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New Zealand's Shaping History

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New Zealand's Shaping History

Read the short account and study the timeline. Then use evidence to explore what changed, what continued, and how different experiences shape the stories we tell about Aotearoa New Zealand.

A changing harbour

Aotearoa New Zealand has been shaped by the choices, journeys and relationships of people over time. Māori communities have lived here for many generations, maintaining whakapapa, te reo Māori, tikanga and connections to whenua and moana. In 1840, Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi was signed by representatives of the British Crown and many Māori rangatira. The two texts differ, and people have interpreted the agreement in different ways. Disputes over land and authority followed, including conflict and raupatu (land confiscations). The effects of these events continue to matter. At a harbour settlement, early residents might have travelled by waka or sailing ship. Over time, roads, railways and towns expanded. Today, people still gather at the harbour, but ferries, container ships and modern transport have changed how goods and people move. Māori and non-Māori communities have different experiences of these changes, and there is no single story that represents everyone.

Before 1840 — Māori communities and iwi develop across Aotearoa, with distinct histories, relationships and traditions.

1840 — Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi is first signed at Waitangi; signing continues elsewhere.

1860s — Major conflicts occur in several regions; the Crown confiscates large areas of Māori land.

1975 — The Waitangi Tribunal is established to hear claims about breaches of the Treaty by the Crown.

1987 — Te reo Māori becomes an official language of New Zealand.

Today — Treaty settlements, language revitalisation and debates about history and identity continue.

Investigate the evidence

Answer in complete thoughts when a question asks you to explain. A possible answer may vary if it is supported by evidence.

1.Which description best explains what history is? Choose one.

A complete list of dates that never needs interpretation
The study of people's lives and events in the past, using evidence and considering different perspectives
Only stories about famous leaders
A guess about what will happen in the future

2.Give one example from the account of continuity (something that has carried on over time), and one example of change.

3.Put these timeline events in order from earliest to latest: establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal; the first signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi; te reo Māori becomes an official language.

4.True or false? The timeline represents every event and every community's experience in New Zealand history. Explain your choice.

5.Complete the sentence: The Waitangi Tribunal was established in to hear claims about breaches of the Treaty by the Crown.

6.Match each term to the best meaning.

Continuity
Change
Perspective
Evidence

A difference between one period and another
Information used to support an account or interpretation of the past
A point of view shaped by a person's experiences and position
A feature that carries on over time

7.According to the account, how did transport around a harbour change, and what continued?

8.Why should a historian be careful when describing Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi? Give two reasons supported by the account.

9.The account says different communities have different experiences of change. Explain why two groups might tell different stories about the same event or development.

10.Choose one timeline event. Write one question you would investigate about it, and name one kind of evidence that could help answer your question.