Settlers from Southeast Asia
Tongan language is one of the oldest in Polynesia and has helped preserve Tongan culture
Complex society with skilled navigators and seafarers, using stars to guide them
Islanders travelled vast distances on canoes and established trade networks with other islands
Advanced agriculture techniques, growing yams, taro and breadfruit. Also reliant on fishing
Social structure around chiefdoms and royalty. Kings known as Tu’i Tonga
From the 500s, Tonga developed as a central hub of Polynesian culture and trade
Interaction with other major Polynesian islandsm including Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island. Beliefs and customs were spread as well as goods
Claimed divine ancestry and worshiped natural forces as gods (sea, earth and sky)

Luis Vaez de Torres (of Spain) was the first European to site the islands in 1606 and English Captain James Cook visited in 1773 and 1777, noting the people’s hospitality and naval skills
The Tu’i Tonga was weakening around this time and smaller chiefdoms arising.
Christian missionaries began arriving in the 1820s converting chiefsdoms to the western religion. King Tupou I himself also converting
Tu’i Kanokupolu became King in 1845 and re-stabilised the kingdom

To avoid colonisation, the Tongans signed a treaty with Britain for protection against other European powers.

Tonga became fully independent of Britain in 1970, however struggles due to economic dependence on agriculture.