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Shaping NZ History

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Shaping NZ History

Read the short sources and timeline. Use evidence from them to explain how events, people and decisions have shaped Aotearoa New Zealand. More than one interpretation can be reasonable if you support it with evidence.

Three moments, many effects

Source A — Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi In 1840, representatives of the British Crown and many rangatira (Māori chiefs) signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi at Waitangi and at other places around the country. The Māori and English texts differ in important ways, including how they describe authority and control. Not all rangatira signed. The Treaty remains central to debates about the relationship between Māori and the Crown, and about the promises made in 1840. Source B — Women win the vote In 1893, New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world where women won the right to vote in parliamentary elections. Māori women and Pākehā women were among those who could vote. Campaigners, including Kate Sheppard, gathered signatures and argued for change. Winning the vote did not immediately make everyone equal, but it changed who could take part in choosing the government. Source C — The 1981 Springbok Tour In 1981, a rugby tour by South Africa’s national team, the Springboks, divided New Zealand. South Africa’s apartheid system discriminated against people based on race. Some people opposed the tour because they believed sport should not continue normal relations with an apartheid country. Others supported the tour or opposed mixing sport and politics. Protests and police responses were widely seen, and the tour led to lasting discussion about racism, protest and the role of sport.

1840 — Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi is first signed at Waitangi.

1893 — Women win the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

1981 — The Springbok Tour sparks major public debate and protest.

Today — People continue to discuss the effects and meanings of these events.

Investigate the evidence

Answer using the sources and timeline above. Give reasons for your ideas.

1.Match each event to its year: Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi; women win the vote; Springbok Tour.
  • Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi
  • Women win the vote
  • Springbok Tour
  • 1893
  • 1981
  • 1840
2.Which statement about Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi is supported by Source A?
  • Every rangatira in the country signed it.
  • The Māori and English texts differ in important ways.
  • It was first signed in 1981.
  • It ended all debate between Māori and the Crown.
3.According to Source B, what important change happened in 1893, and who gained the right to vote?
4.Use Source C to explain one reason people opposed the 1981 Springbok Tour and one effect the tour had on public discussion in New Zealand.
5.Source B says that winning the vote immediately made everyone equal. Is this true or false? Use a detail from the source to support your answer.
TrueFalse
6.Choose two events from the sources. Describe one way they are alike or one way they are different in how people tried to influence society.
7.Why might two people have viewed the 1981 Springbok Tour differently? Use details from Source C to explain both viewpoints.
8.Put the three events in chronological order. Then explain how the timeline helps you see that New Zealand’s history was shaped over a long period.
9.Which source gives evidence that an event from the past still matters today? Name the source and describe the evidence.
10.Which of the three events do you think has had the strongest effect on Aotearoa New Zealand today? Make a claim and support it with two details from the sources. There can be different valid answers.

3 printable pages

  • Shaping NZ History, page 1 of 3: Three moments, many effects

    Page 1

  • Shaping NZ History, page 2 of 3: Investigate the evidence

    Page 2

  • Shaping NZ History, page 3 of 3: 6. Choose two events from the sources. Describe one way they are alike or one way they are

    Page 3

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