Timeline of Voting & Politics in New Zealand {Wall Frieze}

Let’s take a moment to walk through the fascinating history of politics in New Zealand…

The good, the bad and the interesting—it’s all ours… from the pre-European organisation of iwi, the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 and the very first sitting of our Parliament in 1854. It covers the journey of Māori to obtain the right for all men to vote and the creation of one of the most distinctive features of our electoral system – the Māori seats. Then on through the decades with our franchise seeking suffragettes to a major world first…the right of all kiwi women to vote!

If you’re looking for a simple and eye catching way to review our amazing political history, then look no further than this classroom wall frieze! Just print and laminate before displaying in chronological order.

This resource is designed to be used in conjunction with our Let’s Vote! {NZ Election Mini booklet} – the perfect way to support your students to delve into some deeper thinking about the information contained in the timeline…

Included in this resource are:30+ page NZ Political history timeline including:

• 240 important events in NZs Political history
• Each page is brightly illustrated to match the facts – perfect for supporting all levels of learners
• Facts are presented in simple child speak where possible
• The timeline includes numbered and colour coded sections where applicable (colour coded to match the political parties) that indicate a change in PM. This makes it easy to see at a glance the political patterns that develop through time
• The timeline is filled with political events (Māori and European) including political milestones, changes of government, general elections, the battles to obtain suffrage (for both women & Māori) and all sorts of other interesting ‘firsts’
• This resource includes 2 extra pages that provide a closer look at the journey taken by Māori & women to obtain the right to vote
• Also included are 6 task cards that are designed to spring board your students into deeper thinking about some of the stories surrounding Aotearoa’s political journey (Māori names you should know; women’s names you should know; moments in time you should hear about; patterns through time you can see; political quotes in time you should hear about & things to ponder…)
• This resource is designed to be used in conjunction with our ‘Let’s Vote’ Mini booklet – the perfect companion to encourage a closer look and some deeper thinking about the timeline!
• Please note, no timeline can contain all the juicy tidbits from Aotearoa’s past…. If I’m missing something you consider important, please let me know! I’m happy to add additional facts.