Hawaii has a long history dating back to 1500 AD when Polynesians first arrived by canoe. They were later joined by settlers from Tahiti in 500 AD. Britain's Captain James Cook was one of the first Europeans to visit in 1778. Hawaii became the 50th US state in 1959, and has the official nickname of "The Aloha State". The state bird is the Nene goose and the state flower is the yellow hibiscus.