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1200 BCE
Polynesian Immigrants
A new wave of Polynesian immigrants arrived, and then the migration abruptly halted, possibly due to rising seas or conflicts. -
1200 BCE
Tahitian priests
Tahitian priests, led by Paao, arrived and established the Kapu system, a caste-based social structure. -
450 BCE
Voyaging to the Hawaiian islands
Polynesians from the Marquesas began voyaging to the Hawaiian Islands. -
420 BCE
Oldest known archeological evidence
Oldest known archeological evidence of humans in Hawaii found at South Point on the Big Island. Fishing lures from this period suggest early human activity in Hawaii. -
Keaunni
Keaunui, a chief, is said to have cut a navigable channel near Pu’uloa to improve access for canoes. -
James cook arrives
Captain James Cook arrived in Hawaii. He met King Kahekili of Maui and King Kalaniopu’u of the Big Island. Cook was eventually killed during a conflict on the Big Island. -
King Kahekili died
King Kahekili died, leading to power struggles among his sons. -
Kamehameha
Kamehameha ceded the Big Island to Great Britain in exchange for armaments.