Inquiry

Aotearoa History

Watch the following 4 videos about the early years of Aotearoa.

Answer the comprehension questions for each video.

Comprehension Questions:

Episode 1:

  • How long ago did Zealandia break away from Gondwana?

  • Why would Zealandia have been covered in darkness for long periods of time?

  • What was Zealandia covered in pre humans?

  • What changes occurred to the birds of Zealandia/ what were some of their unique features?

  • What eventually happened to Zealandia?

  • How did Aotearoa form?

  • What does the term ‘landlocked’ mean and how does this apply to Aotearoa?


Comprehension Questions

Episode 2:

  • What ‘landmass’ was the last to be inhabited by humans anywhere in the world?

  • Who discovered Aotearoa?

  • Why was the name Aotearoa given?

  • How many waka are thought to have travelled to Aotearoa?

  • How many people are thought to have travelled to Aotearoa?

  • Why did Maori end up staying in Aotearoa?

  • How did the Moriori come about?

  • What was Maori's main source of food?

  • Why did this food source run out?

  • What did Maori turn to for food?

  • What does the term ‘warfare’ and what caused this?

  • What are the definitions of

    • Whanau -

    • Hapu -

    • Iwi -

  • What did the Maori population grow to?

Comprehension Questions

Episode #3

  • In 1642 a group of Ngati Tumatakokiri encountered a couple of ships sitting off the coast of Golden Bay. Who did they belong to and who was in command of the ships?

  • How and why did Maori approach the ships?

  • How and why did the other ships respond?

  • What took place the following day and why?

  • 1769 James Cook arrived in Aotearoa. What was his mission and secondary mission (purpose for his travels)?

  • Who is Tupaia and what was his role?

  • At the end of his first voyage, Cook climbed to the top of a hill in Queen Charlotte Sound. What was the purpose of this?

  • What did Cook introduce to New Zealand?

  • What started to happen in the 1810’s?

  • In the 1820’s, ships were sending pork and potatoes to settlers in New South Wales. What was being sent back in return and what was this significant for Aotearoa?

  • What did Hongi Hika from Ngapuhi do? And therefore, what did this cause others to do?

  • When and why did the musket wars end?

  • Missionaries had come to Aotearoa to civilise Maori by converting them to christianity. Although Maori were initially reluctant, what did some Maori want to learn from them?

  • Missionaries began the suppression of Maori culture. What does this mean?

Comprehension Questions

Episode #4 (starting from 2:18 - 12.30)


  • The major European settlement was in Russell, home to about 200 Pakeha. This was a place getting out of control as sailors would go there after months at sea to blow off steam and party.

  • In 1843 Missionaries and local Maori were worried about this behaviour and got together to ask the British Crown to send someone to sort it out.

  • What was James Busby’s official title?

  • Eventually, Busby, chief from Ngapuhi, and some Missionaries set up, what?

  • What were they trying to achieve with this process?

  • Why was the British crown trying to prevent the French from colonising Aotearoa?

  • In January, 1840 William Hobson was sent to Aotearoa for what purpose?

  • What were the issues that arose from the treaty being written?

  • What took place on Feb 6, 1840?

  • How many chiefs signed the treaty?

  • When Hobson wrote back to the UK declaring that the North Island had been ceded to Great Britain, was this correct? Why or why not?

  • What were some of the key differences between ‘The Treaty of Waitangi’ and ‘Te Tiriti o Waitangi’?

Explanation Writing

Using the knowledge you have gained from the videos, create a piece of writing explaining Aotearoa's History from 1250 - 1840.

Turn each question and answer from the comprehension questions into a key fact. For example:

Question: How long ago did Zealandia break away from Gondwana?

Answer: About 100 Million years ago.

Using this information, the opening sentence for my paragraph will be something like this...

Approximately 100 million years ago Zealandia broke away from Gondwana and headed towards the south pole.

Repeat this process for each bullet point (question and answer) and eventually you will have your first paragraph about 'Prehistoric New Zealand'.


Generate a paragraph for each of the following important moments in Aotearoa's early history.

Prehistoric New Zealand

The Arrival of Maori - Tangata Whenua

Early encounters with Abel Tasman and James Cook

The Musket Wars

The Signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Published Writing

<<< Click here to add your writing ready for printing.

Imply copy your slide, scroll down to the last slide on here, right click on it and then select paste. Your writing should be added.

Criteria prior to adding it.

  • You MUST have proofread it. It all makes sense and there are no errors.

  • There shouldn't be any unnecessary gaps within a paragraph.

  • Each box should be full with writing. Increase your font size to help fill the box.

  • Your writing should not exceed the box. Decrease your writing so it fits inside the box.

  • Each box contains the subheading.

  • You have come up with a Title for your writing e.g. Aotearoa History.

  • Your name should be included (in a smaller font size) in the Title box. See my example.