The earliest settlers of New Zealand were the

• A. Aborigines
• B. Maoris
• C. Samoans
• D. Tongans

Answer: (B)

The basic idea being tested is who first settled New Zealand and where their origins lie. The people who became the Māori are the indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand. They arrived by seafaring canoes from eastern Polynesia, likely around 1250–1300 CE, and established communities across the islands. This arrival marks the beginning of a distinct Māori culture, language, and social system that developed in New Zealand.

Why this makes sense: the Māori are native to New Zealand and represent the earliest known population there, grounded in archaeological finds, linguistic evidence, and traditional oral histories. Their presence in New Zealand long before Europeans links them as the original settlers.

The other groups come from different places. Aborigines are the indigenous people of Australia, not New Zealand. Samoans and Tongans originate from other parts of Polynesia and arrived in New Zealand later, mainly as migrants, rather than being the first inhabitants.