Situations Essay Answers

Hi, sorry if you've been waiting but I've been at the EBIS production tonight. A great show that somehow combines Maori mythology with Lewis Carroll, the Brothers Grimm and Roald Dahl, topped off with Krumping and Hip Hop. All in the name of saving the earth.Anyway the situations essays are also now available on Moodle - these are the questions 1 and 2 that students answered.

Don't forget the shared lunch for both classes Friday!!!

Decisions Essays Answers

Rather than photocopy endlessly I thought I'd put resources on Moodle for you to download. Tonight I've put the Decisions essays (1, 2,3 and 5) that students answered in the exam. This requires a lot of scanning and OCR so I'll try to put the Situations essays online for you tomorrow...

Cheers

Examitis

Hopefully you've all recovered from the grueling three hour exam - well for the half dozen who managed the entire time. It was good to see so many hang in there for so long though. Most of you will be preparing for your next exam so it will be the weekend before you get a chance to check out the exam and ask yourself where you could have done better.

Now is not the time to become agitated about how badly you think you might have done. Better to look ahead to how you can improve both your knowledge and your practice.

KNOWLEDGE.

Lets face it its almost impossible to become an expert in everything that happened between 1800 and 1900 in New Zealand. Already most of you have chosen a period to emphasise, but are you studying smart?

Preparation is the answer. Careful preparation is the key. Think about what you did in the lead up to this exam, what did you study? Almost no-one took away their write-on Notes...

1. Did you look at the lists of essay questions in your booklet?
2. Did you look at the list of essays you got from me last week?
3. Did you compare what was asked for in each question and what might have been used to answer the questions?
4. Did you look for commonalities in these questions and their answers?
5. Did you consider the generalisations that might have helped you?
6. Did you look at the essay format of the 2004-5 papers?
7. Did you ask questions of other students?
8. Did you ask ME questions?
9. When are you going to start revising for the end of the year - about 7 weeks away?
   

PRACTICE.

1. How did you prepare for the exam?
2. How many hours did you put in?
3. How and where did you study?
4. Did you get plenty of sleep?
5. Did you organise a study group?
6. Did you eat properly beforehand?
7. Did you bring the right equipment?
8. Did you read the questions?
9. Did you have a plan about which parts you would do?
10. Did you stick to a time plan?
11. Did you check your answers - spelling and grammar especially.
12. Did you slip any cash into your answer booklet?

Cheers.

Examine a significant Decision made by people.

The first part of this essay asks you to describe factors that contributed to a decision. This means initially explaining what happened in the lead up to the decision being made. Then, why did people make the decision and who was involved. Merit ask for accuracy, meaning getting names, places and dates right. Excellence asks for perceptive which means explaining what factors are most important while showing some insight and depth of understanding.

For the second part Achieved ask you to Describe the consequences and simply expects you to describe how it might have affected the different parties. Merit ask you to evaluate the consequences, and is seeking your view so say whether it is good or bad and justify your answer with evidence. Merit asks for Comprehensively which means explaining a variety of consequences and rating them, with evidence.

An appropriate format expects formal language and appropriate structure, introduction, body and conclusion.

REMEMBER the simple things. Read and answer the question asked. Do not use information that is irrelevant especially if you are trying to pad out your answer. If there are two parts to the question, answer BOTH parts.

"DESCRIBE" means a factual outline.
"EVALUATE" expects your viewpoint
"EXPLAIN the significance" means evaluate several factors/consequences.
"WHY..." requires reasons (plural).
"To what EXTENT..." requires a conclusion of 'how much' ie importance.

Watch for TIME limits or CONTENT limits.

GOOD LUCK.

The significant historical Situation essay.

The Assessment Criteria for Achieved for this essay expects you to describe an important situation in its historical context. Secondly describe how the situation changed over time. It must be structured and organised in an appropriate format.

The first part means explaining what the situation is and the time frame it is set in. (Context). Merit expects 'Detail' which means discussing the parties involved, being careful with correct names and dates. Excellence expects discussion of the differing viewpoints held by parties concerned.

Changes in the situation expects a description of change over time - being careful to follow any time frame (restrictions) in the question (watch for 'before' and 'after') as you will get no credit for information that is not pertinent to the dates expected. Merit asks for an evaluation which means making a judgment, looking at changes and stating whether they were good, bad and using evidence to back up your ideas. Excellence is looking for 'comprehensively evaluate... influenced people' which simply means how changes in the situation affected people from a range of backgrounds. Some reference to Historiography may be useful.

The correct format expects an essay with introduction, body and a conclusion. Merit expects you to develop an argument, while Excellence asks for a convincing argument. Again names and dates are expected to be accurate (Maori names especially). Being logical means following a logical series of paragraphs that build on your argument - chronological order is probably better.

The 2005 (90656) Resource Exam (Answers)

As promised here are the (abbreviated) answers to the 2005 paper:

To get Merit you need to provide informed (Your own knowledge) and for Excellence you need perceptive analysis. (Describe How or Why events happened/the results of ...)

POINTS OF VIEW & HISTORICAL IDEAS

Resource A - The two editorials

Identify Different points of view - how and why they are held.

You were expected to identify that the 'Lyttleton Times' identifies the Liberals as winners of the election because voters 'stayed true to Liberal principles', while the 'Poverty Bay Herald' believes the Government won and still 'have a majority'.

Merit or Excellence answers identify Ballance (Liberals) and Atkinson (Continous Ministry)as the opposing leaders. The Liberals then began a program of social legislation. The differing points of view may reflect regional support for the Liberal with much of its support in the South Island. Key pieces of legislation covered land reform, suffrage and industrial relations. (named legislation with general discussion of their effects)


Resource B - Canterbury Wheat Fields

What economy and political developments in NZ's led to changes in Canterbury farming.

You should identify the 'shrinkage' field in 1863 averaged 30,000 acres, with much of the wheat going to Otago (Miners) by 1903 the average was down to 350 acres with a greater diversification (variety) of crops.

Merit or Excellence answers note the wheat boom of the 1870's and 1880's brought about by the rise in populaltion (thank-you Vogel) development of Infrastructure (road & rail) allowed more what to be transported. In the 1890's the Liberals broke up the the Great Estates betting more 'small men' onto the land. Refrigeration also made small farms more economic.

HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIPS

Resource C - The Moutoa Battle Memorial.

How perspectives (viewpoints) of past events have changed over time.

You were expected to identify when the battle was fought it was between those fighting for 'law and order' and 'fanatics and barbarians'. Today it is seen as a civil war fought between relatives.

Merit or Excellence answers identifies the Upper Whanganui Iwi accepting Pai Marire (Hau Hau) and coming into conflict with the Lower Whanganui Iwi who wanted to protect the advantage they gained from having the Pakeha nearby. The memorial is from the perspective of Pakeha who supported kupapa tribes. The Te Papa exhibit is from the viewpoint of the Whangaui Iwi showing the grief and tension of the time which is reflected in recent occupations at Moutoa Gardens.

Resource D - The Sin of Cheapness.

According to Reverend Waddell the lust for bargains, drove down prices, leading to lower wages and for many workers to be below the poverty line. (think todays Middle Class consumerism and the Big Red Shed style wages)

Merit or Excellence answers noted that Dunedin was harder hit by the Long Depression because of the Gold rushes and Vogel immigration. The Depression hurt the South hardest, with factors beyond the employers control. As prices fell employers were forced to cut wages and conditions. Waddell's agitation led to inquiries and to increased support for the Liberals in 1890. Belich has described this period as the 'Long Stagnation'. Real incomes fell.

THE USEFULNESS OR RELIABILITY OF EVIDENCE

For EACH of the following 2 resources you MUST make a statement about how useful they might be and give an example.

Resource E - A Migrants Journey.

It could be a good starting point for a historian. On initial viewing this resources appear to show both positive and negative effects of migration (requires examples). It does not seem overly biased.

Excellence answers noted much of the material supplied by Migration agents was heavily biased (remember the 2 posters 'Here and There' and 'The Needle Woman'?) and this seems to provide a more balanced viewpoint. It was published in NZ and probably reflects a common experience. It would be very useful to an historian.

Resource F - Governor Grey

This source identifies Greys achievements in his first term as Governor but the language and tone are biased, and inaccurate. As a source it is flawed and would not be useful.

An Excellence answer may identify the idea that this book is all about Empire not New Zealand. Also note the patronising tone of the material towards Maori (crafty and insolent) . Belich has noted the British did not 'win' the Northern War and that is the reason Heke did not have to give up any land. Grey undermined the Treaty in his treatment of Te Rauparaha (Kidnapped & held without trial), he did not uphold the Treaty, the source is thus not reliable.

Audio Feeds or Podcasts

In class we talked about listening to relevant podcasts - I haven't managed that quite yet but there are a number of interesting audio feeds available including one on Vogel. If you get a chance have a listen and let me know. Others will go up next week as I get a chance to update things. They are on the School Intranet (Moodle Site).

Good luck for the exams check back for some ideas/hints for the essays and resources.

Cheers

Julius Vogel and his Scheme.

Vogel is an important figure in our history and yet the bread is better known than he is. He arrived as a Gold miner, was editor of the ODT and became a local politician in Otago, championing the idea of secession when southerners became irate at the idea that their taxes were paying for the northern war. When he moved to central Government he would champion the rights of the Government over the Provinces, eventually having them abolished when they got in his way.

His scheme which he proposed as Treasurer in 1869 was simple. Borrow some money, use some of it to pay for Migrants to come to New Zealand and the rest to build the infrastructure needed to support the larger population as well as opening up more of the country to settlement. The migrants would expand the economy and generate more income, paying for both the interest and the loans themselves.

Initially the scheme was received well. Almost universally it was seen as a way of boosting the colony and making many people rich. Vogel wanted to borrow 10m pounds but ended up lending 20m, a liability that would weigh heavily on the Government for many years. The road and rail networks were built and a lot of land opened up to settlers.

Areas like the Wairarapa (70 Mile Bush) were opened up, and the population was doubled. new towns like Dannevirke appeared and prospered. The economy expanded but the Depression pushed down commodity prices so that the economy stagnated with real incomes reducing despite wages increasing. (ie Inflation was higher that wages). The population now included a more diverse ethnicities, including the more well known Scandanavians, but also Italians and French settlers arrived.

The scheme was poorly run, money was squandered, road and rail networks were not always built where they were needed - often favouring well placed politicians and their favourites. Few of the 100,000+ people were suited to the type of work expected of them, and many preferred to stay closer to towns or cities, ignoring the opportunities in the rural areas. This created a new (but old) phenomenon, slums. An evil many settlers thought they had left behind in Europe. Older colonists viewed them as 'scum' who were a liability and a hinderance to progress, they were angry when the expected benefits - improved wages, higher land values did not always eventuate. This was not helped as the depression hit in the latter part of the decade.

Politicians who had supported Vogel abandoned him and he eventually left for London.

Ensure you read the Vogel handout!

Dairying - the Refrigeration Revolution

Before 1882 Dairying had been a minor industry. It was a small scale localised operation run out of small mixed farms. Poor infrastructure (esp. transportation) mean that milk could only be supplied to local towns or villages. Processed into butter or cheese it could travel further but not much, especially in the summer. There was also the problem of consistency, each farmer (or his wife) had their own recipe so that every batch was different.

Dairy farms were thus generally small affairs dealing to the local population and barely making a living. In the Taranaki, Chew Chong, a chinese trader kept many small farmers from starvation when he began to purchase a local fungus from them. When refrigeration was introduced small dairy factory's sprang up to support the growing dairy industry and the Taranaki was ideally suited to this. Chong built one of the first factories, continuing to support his clients. He preferred to take their milk and produce his own cheese and butter, a more consistent product that sold more readily. Later co-operatives forced him out of the business but he remained a highly regarded member of the community.

Dairying opened up the Taranaki and other areas, giving many of the small farmers a leg up the economic ladder. The creation of co-operatives gave them the strength of many and allowed them to apply economies of scale. Wool was hard pressed by the depression but Dairying resulted in an economic expansion rather than retrenchment and the bankruptcy that devastated some parts of the South.

The export of dairy products helped to diversify the economy and expanded the settlement of New Zealand, along with the expanding infrastructure that pushed Europeans into every corner of the country. As noted in your handout New Zealand went from a single commodity economy (Wool) to a treble (Wool, Meat and Dairy Products). Expansion of this industry through the 1880s meant it was well placed to take advantage as the 'Long depression' dragged to an end.

So the effects of dairying can be summed up with the opening up of the North island, increased settlement with improved transport (road and rail) and communications. The development of new industries including dairy factories and abbatoirs for the processing of meat (creating more employment opportunities) . The expansion and diversification of the economy and finally the destruction of the Kahikatea (White Pine) which was used in the production of boxes for butter. (aka the butter-box wood)

Pastoralism - Refrigeration

The wool period was responsible for opening up large areas of the South Island and created a new class of land owners. By the end of the 1860's most of the South Island was owned by a relatively small number of families. The Sheep stations were enormous with tens of thousands of sheep supplying vast quantitie's of wool, but relatively little meat. It turns out Merino meat is not very tasty. Apart from parts of the Wairarapa and the Hawkes Bay sheep farming made little impact in the North island, due in part to the less suitable heavily forested land and the reluctance of Maori to sell their land. The confiscations and the Land Court would in the main remove the Maori from this equation, but the forest would slow down any development.

By the 1870's the growth in Britains population and its increased earning power created a demand for better quality food from around the world, increasingly they demanded meat - fresh or frozen. Argentina had already sent shipments across the Atlantic with some success. Australia sent its first shipment in 1871, giving sheep breeders in New Zealand hope that they to could establish a new industry. The voyage of the 'Dunedin' in 1882 is accorded little real significance in our history certainly less than it deserves, and yet it is the watershed/tipping point in our history.

Only one carcass was rejected at the end of that first voyage, and reports were very favourable. So successful was this venture that British farmers demanded that shipments be labelled as 'New Zealand Mutton'. Initially we sent only Merino and mainly mutton, but quickly adapted to british demand for lamb. This worked both ways, the British got tastier meat in small (oven size) portions, we got to send more carcasses which were worth more. We also changed the breeds of sheep, Merino remained on some Runs producing high quality wool, while Corriedale and other breeds were producing a mix of wool and meat. In 1882 we sent 35,000 carcasses, by 1900 it was 3.5m per annum.

The downstream effect of refrigeration lay in the new industry surrounding the killing and processing of the meat. Refrigeration led to Cool stores to keep the meat, under the Vogels schemes, road and rail became a necessity to transport the meat to port where it was stored.

While the main trunk line connected the main centers, branchline's were used to connect the hinterland to the ports.

In many respects refrigeration created a new demand for land, but land was still hard to find. However the Depression which arrived in 1879 with the collapse of the Bank of Glasgow had already begun to impact with many of the stations falling into financial hardship. The new exports helped but many were to over stretched and became bankrupt. It would take the Liberals to free up land for the 'little' man.