Source cards: the same agreement, different concerns

Historical context: Te Tiriti o Waitangi was first signed at Waitangi on 6 February 1840. It was signed by rangatira and representatives of the British Crown, and copies were taken around the country. The Māori text and English text differed in important wording. The cards below are modern summaries of concerns historians associate with different groups; they are not quotations from individual people. CARD A — A rangatira considering the agreement: “How will our authority over our people and lands be protected? Could an agreement help manage newcomers while allowing our communities to continue making decisions?” CARD B — A British Crown representative: “How can the Crown establish a government and create rules for increasing settlement? The agreement may help secure British authority and reduce disorder.” CARD C — A settler hoping to make a new life: “Will there be a stable community, reliable rules and opportunities to obtain land? I may not know how local Māori understand the agreement.” CARD D — A later historian comparing documents: “The two texts use different words for authority and governance. I need to compare the wording, consider who translated and circulated each text, and avoid assuming that every signer understood it in exactly the same way.”