1900s

• Queen Victoria dies
• New Zealand graduates from a colony to a dominion
• Growing demand for land results in huge clearances of bush for housing
• Maori population starts to recover from introduced diseases and land wars
• The car, train and trams encourage development of suburbs

1910s

• WW1 gives birth to the ANZAC legend
• A brief economic boom until the Depression begins
• More than half New Zealanders live in urban areas
• Movies begin and aero planes take to the air.

1920s

• New Zealand economy falters into the Great Depression
• Urban drift continues
• Large areas of native forest felled and exotic forests planted
• Rebirth of Maori culture and Maori leaders
• Family benefit begins
• Fashions bring greater freedom for New Zealand women

1930s

• Full effect of the world-wide depression felt
• Rising unemployment leads to frustration and poverty
• Relief camps for the unemployed
• Start of WW2 in 1939

1940s

·        New Zealand troops fighting in Europe and the Pacific until 1945

·        Post-war the country starts to rebuilt

·        Farming transformed by aerial topdressing and tractors

·        Immigrants from Europe arrive

·        The Baby Boom beins

1950s

• Population passes 2 million mark
• The Queen visits
• Edmond Hillary conquers Everest
• Union problems erupt on the waterfront
• New Zealand has highest living standard in the world

1960s

• National Party dominates New Zealand politics
• Dams built and natural gas discovered
• TV dominates the countries living rooms
• Pop groups reflect social change
• Public disapproval of the Vietnam War
• Becoming aware of environmental issues – Lake Manapouri

1970s

• Oil prices increase inflation and unemployment
• Opposition to Vietnam and French nuclear testing
• Maori land rights issues raised at Bastion Point and Raglan

1980s

• Population growth slows but unemployment grows
• New Zealand becomes nuclear free
• 1987 stockmarket crash
• Treaty of Waitangi issues become pivotal political issues

1990s

• Inflation under control but high unemployment
• Ist woman prime minister and 100 years of women’s suffrage