New Zealand is a country who first was settled by Polynesians from others islands. They were called Maori. They lived in clans and there were wars between Maori. The haka is the dance who was doing before the war and now before Rugby's matchs.

New Zealand was discovered by Europeans in 1769 and 1770 by James Cook who took his name for a mount and a detroit.

http://www.cmhg.gc.ca/cmh/book_images/high/v2_c3_s05_ss01_01.jpg

In 1788, the British government create New South Wales colony in Australia. After New Zealand was rattached to the colony. In 1841, the treaty of Waitangi defined a New Zealand colony. In the same years, there was a big european settlement from Ireland, United States and India.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Waitangi_Treaty-1-.jpg

New Zealand refused the Commonwealth but accepted the dominion in 1901.

http://commonwealthgames.ca/app/ImageRepository/1/Games/WORLD_COMONWEALTH_web.gif

New Zealanders forces were send in Europe in the First World War. New Zealand was hit by the Great Depression in the 1930s. In World War Two, they helped with Australia, United States in the fight against Japan Empire.