History of the Cook Islands references on wikipedia
History_of_the_Cook_Islands The Cook Islands are named from a Russian naval chart published in St Petersburg in 1823-26 , after Captain James Cook, who visited the islands in 1773 and 1777. The Cook Islands became a British protectorate in 1888.By 1900, administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965 residents chose self-government in free association with New Zealand.