Auckland history

The first of many waves of Polynesian migrants are believed to have arrived in New Zealand over 1,000 years ago, but the Maori population was decimated following the arrival of Europeans in the 1820s. In 1840, the British bought land in the area from the local Maori tribe, for £55 and some blankets. Auckland was made the capital city of New Zealand, which it remained until 1865, when Wellington took over.