New Zealand :: essays research papers fc

NEW ZEALAND   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The country that I am doing for my report is New Zealand. New Zealand is made up of two Islands. The north and the south islands. It is located in the south pacific by Australia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first people to settle New Zealand came over from east Polynesia by canoe during the 10th century. These people were called the Maori. According to a Maori legend, a man may have arrived in New Zealand during about 950 ad, but this can not be proven. The Maori people lived on the Island on native fruits and vegetables and animals, and they also brought over plants and livestock from Polynesia. The Maori were usually peaceful, but sometimes had wars over the best land. They lived in earth-made structures similar to the adobes of Mexico.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first European to sight New Zealand was Abel Tasman in 1642. The Maori people kept him from landing on the Islands. They attacked his ship by canoes and killed four of his sailors. He never returned to New Zealand. In 1769, an English explorer, Captain James Cook, was sent to New Zealand on a scientific investigation. He mapped all of the north and south Islands and made reports on trade and colonizing. These reports were good and attracted many people to New Zealand, including the French, Italian, and American explorers. By the 18th century, there were 180,000 Maori people on the north and south islands of New Zealand. During 1840, the treaty of Waitangi was signed between the British and the Maori people. It gave the British a right to colonize the Islands and trade with the Maori people. In 1907, the Islands were declared a dominion of Great Britain. In 1935, It was declared an independent country and was named New Zealand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The present day government and standard of living in New Zealand is very much like that of the U.S. At one time the yearly income of New Zealanders was even better than the U.S. and Great Britain. The people of New Zealand have freedom of religion. The main religion in New Zealand is Christianity, even though there are Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, Amish, and many more. The Maori religion is also a major religion. The people of New Zealand have a mix between Britain and Australian accents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The main exports of New Zealand are wool and dairy products. There are over 100,000 sheep in New Zealand.