Background to Botany

Question 1

Locate and name key features in Botany

Answer 1

• Tamaki River
• Botany Downs Secondary College
• Botany Town Centre
• The Greenmount Landfill
• The Buddhist temple
• Sir Barry Curtis park
• A golf course

Question 2

Describe and explain how early european settlers lived in the botany area

Answer 2

Early European settlers lived in an environment that had a lot of greenery and few cultural features.

Clothing was very long and restricted, people showed very little skin.

There were limited forms of transport, some included horses, walking and boats.

Housing was very simple, and most houses were built from wood. Houses often had a veranda/porch.

Jobs were centered around clergy, farming, and timber industries.

Past times such as reading, painting, gardening, and socializing were very common. Beliefs were centered around Christianity at the time.

Question 3

Identify and Evaluate the impacts Maori and Early European had on the natural environment.

Answer 3

The use of the land in the local area of Botany was a significant part of life for both Maori and the early European settlers.

Both Maori and early Europeans used the land in similar ways, including the

• transportation of goods,
• the harvesting of plants and produce,
• the construction of various buildings such as houses, churches and Pās.

However, the two groups also used the land in different ways. For example,

• the Maori used the land not only physically, but also as a means of identifying themselves
• associated ancestors and different tribes with different natural features
• They formed connections and relations with the land and its natural features, seeing it in a more spiritual light.

On the contrary, the early Europeans used the land in a more physically centred way,

-removing and adding different elements and cultural features.

They made several changes to the land which, over a period of time, blossomed and had deeper impacts. These changes included

• introducing new crops, plants, animals,
• enhancing the trading systems that were used by adding more variety.
• more physical infrastructure
• paved the way for future settlers.

Question 4

Describe how the botany area had changed by the early twentieth century

Answer 4

CLEARING OF FORESTS AND GROWTH OF NEW CROPS

• As a result of early settlers hunting for food, SOME ANIMALS DECLINED IN POPULATION leading towards the endangerment of other animals.
• While more people settled in the Botany area, a GREATER AMOUNT OF PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE was created
• production of ROADS and IMPROVED BUILDING STRUCTURES.

Question 5

Describe how the physical environment of botany was formed

Answer 5

The physical environment of botany has come to be how it is now through many changes. Both Maori, Europeans, and other ethnic groups have contributed to increasing the amount of PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE and both cleared plenty of land and natural features to do so.

Question 6

Describe the location of botany

Answer 6

Botany downs is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is located about nine kilometers from central Manukau and about 20 kilometers from central Auckland.

Question 7

Describe the lifestyle of the local iwi prior to european settlement

Answer 7

Maori climed trees in order to collect berries, as well as using spears and other weapons to kill birds. Fire was used for heating and cooking. Construction and changes to the land involved producing ladders, bridges and platforms to assist methods of transporting and gathering foods.