This section discusses the multiple causes of the New Zealand Wars, from land, contest for sovereignty and/or the influx of new settlers.
Background Causes The 'background causes' of the New Zealand Wars have been much discussed by historians. For the purposes of this website, we have suggested four areas of discussion amongst which the issue of background causes can be located. 1 The contest for...
Native Peoples The first settlers to New Zealand were Māori people, thought to have originally migrated here from Eastern Polynesia. When Māori first arrived is uncertain. Archaeologist Janet Davidson suggests around 800AD. This is now the generally accepted date of...
New Settlers from Britain As Keith Sinclair has argued, the New Zealand Wars came about because new settlers from Britain had arrived in New Zealand. New Zealand was first settled by Europeans from Australia and Britain in the 1790s. New Zealand's first 'English...
The Treaty Signed The Treaty of Waitangi was signed on 6 February 1840, between the British Crown and Māori. About forty chiefs signed at Waitangi. Copies of the Treaty document were thereafter taken around New Zealand for further Māori signatures. About 500 Māori...
Causing Wars Wars come about for many reasons. Some of those reasons are 'general' or 'background' in nature, such as, in the case of the New Zealand Wars, issues of land competition, the pressures of immigration and differences in political perceptions. The New...
The Musket Wars 'Warfare was endemic in Māori society; it was an integral part of the Māori political system'. So writes Angela Ballara in her prodigious study of the musket wars, Taua - 'Musket Wars', 'Land Wars' or 'Tikanga'? Warfare in Māori Society in the Early...
Overview of the New Zealand Wars - Danny Keenan's essay on the Te Ara website Te Ara is the New Zealand government's awesome National Electronic Encyclopedia and is a treasure trove of information about New Zealand. To see an overview of the New Zealand Wars written...