Treaty Signed: New Zealand Becomes British Colony
Britain and Māori chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi, transforming New Zealand into a formal British colony while guaranteeing Māori land rights and sovereignty. This agreement established the legal framework for European settlement but immediately sparked decades of conflict over land ownership and governance that still shape modern New Zealand politics.
February 6, 1840
186 years ago
Key Figures & Places
United Kingdom
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New Zealand
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Treaty of Waitangi
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Treaty of Waitangi
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New Zealand
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Waitangi Day
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National day
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Día festivo
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1970
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1840
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Māori people
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Couronne (Commonwealth)
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Histoire de la Nouvelle-Zélande
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British Empire
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British
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