What was New Zealand's first name?
What was New Zealand's first name? In 1642 Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to discover New Zealand, calling it Staten Land. In 1645, Dutch cartographers renamed the land Nova Zeelandia after the Dutch province of Zeeland. British explorer James Cook subsequently anglicized the name to New Zealand.
Why did Britain Colonise New Zealand?
Britain was motivated by the desire to forestall the New Zealand Company and other European powers (France established a very small settlement at Akaroa in the South Island later in 1840), to facilitate settlement by British subjects and, possibly, to end the lawlessness of European (predominantly British and American) ...