Declaration of Independence NZ

In 1830 there were 100,000 Māori and 100 Europeans living in New Zealand. The behavior 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.

One reason that a treaty was needed was the lawless behavior of some of the British Settlers like whalers. This was important as the whalers wreaked havoc especially in Kororareka where they arrived having been at sea for months. The British whalers caused a lot of problems for the Maori, for instance when they would dock at Kororareka they would start drinking until they were out of control. This would lead to fights with each other or the locals, prostitution, and diseases. The combination of the whalers lawlessness and trade were contributing factors for local Maori in signing the treaty.

Another reason that a treaty was needed was to protect Māori rights. One group that felt strongly about this was the missionaries. The missionaries and the Māoris had a good relationship, the missionaries also taught the Māori adults how to read and write. The missionaries were worried about people buying a lot of Māori land so they bought large tracts of land, sometimes as a type of trustee on behalf of Māori. There were among the key reasons why the missionaries supported the treaty and actively encouraged the Māori to sign the treaty. Due to the missionaries and Māoris good relationship it was a strong reason the Māori signed the treaty. 

Another reason that a treaty was needed was the Musket Wars. 20000 people were killed during the musket war, the musket wars started 1807-1842 the first tribe to get muskets were Nga Puhi. The tribes got muskets by trading things like pigs and potatoes. With the Māori having muskets it did change a few things like their tribal boundaries it also made a population shift and gave them a connection to the outside world like never before. So, to round it off the Declaration of Independence was needed to stop the war and stop people from killing each other.

In conclusion, a treaty was needed because of the concerns of the lawlessness of British subjects in New Zealand and in response to a fear that France would declare sovereignty over the islands. The missionaries encouraged the Māori to sign the Declaration of Independence because the missionaries were worried about other people buying land, which is why they bought land to give to the Māori. When the British settlers came to New Zealand and traded with the Māori for muskets it caused a lot of trouble which is why it was needed.

Still in the works.