Prior to 1800 in New Zealand

The first humans are thought to have arrived in New Zealand from Polynesia some time around 1300 AD. The people, who later became known as Māori, eventually travelled to almost every part of the country. Their arrival had a significant impact on the local fauna, particularly the flightless birds such as moa.

The first recorded sighting of New Zealand by a European was by a crew-member of Abel Tasman's ship in 1642, although no landing took place. Some of the crew were killed in Golden Bay and there was no other contact with local Māori. Tasman only visited and mapped the north and north-west coast of the South Island and part of the west coast of the North Island and remained unaware of the insularity of New Zealand.

The next known visit by Europeans was in 1769 when James Cook arrived. Cook circumnavigated the country mapping the majority of both islands and making only two erroneous assumptions, Banks Island (Peninsula) and South Cape (Stewart Island). Cook had numerous meetings with Māori, helped by having aboard a Tahitian, Tupaia, whose language has many similarities with te reo Māori. Cook returned in 1773 and late 1774, and on his third voyage in 1777. Although relations with Māori were generally friendly, albeit with misunderstandings on both sides, on one occasion a number of his crew were killed and eaten.

In 1769, around the same time that Cook made his first visit, Jean de Surville also briefly visited New Zealand. Surville's encounters with Māori began amiably but ended badly, culminating with burning 30 huts and kidnapping a chief on his departure.

A few years later another Frenchman, Marion du Fresne, arrived. His visit also ended badly as du Fresne and some of his crew were killed and the remaining crew retaliated by killing a considerable number of Māori.

There were no more recorded visits for 20 years, although vessels unlicensed by the East India Company may have been deliberately vague about any activities in New Zealand waters. In the 1790s there were visits by scientists/explorers, sealers, flax/timber collectors and whalers. By 1800 the first foreign settlers were living in New Zealand, and Māori had begun to leave and return, upon which they shared their experiences of lands and people from other countries.