zealand.
The Maori were a few tens of thousands probably as early as the fifteenth century. In 1642, the Dutchman Abel Tasman (1603-1659) explored the west coast of the country (which he named Staten land). The History of New Zealand.
In 1769, the British James Cook (1728-1779) drew up a survey of all the coasts; its naturalists crunch the fauna and flora. In the years that followed, many European ships cruised in New Zealand waters. Whalers and sealers are conducting successful campaigns there. Some trade relations were established with the Maori. Europeans settled permanently: convicts escaped from Australia, deserter sailors, missionaries, adventurers… They are the first Pakeha; there would be about 2,000 in 1830.
Their status in Maori society is contrasted (slave, advisor…). Firearms introduced into a few tribes cause internecine wars, known as Musket Wars. They cease when, everyone being equipped with telescopes, the powder deterrent is in place. The Franco-English rivalry in the region pushed the British crown to formally take possession of the country. The History of New Zealand.
On February 6, 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in the Bay of Islands between Captain William Hobson and representatives of the iwi. Auckland was chosen as the capital of the new colony (Wellington, founded in 1839, replaced it in 1865). The European population, mainly of British origin, is growing rapidly. But the encroachments of the settlers and a different, but peremptory, notion of ownership on both sides will be at the origin of clashes with the Maori (1845-1872). The authority of the traditional chiefs clashed with that of the colonial administration. Diseases, probably more than battles, halved the Maori population (whereas in 1870 the Pakeha population had grown to 250,000 people). The History of New Zealand.
In 1854, a first Parliament of New Zealand was convened and the colony gained partial autonomy. The liberal party in power then carried out profound social reforms: women’s right to vote (1893), Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Law (1894), retirement savings (1898)… Maori are associated with political life. As in Argentina, modern refrigeration techniques are opening up new horizons for meat production. In 1907, New Zealand became an independent dominion.
After assisting England in the Boer War, the dominion supported it during the First World War and then during the Second. Meanwhile, the Great Depression has put the country at a spree; the period saw the birth of the welfare state and the installation of economic protectionism. By 1947, New Zealand was fully independent. Fifties are a period of economic recovery. The History of New Zealand.
The sixties and seventies transform society like everywhere else. Meanwhile, maori abandoned the countryside to settle in the city, in a context of both acculturation and demand. This movement makes it possible to raise the question of Maori identity at new costs. To take stock of the violations of the 1840 treaty, a court was set up. The elements of Maori modernity are gradually being brought together. During the 80s, the socio-economic structure of the country underwent a liberal turn.
Religions of New Zealand History
60% of New Zealanders confess Christianity (Anglicans, Catholics, Presbyterians…). Then come Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam… The ancient Maori religion survives mainly in syncretic forms, mixed with Christianity (Ratana, Ringatu…). A quarter of the population says they do not belong to any religion. The History of New Zealand.

History Of New Zealand Flag
History of New Zealand Flag: On 12 June 1902, the Blue ln sign, the British naval flag, flew into the Maori territory of New Zealand. The archipelago, discovered by Dutch sailor Abel Tasman in 1642, is located more than 1,500 km off the southeast coast of Australia, in the South Pacific. The History of New Zealand.
On the current flag of New Zealand, the Union Jack (British flag), located in the canton of the national flag, indicates New Zealand’s membership in the Commonwealth. It is also a reflection of its former direct dependence on the British royal crown.
To differentiate itself from its Australian neighbor, the Southern Cross, a constellation visible from this region of the Pacific and which is usually composed of five celestial stars, has only four stars here. The white trim around the stars was added to make them more visible. The History of New Zealand.
British colonization, which began in 1838, had proved conflictive. Although the Polynesian people had revealed themselves, the Maori wars had not been able to stop the imperialist process. History of New Zealand Flag.
In 1907 this territory, made up of two large islands (the North Island and the South Island), became a British domain. In 1947 independence was proclaimed and the same New Zealand national banner was maintained. The History of New Zealand.

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