Nauru was first inhabited by Micronesians and Polynesians at least three thousand years ago.

The British sea captain John Fearn, a whale hunter, becomes the first Westerner to visit Nauru in 1798, calling it "Pleasant Island".

From around 1830, Nauruans have contact with Europeans from whaling ships and traders who replenish their supplies (particularly fresh water) at Nauru.

Around this time, deserters from European ships begin to live on the island.

The islanders trade food for alcoholic palm wine and firearms.

The firearms are used during the ten-year Nauruan Tribal War that begins in 1878.

Nauru is annexed by Germany in 1888 and incorporated into Germany's Marshall Islands Protectorate for administrative purposes.