Whaling History and Its Impact

What was the typical appearance of the first Europeans most Māori encountered?

• Dressed in fancy naval uniforms.

• Sunburned, wind-scorched, and wearing dirty clothes.

• Wearing traditional Māori clothing.

• Wearing formal suits and hats.

How did Māori typically use whales before Europeans arrived?

• They hunted whales for their meat and oil.

• They used whale bones for building houses.

• They harvested meat, teeth, and bones from stranded whales.

• They trained whales to help with fishing.

What happened to the New Zealand fur seal population between 1780 AD and 1830 AD?

• It increased significantly due to conservation efforts.

• It remained stable, with minor fluctuations.

• It decreased by about 40%.

• It collapsed to a very small number.

What made sealskins highly valuable and led to a "gold rush" for them?

• They were used as currency in trade with Māori.

• The Chinese invented a method to process the soft underfur for clothing.

• They were needed to build new ships for stranded sealers.

• They were used as food for long sea voyages.

What were the typical living conditions for sealers when they were not working?

• Luxurious cabins on their ships.

• Comfortable houses in nearby towns.

• Caves, upturned boats, or simple huts.

• Well-built settlements provided by their employers.

What was one way Pākehā Māori were useful to Māori hapū?

• They taught Māori how to hunt seals more efficiently.

• They acted as translators and helped open trade opportunities.

• They introduced new farming techniques to the Māori communities.

• They helped build larger and more permanent settlements.

What was the "Sealers War" primarily about?

• A conflict over fishing rights in the Bay of Islands.

• A series of violent conflicts between sealers and Southern Ngāi Tahu.

• A dispute between different sealing companies over territory.

• A battle between Māori tribes for control of sealing grounds.

What was the most valuable part of a sperm whale for whalers?

• Spermaceti, used for candles and lubricants.

• Ambergris, used in perfumes.

• Blubber, which was processed into whale oil.

• The bones, used for tools and ornaments.

Who was the first recorded British-American whaler to reach Aotearoa (New Zealand)?

• Captain James Cook

• Captain Eber Bunker

• Herman Melville

• Jackie Guard

Why were Southern Right Whales called "right whales" by hunters?

• They were the largest whales in the ocean.

• They were easy to catch because they were slow, stayed near shore, and floated when killed.

• They had the most valuable oil and blubber.

• They were the only type of whale found in the Pacific.