History
New Zealand is the youngest country in the world. The country of New Zealand was the last major landmass to be discovered on the face of this planet. As a result the history of New Zealand is relatively short when compared with other countries and continents.
According to Maori, the first explorer to reach New Zealand was Kupe. He used the ocean currents and the stars to navigate from Polynesian to New Zealand or Aotearoa (land of the long white cloud) approximately 1000 years ago. It took nearly 800 more years before the first European set foot on New Zealand soil. By then Maori had established a significant tribal (iwi) based society throughout the country. Today there are many ancient ruins of Maori Pa (or fortified villages) scattered throughout the New Zealand countryside.
The first European who is known to have sighted New Zealand was the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642. However, the first Europeans didn’t set foot on New Zealand until 1769. In 1769 English explorer Captain James Cook, and his ship the Endeavour, landed in New Zealand. Captain Cook circumnavigated the country and accurately mapped almost the entire coastline. After Cook “re-discovered” New Zealand, numerous European and North American trading and whaling ships arrived. From the early nineteenth century Christian missionaries ventured to New Zealand and began to settle – converting many of the Maori population to Christianity.
One of the most important dates in New Zealand’s history is the 6th of February 1840. It was on this date that the Treat of Waitangi was signed. The Treaty of Waitangi is an agreement between the British Crown and Maori. It established British law in New Zealand, while at the same time guaranteeing Maori rights over their land and culture. The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi is regarded as New Zealand’s foundation as a nation and today is a national holiday.
New Zealand became a self-governing colony of the British Empire in 1856. In 1865 Wellington was appointed New Zealand’s capital due to its harbour and central location, the parliament became officially based there from 1865. Today Wellington is still the political hub of New Zealand and home to the Beehive – an iconic government building.
In 1893 New Zealand became the first nation in the world to grant women the right to vote. In 1907 New Zealand became an independent Dominion and a then fully independent nation in 1947 when the Statue of Westminster was eventually ratified – although in practice Britain had ceased to play any real role in the government of New Zealand much earlier than this.
New Zealand is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and still has many close links with Britain. In principal, Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State in New Zealand with the Governor General of New Zealand acting on behalf of the Queen. New Zealand has been involved in most military engagements alongside Britain including the Boer War, World War I and World War II.