The Treaty Of Waitangi was signed on 6th February 1840. The treaty was signed by about 40 chiefs on the 6th of Feb and by the end of the year about 500 other had signed copies of the treaty.
On 21st of May 1840, William Hobson announced that he had become the leader of the North Island as the Maori had given up their rights and signed the Treaty of Waitangi. He also became the leader/owner of the South Island as he discovered it.
Europeans and Maori clashed in the Wairau Valley in June 1843. Local Māori had denied selling land in the valley to the New Zealand Company. When a group set out to arrest them, a musket went off, killing Te Rangihaeata’s wife. Up to five more Māori were killed; 22 Europeans were killed, including 13 who had surrendered, in revenge for the Māori deaths.
Hone Heke attacked the British flag at Russell, four times between July 1844 to March 1845. He thought the flag looked like the Maori had lost their country to the British. This surprised the British but did not change or affect and trading.
During the 1950's and 60's the government took ownership of a lot of unused Maori land which the Maori thought was very unfair.
In 1960 Waitangi day was declared as a national day of thanksgiving. Not a public holiday. In 1974 this changed and was pronounced as New Zealand day. A public holiday for New Zealanders.
During the 1970's and 80's protests regularly occurred. This was because Maori, Non Maori and the government all had different views of what the treaty ment.
The Waitangi Tribunal was set up in 1975. This was to make sure that was was agreed in the treaty was carried out.
In 1975, Whina Cooper organised for 30,000 people to march with her from the far north all the way to parliament in Wellington to protest over the loss of Maori land. This march made the government stop and think about what was in the treaty. To this day the government regularly visit the treaty because of Whina Cooper's march.
In 1976 New Zealand day was re-named to Waitangi day. To this day on the 6th of February we have a public holiday to mark this event in New Zealand history.
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