19 February - 25 February

In this part of the unit, you will:

• Identify and define what a treaty is

• Identify and describe examples of different treaties in other countries

• Identify who was at the signing of the treaty and describe the perspectives of people there

• Identify and describe the treaty of Waitangi

• Identify and describe the differences in the versions of the treaty.

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Some definitions of a treaty follow:

• United Nations: 'A treaty is an international agreement concluded between states in written form and governed by international law.'

• Treaty Educators: ' A treaty is a legally binding international instrument agreed and signed by two or more sovereign nations. The Treaty of Waitangi is thus an agreement which forms a contract or covenant between the Crown and Maori hapu through their rangatira (chiefs)'.

United Kingdom flag

Scottish flag

English flag

Treaties between countries have been happening for thousands of years. The Treaty of Waitangi is 176 years old, but other treaties in the world that are over 300 years old are still in force today.

Following are accounts of countries and people still affected by treaties.

Scotland and England treaty

People living in Scotland are united with England forming the United Kingdom - this dates back to a treaty signed in 1707 and a subsequent Act of Union that enshirned it into law. Since then, Scottish independence was ceded to the English - but many Scots want to be free of the United Kingdom and be an independent country. The Scottish Nationalist Party believes that the union between England and Scotland is no longer needed and that the Scottish people should be able to make decisions based on what is important for Scotland and its people. Other believe the union between the two countries is important to keep them both finacial and economically strong. Scottish people were invited to vote in a referendum on independence from the United Kingdom on 18th September, 2014. The referendum question was: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" (The answer: 55% said "No", 45% said "Yes" - Scotland remains part of the United Kingdom.

Another way the Scots are trying to gain more independence is that some rural communities are getting financed by the Scottish Government to buy land back from absentee landlords (often English) and establish communal projects (such as organic farming, reviving salmon or trout rivers' native woodlands) that will make the rural communities profitable and sustainable.

Native American Indian tribes and the US Government treaties

There are many treaties signed between Native American Indian tribes and the US Government dating back to the 1800's. The treaties were designed to get tribes to agree to giving up huge areas of land for the while settlers - in return, they would be moved onto 'reserves', protected from attach and provided with health care and education. ON the 'reserves' they moved onto, they would be given the right to self-government and jurisdiction over their 'reserve' land. These promises were made in honour, and were, and still are, legally binding upon the US Government by the 6th Article of the US Constitution. Some treaty promises Native American Indian tribes claimed to have broken were taken to the Supreme Court, which ruled in their favour and compensation has had to be paid - for example the Cheyenne vs Oklahoma State. An issue has been that Indian reserves do not come under state law or local police control. Tribes possess all power of self-government, governing themselves through tribal laws, cultural traditions and religious customs through a council of chiefs.

Activity 1: Research Activity (Extension work)

Choose a Treaty to research from either:

• Scotland and England - Treaty of Union 1707 between England and Scotland

• One of the Treaties between the United States and Native American Indians

Research and find out more about one of the treaties. Use the document Research Planning page to help you.

The Treaty of Waitangi.

In the lead up to the signing of the treaty, it is important to understand WHO was present and WHY they were there. Not everyone wanted the treaty for the same reasons.

In this part of the unit, you will be watching the video re-enactments 'Waitangi - what really happened' from TVNZ and writing down information about key people who were at the signing and what their reasons were for being at Waitangi. Your teacher will share the powerpoint below. Make a copy and insert speech bubbles for each person on the powerpoint. For each person, write down their perspective on the Treaty of Waitangi.

On the 6th February, 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi was signed by the British Crown and more than 500 Maori chiefs. It resulted in the declaration of British sovereignty over New Zealand by Lieutenant Governor William Hobson in May 1840. Most chiefs signed the Maori-language version of the treaty. The English and Maori versions held different meanings, and Maori and Europeans therefore had different expectations of the treaty's terms. Ever since, resolution of these differences has presented New Zealand with challenges.

Show the video from youtube   which is a clever take on what happened. Share this document for students to reflect on the video's.

Who was at the signing of the Treaty

Activity 4: Passport Activity

For this lesson, students will look more closely at individuals who at the signing and what their perspectives were on the treaty.

Students click on this link and are given one person each to create a passport profile for. The profile is a on a google drawing that needs to be completed by reading the profile of the person given. Students can decorate it with relevant images.

For the next activity, you will need to research some important places in New Zealand at time (and after) of the signing of the treaty. Open the document below and make a copy.

Activity 4: Mapping skills

On the 6th February, 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi was signed by the British Crown and more than 500 Maori chiefs. It resulted in the declaration of British sovereignty over New Zealand by Lieutenant Governor William Hobson in May 1840. Most chiefs signed the Maori-language version of the treaty. The English and Maori versions held different meanings, and Maori and Europeans therefore had different expectations of the treaty's terms. Ever since, resolution of these differences has presented New Zealand with challenges.

If time, you can show the whole video from youtube 'What really happened at the Treaty' which is a clever take on what happened. Share this document for students to reflect on the video's.

Article One

Māori: chiefs gave the queen ‘te Kawanatanga katoa’ – the governance or government over the land.

English: chiefs gave the queen ‘all the rights and powers of sovereignty’ over the land.

Article Two

Māori: confirmed and guaranteed the chiefs ‘te tino rangatiratanga’ – the exercise of chieftainship – over their lands, villages and ‘taonga katoa’ – all treasured things. Māori agreed to give the Crown a right to deal with them over land transactions.

English: confirmed and guaranteed to the chiefs ‘exclusive and undisturbed possession of their lands and estates, forests, fisheries, and other properties’. The Crown sought an exclusive right to deal with Māori over land transactions.

Article Three

Māori: The Crown gave an assurance that Māori would have the queen’s protection and all rights – ‘tikanga’ – accorded British subjects. This was close to an accurate translation of the English text.

Article the second

Her Majesty the Queen of England confirms and guarantees to the Chiefs and Tribes of New Zealand and to the respective families and individuals thereof the full exclusive and undisturbed possession of their Lands and Estates Forests Fisheries and other properties which they may collectively or individually possess so long as it is their wish and desire to retain the same in their possession; but the Chiefs of the United Tribes and the individual Chiefs, yield to Her Majesty the exclusive right of Preemption over such lands as the proprietors thereof may be disposed to alienate at such prices as may be agreed upon between the respective Proprietors and persons appointed by Her Majesty to treat with them in that behalf.

Article the third

In consideration thereof Her Majesty the Queen of England extends to the Natives of New Zealand Her royal protection and imparts to them all the Rights and Privileges of British Subjects.

[signed] W. Hobson Lieutenant Governor

The English version

This English text was signed at Waikato Heads in March or April 1840 and at Manukau Harbour on 26 April. A total of thirty-nine chiefs signed.

Article the first

The Chiefs of the Confederation of the United Tribes of New Zealand and the separate and independent Chiefs who have not become members of the Confederation cede to Her Majesty the Queen of England absolutely and without reservation all the rights and powers of Sovereignty which the said Confederation of Individual Chiefs respectively exercise or possess, or may be supposed to exercise or to possess over their respective Territories as the sole sovereigns thereof.

The Maori version

This translation of the Māori Treaty text, when compared with the English version, shows several crucial differences of meaning, especially in the first and second articles.

The First

The chiefs of the Confederation and all the chiefs who have not joined that Confederation give absolutely to the Queen of England for ever the complete government over their land.

The Second

The Queen of England agrees to protect the Chiefs, the subtribes and all the people of New Zealand in the unqualified exercise of their chieftainship over their lands, villages and all their treasures. But on the other hand the Chiefs of the Confederation and all the chiefs will sell land to the Queen at a price agreed to by the person owning it and by the person buying it (the latter being) appointed by the Queen as her purchase agent.

The Third

For this agreed arrangement therefore concerning the Government of the Queen, the queen of England will protect all the ordinary people of New Zealand and will give them the same rights and duties of citizenship as the people of England.

Activity 4: Problems with the Treaty.

Open the document below, make a copy and use the two Treaty versions above to help you identify the key differences between the English and Maori translations.

Here is a good video on the dramatisation of the signing

Activity 6: Quick review.

In the next section, you will be discussing the responses to the treaty and what happened after the signing!