What did the Treaty say?

What did the Treaty of Waitangi say?

Using the two versions of the Treaty - the Treaty of Waitangi and Te Tiriti o Waitangi - and the main point(s) for each Article, discuss in pairs what the main differences are and then explain them in the following spaces. Then reflect on why you think these differences in perspectives on the Treaty would cause conflict between Māori and Pākehā.

People in our group (names): 

Article 1

Key Differences: 

In the English version of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, article 1, the mutual understanding between the Europeans was that Maori were to give up complete sovereignty, meaning Britain had complete control.

In the Maori translation, this was not the case. They were put under the impression that although Queen Victoria was to be sovereign of New Zealand, the Maori chiefs still had control over their tribes.

Perspectives Causing Conflict: 

As the main idea has been lost through translation, of course both parties would act in a way in which they believe lines up with the treaty. As they unknowingly have two different meanings, Maori continuing to act as if they have control over their tribes may be seen as disobeying the treaty in the eyes of the British.

Article 2

Key Differences: 

In the English version, it was said that Maori could sell land only to the British. However, in the Maori version if the Maori wanted to sell their land they could sell it to whoever they please, but only if they offered  it to the British Crown at an agreed price first.

Perspectives Causing Conflict: 

The British have the understanding that the Maori are to sell their land to them and only them, but the Maori have been given the impression that they can sell to someone else if their first offer to the British Crown doesn’t work out. Because of this, the Maori may sell their land to someone else, (e.g the French or the Americans) defying what they agreed to in the treaty without knowing any better.

Article 3

Key Differences: 

This is the only one of the three articles in which the translations for both languages are consistent. They have the same meanings.

Perspectives Causing Conflict: 

However, this could still cause conflict. This article declared that Maori and Europeans all had the same rights - they were to be treated as equals. Yes, this is definitely a good idea, but it’s unrealistic to think that the British and Maori would immediately treat one another the same as they would their own. 

Why was a Treaty Needed in New Zealand - Essay

It is argued amongst historians that the cause of a historical event is more important than the event itself. The Treaty of Waitangi was a written agreement between the Maori and British settlers, signed in 1840. Due to various complications and conflicts between the Maori and the British, a treaty was - and to this day, is - required in order to establish peace throughout New Zealand and provide a common understanding of boundaries and laws for all. Today, the Treaty of Waitangi is actively recognised and upheld by both the tangata whenua of New Zealand and the New Zealand government.

The questionable behaviour and lawless acts of the European whalers in Kororareka were a large reason contributing to support for the signing of the Treaty. The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi allowed the British to establish laws and consequences for such behaviour, reducing the occurrence of these incidents and making the Treaty an effective and necessary solution. For example, heavy drinking - which lead to fighting, severe prostitution and lawlessness - was an unhelpful reactant in the problems effecting the people of Kororareka, specifically the Maori. As the British whalers were getting well out of hand, writing a formal agreement (the Treaty of Waitangi) was needed to decide on how people could and could not act.

The Missionaries went to great lengths in order to earn the Maori's trust and protect their rights. By working to protect the rights of the Maori and earning their trust, the Missionaries had substantial influence over the Maori and their decision to sign the Treaty of Waitangi. For example, the British Missionaries taught Maori how to read and write in Te Reo Maori, introduced new agricultural technology and methods, purchased and protected land on their behalf, and demonstrated considerable concern for the number of Maori being either killed, enslaved, or both during the Musket Wars. By making a conscious and active effort to protect the people's rights, the Missionaries had great influence on the Maori's decision to sign the treaty. The fact the rights of the native people needed to be protected - and this alone - proves that a treaty was required.

By gaining muskets through trading with the Europeans, certain tribes obtained power never before seen by the Maori, and immediately abused it, using these new weapons to wage war on their enemies. As more tribes hurried to follow in pursuit - trading anything and everything they could to get their hands on the guns and raise their chances of survival - a bloody and merciless series of wars began. These wars played out throughout the course of 35 years. Between the years these wars took place (1807-1842), it is estimated that more than 20,000 Maoris were killed in action. The introduction of muskets to New Zealand lead to violence and tens of thousands of deaths. As a result of this new source of power, the Maori population declined rapidly. Multiple wars were declared amongst numerous tribes, leading to many people losing their lives, and many more being enslaved. When muskets were introduced to New Zealand and traded between Maori and Europeans, it set off a chain reaction of violence, war, and inevitably death. If there were laws and regulations in place, mutually agreed upon by all - such as those in the Treaty of Waitangi - this could have been avoided.

But what came before the Treaty, surely there was something, anything? Well, there was. The Declaration of Independence, also known as 'He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni', was a declaration signed by a number of Maori chiefs and ratified in 1835. This piece of paper declared sovereign independence of New Zealand and created peace between Maori and Europeans. In this declaration, it was agreed that the two groups would meet annually to discuss current affairs/issues and establish laws. It also ensured that Maori had supreme power over the country and - for the most part - independence. Although the Declaration of Independence was effective in regards to fostering a positive relationship between the Maori and Europeans, it clearly wasn't enough to keep everyone in line and to keep everything running completely smoothly. They still required something more - a treaty.

This series of previous events and information demonstrates why New Zealand so desperately needed the Treaty of Waitangi. The Musket Wars, the inexcusable behaviour of the British Missionaries in Kororareka and the Europeans having considerable concern for the rights of Maori being violated - and rightfully so - all give adequate reasoning for why a treaty was needed in New Zealand. The consequences of these events were far greater. Throughout the course of the Musket Wars, tens of thousands of Maori were killed, all of which could have been avoided with a simple set of gun regulations putting restrictions on the ownership and use of these new dangerous weapons. The alcohol-fuelled violence and misconduct of the British Missionaries in Kororareka did not only lead to negative outcomes for themselves, but also affected those around them - more specifically, the Maori. The declaration - although it was signed by both parties - made little to no difference in regards to how both groups acted towards themselves and each other. If it weren’t for the Treaty of Waitangi, events such as these may still be a recurring sight to this day.

Maori and European Population in New Zealand 1836-1901

Maori and European Population in New Zealand 1836-1901

The graph below shows the population of Maori and Europeans in New Zealand between the years 1836 and 1901, and how the numbers of people change.

Why do you think the numbers of Maori changed?

When Europeans in New Zealand, there was a lot of conflict between the two cultural groups. A lot of Maori people were killed in armed conflict against the Europeans (the Europeans having more advanced weaponry).

Why do you think numbers of Europeans changed?

As time went on, more and more people from Europe migrated to New Zealand from wherever it was they lived beforehand (mostly countries in Britain, e.g Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England). Therefore the number of Europeans living in New Zealand increased.

Papatuanuku and Gaea

Every mythology has it's own stories and deities. A god or goddess of the earth can be found in most of these mythologies, and more often than not they have some role to play in each culture's creation story. The Maori goddess Papatuanuku and the Greek goddess Gaea are only two of many supreme beings of the earth spoken of in mythology.

Advancements in Technology Essay

Throughout history, major technological advancements have been made. This essay will discuss how technology has changed over time, as well as how technology that was used in the past differs from the technology we use today. Technological advancements have been made in things such as architecture, literature and communication, transportation and more, all of which demonstrate how technology has changed throughout time.

The early Paleolithic Era - also known as the Old Stone Age - is one of the earliest time periods with discoverable evidence of technological advancements. It was during this time period that the creation of stone tools began, as well as using fur pelts as clothing to keep warm. These were crucial advancements for mankind, and without inventions such as those made during this time, humans would not have survived. Stone tools were used by the early humans to defend themselves and to hunt, providing them with a diet with more sustenance than berries and other plants, whilst the clothes they made prevented them from freezing to death during the cold winters. Thousands and thousands of archaeological sites have been excavated, studied, and dated over the years consisting of debris from making and using stone tools, and give evidence of where and when early humans lived, as well as how they survived in certain habitats and climates. In the past, clothing was used more for practicality, whilst today it also serves the purpose of being comfortable and fashionable. Therefore, modern day clothing is not only far more practical due to a difference in materials and techniques used, but also in appearance. Today, we rarely use stone tools. Instead, our basic tools are crafted from metal, while our more technical heavy machinery is run by electricity, making completing the required tasks faster and eliminating needless physical labour. Although the general function remains relatively the same, we can see by comparing clothing and tools from the Paleotlithic era to clothing and tools today, that they have developed immensely. 

Ancient Rome is another time period in which life changing advancements were made in technology, a large number of these technological advancements being architectural. The Ancient Romans are responsible for the invention of aqueducts, dams, bridges, roads, sewers and arches. They were also the first to begin making things such as surgical tools and newspapers. Most of these things are used in modern day society, roads and bridges used to make travelling and transportation easier, and sewers used to protect water quality. The roads they made to connect their Empire serve roughly the same function as our’s do today - but not quite. The first main Roman road was the Appian Way, constructed in 312 B.C and was used as a main route for military supplies, essential to the Romans. Unlike modern day roads, the Romans began building their roads by digging trenches, which they would then fill with stones, sand, and cement. In this day and age, roads are put on or slightly elevated off the ground and used by everyone, a sizeable improvement. They are made of more reliable materials which are capable of supporting more weight, and painted lines are used to keep those travelling along them from crossing into oncoming traffic, preventing accidents. Our asphalt roads are a major advancement from the trench-like roads built in Ancient Rome, and a clear sign of how technology has changed throughout history.

The Ancient Egyptian time period was another full of new advancements and discoveries. It was during this time that a form of paper was invented, devices such as ramps and levers were created, and a form of written language was developed. Egyptian Hieroglyphics were the first written form of communication to consist of an actual alphabet, and were an improvement from prior forms of written communication such as cave art which used vague drawings and symbols. Due to the use of a proper alphabet, they were able to communicate more effectively, efficiently, and with more clarity. Today, there are around 7,100 different spoken and written languages and forty six different alphabets, most of which are comprised of letters much simpler and easier to identify than the original Egyptian Hieroglyphics, a vast development from the Ancient Egyptian times. The first known examples of hieroglyphics were found in a tomb in Abydos on bone and ivory tags, and dated back to between 3,400 and 3,200 B.C. Egyptian Hieroglyphics - in juxtaposition to modern day written languages - show an evidently clear technological advancement that has had a positive impact on our world and how we communicate.

To conclude this essay, we can clearly see that much of the technology created and used in the past during these three time periods, has since been improved drastically to serve the purpose it was made for more effectively, making our lives far easier. The examples given for each time period show how modern day technology differs to that which was developed earlier in history, and describe ways in which technology has advanced.

The Pyramids of Egypt

Cave Paintings

In Social Studies, we have been looking at technology used and created in the Paleolithic and Neolithic ages - also known as the Stone Age. As a part of this topic, we have also been looking at the artwork they made on the walls of caves.

My drawing includes a guitar, piano keys, a big music note and a bunch of smaller music notes. Music is a huge part of my life, and playing instruments and listening to music is probably the thing I love to do the most. It also has five tiny stick figures (my family).

Although the subjects of the drawing themselves don't entirely fit in with traditional cave drawing,  the colour palette and technique used to paint them does.

Are Teenagers Addicted to their Phones?

In social studies, we were given the task to write a paragraph explaining our opinion on mobile devices, and whether we thought the majority of students are addicted to their phones or not. This is the final draft of the paragraph I wrote.

Although it is true that some students/teenagers are addicted to their phones, the same can not be said for all. It really depends on both the person using their phone and each individual's definition of 'addicted'. Unfortunately, for those who are addicted to their devices it can negatively effect their physical and mental health. Things such as eyesight and - if they frequently use headphones/earphones at a high volume - hearing can be permanently damaged. In spite of this, the benefits of using a mobile device outweigh the negatives, provided it is used responsibly.

Changes in Technology

Technology - Something which is made and used to make people's lives easier.

This slideshow shows photos showing how certain technology has advanced throughout the years to make our lives easier. For example, transportation, communication and navigating.

Boomerangs

Last term we looked at the topic of 'migration'. As a part of this, we looked into the history of Indigenous Australians, and the meanings behind their artwork. We also looked at the history of boomerangs, how they helped the Aborigines, different types of boomerangs and the kind of art they put on them. Then we painted our own.

'The First Sunrise' is a traditional story from the dreamtime, a belief system and understanding  of the World's creation which is used by the Indigenous Australians. In this story, all the animals of Australia grew sick of the cold and dark, and decided to attempt to lift up the sky, splitting it open and letting light pour over the land. This is a link to the full story - 'The First Sunrise'

What went well when painting your boomerang?

Blending the colours in the background went well, and the dots that are placed down each ray of sun. It doesn't look as tidy as I'd like, but other than that it looks alright.

Migration Writing

Migration- Push and Pull Factors

Click the link below to see my simple show video on migration and push and pull factors

https://videos.mysimpleshow.com/lYGWqqNbDk

This term in social studies, we are looking at the topic 'migration'. I'm finding this topic quite interesting, and from some of the things we have done in class regarding migration, have learnt we have a very diverse class with backgrounds from all over the globe. I'm looking forward to finding out more about reasons for migration, and the impact it has on both immigrants and people who are indigenous to the countries where people are migrating to.

Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking

What is it?

Human trafficking is the highly illegal act of transporting people between countries or areas, usually in order to sell them in forced labour, or for sexual exploitation. It's an extremely serious problem, and is happening to both boys and girls, adults and children, all over the world. In Cambodia, you can find children as young as six and seven working in brothels after being abducted from their homes. Between the years 2012 and 2017, more than 3,000 people became victims of human trafficking in Vietnam alone. At this time, it is estimated that around 1.8 million children are currently being exploited in the sex trade around the world, and that's just children- not including adults. Human trafficking is a disgusting crime, and there isn't enough being done to eliminate or prevent it.

Who can this happen to?

Although human trafficking can happen to anyone, some individuals are more vulnerable than others. It is well known that human traffickers target -more often than not- young girls, but are there and other things that make these young women especially at risk? Online human traffickers tend to target those who talk openly about their home lives (more specifically, why they hate them), whether it be one on one or in chat-rooms with hundreds of people. They also target both men and women who are desperate for work. It isn't hard to be lured in by empty promises when you're really in need and can't see any better alternatives.

 

Where does it happen?

As I previously mentioned, human trafficking occurs almost everywhere, but it is a much larger problem in some places than it is in others. Take Russia, for example. Russia, being the World's largest nation, have between 5 and 12 million migrants working in conditions of slavery. But people aren't just being trafficked into Russia; there have been more than 2,400 trafficking cases between the years 2015 and 2017, and this is due to the fact Russia and it's government see human trafficking as a 'political issue' rather than a problem which is affecting millions, which is what it really is, and basically have a complete disregard towards it. Therefore, they don't prioritise even attempting to fix it. In Syria, things have gotten progressively worse throughout the civil war. The Syrian government do not fully meet the bare minimum standards when it comes to the elimination of human trafficking, and during 2017 didn't demonstrate, in any way, any efforts to address human trafficking through prosecution, protection, or prevention measures. And, to make matters worse, the government of Syria continues to maintain it's forcible recruitment and use of child soldiers. They also make no attempt to protect and prevent children from being recruited by armed opposition forces or designated terrorist organisations, such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

10 Countries with the Highest Number of Child Soldiers

Definition-

Child soldiers are any children under the age of 18 who are recruited by a state or non-state armed group and are used as fighters, cooks, suicide bombers, human shields, for sexual purposes, as messengers, or as spies. 

Below is a map showing 10 countries with some of the highest reported numbers of child soldiers

Child Soldiers

Warfare is grim enough without the involvement of young children, who if it weren't for their participation in armed conflict would still have long lives ahead of them, and the number of reported child recruitment is only growing. Figures verified in 2017 from Iraq show there were 109 reports of recruitment and use of children in warfare, and an additional 717 children were either killed or maimed. Another report, done in Syria during 2017, shows that the Syrian conflict had been the cause of 910 deaths of children, and a further 361 being severely wounded and/or crippled. The Democratic Republic of Congo is believed to be home to 10% of the entire population of child soldiers -making the Democratic Republic of Congo responsible for the use of approximately 30,000 children in armed combat. The Houthis rebel organisation in Yemen has enlisted roughly 18,000 children, and in the Central African Republic, over 10,000 children were used in warfare just between the years 2012 and 2015.

The recruitment of children in armed forces is a cruel and unjustifiable act. It gives children reason to live in fear, it deprives them of their freedom, and yet, it still happens in more than 85 countries. An investigation executed in 2018 shows that in South Sudan, there is an unbelievable number of 19,000 children in total who are apart of armed forces. Not only are these children's lives being put in jeopardy, but a large number of them had no part in enlisting themselves.

However, in contrary, many children are an exception to this statement. Although a large portion of child soldiers had no choice in their enlistment, either because of threats or the fact they were abducted, an even larger portion enlisted out of their own free will, and purely for revenge. The Séléka is an alliance of rebel military groups in the Central African Republic who can be held accountable for orphaning many children. Twelve-year-old Francois is one of these children. After his cousin and aunty were murdered by the Séléka, Francois joined the Anti-Balaka in order to avenge the deaths of his loved ones. Seventeen-year-old Choko shares a similar story, joining the Anti-Balaka after the Séléka came into her home and murdered her mother and father. These children did not see their military leaders as 'bad people', but rather as their saviours. Although in the minds of people like Francois and Choko their leaders don't seem like bad people -and why wouldn't they think that? They fed them, looked after them and "respected them"- they did exploit them, using them for their own personal advantage and putting their lives at risk.

10 Countries with the Highest Rates of Child Labour

Child labour is work done by children which harms them or exploits them in some way, either physically, mentally, or morally (e.g blocking access to education, which they have a right to). The map above lists ten locations with the highest rates of the worst kinds of child labour. Under each location, it states the amount of children in that country estimated to be in child labour, as well as the most common types of labour in said country.

Child Labour:

Although it may be prohibited, child labour is still a socially acceptable and very large problem. 197 countries still have reports of child slavery and child labour, in some places, children starting as young as five. But why? Many families who are in poverty opt to sell their children into slavery to pay off their debt. Others don;t have a choice. Child labour is a breech of children's human rights. It robs them of their freedom and education, forcing them to work in dangerous and sometimes lethal conditions, just for mistakes that they didn't make Child labour is a massive problem, and something needs to change.

Not only does child labour deprive children of their right to education, but it can also be extremely dangerous. For example, mining. In Tanzania, there are eight-year-old children going down into mines, up to seventy metres deep, and inhaling toxic gasses for hours on end. They work with mercury, which if accidentally consumed can cause problems in their nervous system, digestive system, and immune system. It can severely damage their lungs and kidneys, and in worst case scenario, kill them. That's not even including day-to-day accidents. Mines tend to collapse, which can and has trapped the children working inside, and crushed them. Mining is only one of the only deadly forms of labour, proving my point that child labour is extremely dangerous.

Harriet Tubman- Paragraph Writing

S E E L   P A R A G R A P H S

This week in social studies, we have been looking at SEEL paragraph structure, to show our knowledge on properly writing paragraphs using the SEEL structure, and to show what we've learnt about Harriet Tubman and slavery over the past few weeks. We started by outlining the components of paragraphs (Statement, explanation, example, and link), and then we wrote our own, based on the latest topic we've been studying in social studies- Harriet Tubman. After writing our paragraphs, we exchanged books with a partner and gave feedback on the use of words, information, and structure they used in their paragraphs. Using this information -keeping our partners feedback in mind- we then re-wrote our paragraphs. I was given the feedback of trying to use quotes to back up my information, and making the link in my paragraph a bit clearer.

Here is my final paragraph on Harriet Tubman:

Harriet Tubman was and African American woman and abolitionist, born into slavery, whose work with the Underground Railroad as a conductor helped to free over three-hundred innocent men, women, and children from slavery. Over the time span of ten years, harriet made 19 trips to plantations and other locations where slaves were kept, saving many people -never losing a single escapee along her journeys- and aiding them by providing food, water, and other basic necessities. She also kept these fugitives safe by hiding them in safe houses (more commonly known during this time as ‘Stations’, which were run by station masters and conductors such as Harriet), along with the help of many other people. Despite Harriet’s immense efforts, she never seemed to think it was enough. I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more, if only they knew they were slaves- Harriet Tubman. This woman was extremely brave and optimistic, and her achievements as a conductor freed the lives of many.

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman

For the last few periods of social studies, we've been doing our own individual research projects on Harriet Tubman, explaining her achievements, what she's famous for, general information about herself and her childhood, plus any other interesting information or facts we found along the way.

I've always found the topic of slavery quite interesting, but have never really gotten the opportunity to learn much about it, so I really enjoyed this module/topic. I enjoyed learning about Harriet Tubman, and found it interesting- surprised too- to find out that she not only played a rather vital role in freeing many innocent and unfairly treated people, but that she also later became a scout, a nurse, and an intelligence agent during the American Civil War.

Map of The Slave Trade Triangle

Map of The Slave Trade Triangle

Human Rights

For the first few weeks of year 10 social studies, we have been looking at mapping, graphing, and our current topic, human rights. 

What I already knew:

Going into this topic, I already knew a number of the basic human rights, e.g the right to be free, the right to trial and the right to life, freedom to move, the right to food and shelter, that your human rights are protected by law and that no one can legally take them away from you. I didn't really know much more than that.

What I found interesting: 

I found it interesting- not interesting, but shocking- that even today more than two hundred million children between the ages of five and seventeen are economically active, over seventy-three million of these children being under the age of ten, and six million of them working in forced and bonded labor. 

What I'd like to learn:

I'd like to learn more about when and where slavery and slave trading started, and also learn more about Iqbal Masih.