A chronology of key events: 1616 - Dutch explorers are the first
Europeans to visit Tonga. 1773-77 - British explorer Captain
James Cook visits Tonga three times. 1820s - Wesleyan Methodist
missionaries arrive from England. 1830s - Wesleyan missionaries
convert paramount chief Taufa'ahau Tupou who in turn converts
fellow islanders. 1875 - Taufa'ahau Tupou assumes the name of
George Tupou I and establishes Tongan monarchy. 1900 - Tonga
becomes a British protected state but is not formally colonised.
1918-65 - Reign of Queen Salote Tupou III. 1953 - Queen Saltote
visits Britain for the coronation of Elizabeth II as Queen. 1958
- Tonga acquires greater autonomy from Britain. 1965 -
Taufa'ahau Tupou becomes king following his mother's death. 1970
- Tonga ceases to be a British protectorate and becomes fully
independent within the British Commonwealth. 1988 - Tonga signs
agreement allowing US nuclear warships to pass through its
waters. 1992 - Pro-Democracy Movement founded. Tongan
schoolchildren perform the Kaila