World History Timeline

Countries / Oceania

History of New Zealand

6 notable historical events in New Zealand, in chronological order.

War · 2Politics · 2Treaty · 1Exploration · 2Culture · 1

13th century

  1. c. 1250s – c. 1300s★★★★★

    Polynesian settlement of New Zealand

    Eastern Polynesian voyagers reached New Zealand by canoe, probably between about 1250 and 1300; their descendants developed Māori culture.

    ExplorationCulture· New Zealand

17th century

  1. November 1642 – December 1642★★★★★

    Abel Tasman reaches Tasmania and New Zealand

    The Dutch navigator Abel Tasman became the first known European to reach Tasmania and New Zealand.

    Exploration· Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands

19th century

  1. February 6, 1840★★★★★

    Treaty of Waitangi

    Representatives of the British Crown and many Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, New Zealand's founding document; differences between its English and Māori texts remain debated.

    TreatyPolitics· New Zealand, United Kingdom
  2. 1845 – 1872★★★★★

    The New Zealand Wars

    A series of armed conflicts between the colonial government and Māori iwi, chiefly over land and sovereignty, which led to large confiscations of Māori land.

    War· New Zealand, United Kingdom
  3. September 19, 1893★★★★★

    New Zealand grants women the vote

    New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world to give women the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

    Politics· New Zealand

20th century

  1. April 25, 1915★★★★★

    ANZAC landing at Gallipoli

    The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in the Allies' unsuccessful campaign against the Ottoman Empire; 25 April is now commemorated as Anzac Day.

    War· Australia, New Zealand, Turkey, United Kingdom
History of New Zealand · World History Timeline