The document provides an overview of Maori society and culture before 1800, early European explorers and traders who arrived in New Zealand between 1642-1800, and the increasing contact and trade between Maori and Europeans from 1800-1840. It discusses how Maori society was organized around concepts of whanau, hapu and iwi, and how contact introduced new technologies, goods, diseases and conflicts. Missionaries arrived in 1814 aiming to convert Maori to Christianity, and Britain annexed NZ via the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 due to concerns over French interests and the need for a formal government presence.