Treaty of Waitangi-Social Studies

 Introduction 

In 1830 there were 100k  Māori and 100 Europeans living in New Zealand. The behaviour of the Whalers, the Missionaries’ desire to help protect Māori rights and the Musket Wars were reasons that a treaty was needed. The Declaration of Independence was another contributing factor to the need for a treaty.

Paragraph One (Lawyer)

One reason that a treaty was needed was the lawless behaviour of some of the British Settlers like whalers. Around the 1830s in New Zealand, whalers were from many countries including America, France and Australia but the majority came from Britain. When they’re back in the shore, many from different boats, there were some serious drinking, fights, and common disease and it became known as the hellhole of the pacific. Between 1830 and 1840s, whalers needed the protection and permission from Maori to live and work. 

Paragraph Two (Lawyer)

Another reason that a treaty was needed was to protect Māori rights. One group that felt strongly about this was the missionaries. In the early decades of the 19th-century British protestant and French catholic missionaries came to New Zealand to help Maori people. The first conversion of Maori to Christianity didn’t happen until 15 years after the missionaries arrived. The missionaries introduced Maori people writing, reading and some technologies. He missionaries were concerned about the Maori being killed by the musket war and they are were also concerned about the violent behaviour of the sailors spreading the prostitution and disease. These were the reasons the missionaries supported the treaty and they encouraged the Maori to sign the treaty. 

Paragraph Three (Hammer)

Another reason that a treaty was needed was the Musket Wars. When the European people arrived in New Zealand, Maori people fought their war with their traditional weapons, fierce enough the introduction of the musket through New Zealand. The musket weapon gave the tribes a huge advantage over their enemies. Tribes without muskets, they were forced to seek trade with Europeans exchanges with foods or animals.  They believed that the power of the musket was killed over 20 000 people in New Zealand. As a result in the 1830s, all tribes had muskets and military balance of power was starting to occur, the population had shifted, the introduction of New Zealand change forever.

Paragraph Four (The Slam Dunk)

The final reason that a treaty was needed was the existence of the Declaration of Independence. The reason why the treaty was needed is that the purpose of the treaty was to enable the British Settlers and the Maori people to live together in peace under a common set of laws or agreements. In 1840, More than 40 chiefs signed the Treaty of Waitangi. When the settlers arrived in New Zealand, they took most of the land illegally from Maori but the treaty of Waitangi gives the Maori the right to own their lands causing wars, fighting between the tribe, and chaos. Also in 1845, when the first New Zealand governor replaced the Maori flag into the United Kingdom flag, the Maori cut down the flag pole and caused a New Zealand war. This is why the treaty was needed to make an agreement and to stop fighting between the tribe. 

Conclusion (Robust Conclusion)

In conclusion, a treaty was needed because of the treaty of Waitangi aimed to protect the rights of Maori to keep their lands, protecting their origins and freedom. The main reason is when the Europeans arrived in New Zealand, a lot of chaos happened like whalers were from many countries turned the land into a hellhole of the pacific and the Maori population decreased because of the musket war. When the missionaries came to New Zealand, they helped Maori people about their problems and they encouraged the Maori to sign the treaty. With no treaty, there will be no freedom, safety and love in New Zealand.