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NZ Citizenship Test study materials
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NZ Citizenship Test practice questions

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Question 1New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which document is regarded as New Zealand's founding constitutional document, signed between Māori chiefs and the British Crown in 1840?

  1. The Constitution Act 1986
  2. The Bill of Rights 1689
  3. The New Zealand Wars settlement deed
  4. The Treaty of Waitangi Correct answer.

Explanation

The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 between representatives of the British Crown and Māori chiefs, and it is widely treated as New Zealand's founding constitutional text. The other documents listed are either later statutes or unrelated agreements.

Question 2New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Where was the Treaty of Waitangi first signed on 6 February 1840?

  1. At Waitangi in the Bay of Islands Correct answer.
  2. At Ōnuku on Banks Peninsula
  3. At Kororāreka in the Bay of Islands
  4. At Manukau Harbour near Auckland

Explanation

The first signing took place at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands on 6 February 1840, the date now commemorated as Waitangi Day. Later signings occurred at many other locations around the country.

Question 3New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which Māori chief is strongly associated with the drafting of the Māori text of the Treaty of Waitangi and with the signing at Waitangi?

  1. Hēnare Taratoa
  2. Wiremu Tāmihana
  3. Hone Tāreha
  4. Hōne Heke Correct answer.

Explanation

Hōne Heke was among the chiefs who signed at Waitangi and is closely linked with the events surrounding the Treaty in the north. He later became famous for cutting down the flagstaff at Kororāreka.

Question 4New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which three principles are commonly used to describe the meaning of the Treaty of Waitangi in modern New Zealand law and policy?

  1. Partnership, participation and protection Correct answer.
  2. Sovereignty, property and prosperity
  3. Equality, liberty and fraternity
  4. Kāwanatanga, rangatiratanga and mana

Explanation

The Treaty principles most often cited in policy and jurisprudence are partnership, participation and protection. These are used to frame the relationship between the Crown and Māori.

Question 5New Zealand history, heritage and culture

What does the Māori term 'rangatiratanga' most closely mean in the context of the Treaty of Waitangi?

  1. Governorship on behalf of the Crown
  2. Land ownership by the Crown
  3. Christian missionary authority
  4. Chieftainship or chiefly authority Correct answer.

Explanation

Rangatiratanga is generally translated as chieftainship or the authority of chiefs. In the Treaty's Māori text it is used to affirm Māori authority over their lands, villages and treasures.

Question 6New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which Act established the Waitangi Tribunal and its power to investigate Treaty claims?

  1. The State Sector Act 1988
  2. The Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 Correct answer.
  3. The Constitution Act 1986
  4. The Māori Affairs Act 1953

Explanation

The Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 created the Waitangi Tribunal and gave it jurisdiction to inquire into claims that the Crown had breached the Treaty. Its powers were later extended to cover historical claims back to 1840.

Question 7New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which early New Zealand settlement was established by the New Zealand Company as a planned colony in 1840?

  1. Dunedin
  2. Auckland
  3. Christchurch
  4. Wellington Correct answer.

Explanation

The New Zealand Company organised the settlement of Wellington in 1840 as part of its colonisation scheme. Auckland, Dunedin and Christchurch were founded through different processes and later dates.

Question 8New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which city served as New Zealand's capital before Wellington took over that role in 1865?

  1. Dunedin
  2. Nelson
  3. Christchurch
  4. Auckland Correct answer.

Explanation

Auckland was the capital from 1841 until 1865, when the seat of government moved to Wellington. The move reflected the growing importance of the southern settlements and central location.

Question 9New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which conflict in the 1840s involved the British Crown and Ngāpuhi chiefs in the north, following disputes over land and sovereignty?

  1. The Waikato War
  2. The Northern War Correct answer.
  3. The Taranaki War
  4. The South African War

Explanation

The Northern War of the 1840s involved Ngāpuhi chiefs such as Hōne Heke and Kawiti against British forces. It followed tensions over the flagstaff at Kororāreka and land issues.

Question 10New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which Māori movement emerged in the 1850s in response to land loss and colonial pressure, eventually choosing a king?

  1. The Rātana movement
  2. The Kīngitanga movement Correct answer.
  3. The Kotahitanga parliament
  4. The Ringatū faith

Explanation

The Kīngitanga, or King Movement, arose in the 1850s to unify Māori under a single leader and resist land alienation. Pōtatau Te Wherowhero became the first Māori King.

Question 11New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Who was the first Māori King, chosen by the Kīngitanga movement?

  1. Pōtatau Te Wherowhero Correct answer.
  2. Te Rata
  3. Mahuta
  4. Tāwhiao

Explanation

Pōtatau Te Wherowhero was selected as the first Māori King in 1858. His successors included Tāwhiao, Mahuta and Te Rata.

Question 12New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which 1840s conflict saw the British and colonial forces attack the pā at Ruapekapeka?

  1. The Northern War Correct answer.
  2. The Wairau Affray
  3. The Wellington campaign
  4. The East Coast campaigns

Explanation

The battle at Ruapekapeka pā was part of the Northern War in 1845–46. It was one of the last engagements of that conflict in the north.

Question 13New Zealand history, heritage and culture

What was the main purpose of the Native Land Acts of the 1860s?

  1. To establish a system for individualising and selling Māori land Correct answer.
  2. To return confiscated land to Māori
  3. To create Māori seats in Parliament
  4. To set up the Waitangi Tribunal

Explanation

The Native Land Acts created a process by which Māori land could be converted to individual title and then sold. This contributed to large-scale land alienation.

Question 14New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which Act granted Māori men the right to vote and established four Māori seats in Parliament?

  1. The Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975
  2. The Māori Representation Act 1867 Correct answer.
  3. The Electoral Act 1893
  4. The Native Land Act 1865

Explanation

The Māori Representation Act 1867 created four Māori electorates and extended the vote to Māori men. This was earlier than the general male franchise in some respects.

Question 15New Zealand history, heritage and culture

In which year did New Zealand women gain the right to vote in parliamentary elections?

  1. 1902
  2. 1919
  3. 1893 Correct answer.
  4. 1878

Explanation

New Zealand became the first self-governing country to grant women the vote, in 1893. This followed a long campaign led by suffragists such as Kate Sheppard.

Question 16New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which New Zealander is most closely associated with leading the campaign for women's suffrage in the 1890s?

  1. Kate Sheppard Correct answer.
  2. Ettie Rout
  3. Elizabeth Yates
  4. Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia

Explanation

Kate Sheppard led the suffrage campaign that culminated in the 1893 Electoral Act. She is commemorated on the ten-dollar note.

Question 17New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which New Zealand Prime Minister is associated with the introduction of the welfare state in the 1930s?

  1. Michael Joseph Savage Correct answer.
  2. Richard Seddon
  3. Robert Muldoon
  4. William Massey

Explanation

Michael Joseph Savage led the first Labour government, which introduced the Social Security Act 1938 and established the foundations of the welfare state. He remains a symbol of that era.

Question 18New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which 1938 statute is regarded as the foundation of New Zealand's welfare state?

  1. The State Services Act 1962
  2. The Social Security Act 1938 Correct answer.
  3. The Human Rights Act 1993
  4. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1894

Explanation

The Social Security Act 1938 created a comprehensive system of social security benefits, including health and superannuation. It is the key legislative foundation of the welfare state.

Question 19New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which New Zealand city was the site of the 1931 earthquake that caused widespread destruction and loss of life?

  1. Auckland
  2. Wellington
  3. Napier Correct answer.
  4. Christchurch

Explanation

The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake devastated Napier and nearby Hastings. The city was rebuilt in the Art Deco style that is now a heritage attraction.

Question 20New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which conflict did New Zealand troops notably participate in at Gallipoli in 1915?

  1. The Second World War
  2. The First World War Correct answer.
  3. The Korean War
  4. The South African War

Explanation

New Zealand and Australian troops landed at Gallipoli in 1915 during the First World War. The campaign is commemorated as a formative moment in national identity.

Question 21New Zealand history, heritage and culture

What does Anzac Day, observed on 25 April, commemorate?

  1. The founding of the New Zealand Parliament
  2. The end of the Second World War
  3. The landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli in 1915 Correct answer.
  4. The signing of the Treaty of Waitangi

Explanation

Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the Gallipoli landings on 25 April 1915. It has become a day for remembering all New Zealanders who served and died in wars.

Question 22New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which New Zealand Prime Minister led the country during the 1984 economic reforms that included deregulation and the removal of subsidies?

  1. Robert Muldoon
  2. Jim Bolger
  3. David Lange Correct answer.
  4. Helen Clark

Explanation

David Lange became Prime Minister in 1984 and presided over a period of rapid economic liberalisation led by Finance Minister Roger Douglas. The reforms became known as Rogernomics.

Question 23New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which 1985 decision by the Lange government prohibited nuclear-armed or nuclear-powered ships from entering New Zealand waters?

  1. The defence white paper
  2. The nuclear-free policy Correct answer.
  3. The ANZUS withdrawal
  4. The South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty

Explanation

In 1985 the Lange government adopted a nuclear-free policy that barred nuclear-armed and nuclear-powered vessels from New Zealand ports. This led to tensions with the United States and ultimately affected ANZUS.

Question 24New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which Māori term refers to the traditional meeting ground or courtyard in front of a meeting house?

  1. Pā
  2. Wharekai
  3. Marae Correct answer.
  4. Waka

Explanation

A marae is the communal meeting place, including the courtyard and associated buildings such as the wharenui. It is central to Māori community life and ceremony.

Question 25New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which traditional Māori art form involves carving in wood, bone or stone?

  1. Whakairo Correct answer.
  2. Raranga
  3. Kōwhaiwhai
  4. Tāniko

Explanation

Whakairo is the art of carving, practised in wood, bone and stone. It is distinct from weaving and painting traditions.

Question 26New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which document did a group of Māori chiefs and representatives of the British Crown sign at Waitangi in February 1840, and which is now regarded as New Zealand's founding constitutional document?

  1. The New Zealand Constitution Act
  2. The Declaration of Independence
  3. The Treaty of Waitangi Correct answer.
  4. The Māori Representation Act

Explanation

The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed on 6 February 1840 at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands, then taken around the country for further signatures. It is widely regarded as New Zealand's founding document, setting out the relationship between Māori and the Crown.

Question 27New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which British naval officer and later governor was responsible for drafting and presenting the Treaty of Waitangi to Māori chiefs in 1840?

  1. Edward Gibbon Wakefield
  2. James Busby
  3. William Hobson Correct answer.
  4. George Grey

Explanation

William Hobson was the British naval officer appointed as consul and later lieutenant-governor, who drafted the Treaty text and secured the first signatures at Waitangi. He subsequently became New Zealand's first governor.

Question 28New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which body was set up in 1975 to hear Māori grievances about Crown actions that breached the Treaty of Waitangi?

  1. The Aborigines' Protection Society
  2. The Native Affairs Committee
  3. The Waitangi Tribunal Correct answer.
  4. The Māori Land Court

Explanation

The Waitangi Tribunal was established by the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 to inquire into claims that the Crown had acted inconsistently with the Treaty. Its powers were later extended so it could consider historical claims dating back to 1840.

Question 29New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which anniversary is marked on 6 February as a public holiday commemorating the first signing of the Treaty of Waitangi?

  1. Dominion Day
  2. Te Rā o te Rangi
  3. Anzac Day
  4. Waitangi Day Correct answer.

Explanation

Waitangi Day falls on 6 February and marks the first signing of the Treaty at Waitangi in 1840. It became a national public holiday in 1974 and is a focus for discussion of Māori–Crown relations.

Question 30New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which 1840s conflict saw fighting at Kororāreka and the pā at Ōhaeawai after disputes over land and chiefly authority in the north?

  1. The Musket Wars
  2. The Boer War
  3. The New Zealand Wars of the 1860s
  4. The Northern War Correct answer.

Explanation

The Northern War of 1845–46 involved Ngāpuhi chiefs such as Hōne Heke and Kawiti against British and colonial forces, with engagements at Kororāreka, Puketutu and Ōhaeawai. It arose from grievances including the shifting of the capital and flagstaff disputes.

Question 31New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which settlement did the New Zealand Company found in 1840 as a planned colony on the site of present-day Wellington?

  1. Dunedin
  2. Auckland
  3. Britannia Correct answer.
  4. New Plymouth

Explanation

The New Zealand Company's first organised settlers arrived in 1840 and established the settlement of Britannia, which was soon renamed Wellington. It was the company's first planned colony in New Zealand.

Question 32New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which city replaced Auckland as New Zealand's capital in 1865 because of its central location and better harbour access?

  1. Wellington Correct answer.
  2. Nelson
  3. Christchurch
  4. Dunedin

Explanation

Wellington became the capital in 1865, chosen because of its central position between the northern and southern settlements and its good harbour. Parliament first met there in 1865.

Question 33New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which 1850s movement chose Pōtatau Te Wherowhero as its first leader in response to land loss and colonial pressure?

  1. The Rātana movement
  2. The Ringatū faith
  3. The Kotahitanga parliament
  4. The Kīngitanga Correct answer.

Explanation

The Kīngitanga, or Māori King movement, emerged in the 1850s to unite iwi under a single leader and resist land alienation. Pōtatau Te Wherowhero was chosen as the first Māori King in 1858.

Question 34New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which 1860s statute allowed Māori land to be individually titled and sold, accelerating land alienation from iwi and hapū?

  1. The Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975
  2. The Electoral Act 1893
  3. The Native Lands Act 1865 Correct answer.
  4. The Māori Representation Act 1867

Explanation

The Native Lands Act 1865 set up the Native Land Court to convert communally held Māori land into individual titles that could be sold. This made it far easier for settlers and the Crown to acquire land.

Question 35New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which 1867 Act created four parliamentary seats reserved for Māori men at a time when they could not otherwise meet the property qualification for voting?

  1. The Constitution Act 1852
  2. The Native Lands Act 1865
  3. The Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975
  4. The Māori Representation Act 1867 Correct answer.

Explanation

The Māori Representation Act 1867 established four Māori electorates and allowed Māori men to vote and stand for Parliament. It responded to concerns that few Māori could meet the individual property qualification for general seats.

Question 36New Zealand history, heritage and culture

In which year did New Zealand become the first self-governing country to grant women the right to vote in parliamentary elections?

  1. 1893 Correct answer.
  2. 1867
  3. 1907
  4. 1919

Explanation

The Electoral Act 1893 gave New Zealand women the right to vote, making the country the first self-governing nation to do so. Women first exercised the vote at the general election later that year.

Question 37New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which organisation, led by Kate Sheppard, campaigned for women's suffrage and gathered a large petition in 1893?

  1. The Māori Women's Welfare League
  2. The National Council of Women
  3. The Women's Christian Temperance Union Correct answer.
  4. The New Zealand Labour Party

Explanation

The Women's Christian Temperance Union, with Kate Sheppard as a leading figure, organised the suffrage campaign and collected a petition of nearly 32,000 signatures in 1893. That pressure helped secure the passage of the Electoral Act.

Question 38New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which New Zealand Prime Minister led the first Labour government from 1935 and introduced the welfare state?

  1. Michael Joseph Savage Correct answer.
  2. Richard Seddon
  3. Robert Muldoon
  4. William Massey

Explanation

Michael Joseph Savage became Prime Minister in 1935 and his government introduced the Social Security Act 1938 and other welfare measures. He is closely associated with the creation of New Zealand's welfare state.

Question 39New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which 1938 statute consolidated health, unemployment and superannuation benefits and is seen as the foundation of the welfare state?

  1. The Electoral Act 1893
  2. The State Sector Act 1988
  3. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1894
  4. The Social Security Act 1938 Correct answer.

Explanation

The Social Security Act 1938 brought together and expanded benefits including health care, unemployment and superannuation. It is widely regarded as the legislative foundation of New Zealand's welfare state.

Question 40New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which city was struck by a major earthquake in 1931 that destroyed much of its centre and killed more than 250 people?

  1. Christchurch
  2. Invercargill
  3. Napier Correct answer.
  4. Wellington

Explanation

The Hawke's Bay earthquake of 3 February 1931 devastated Napier and nearby Hastings, causing widespread fires and heavy loss of life. The city was rebuilt in the Art Deco style now associated with it.

Question 41New Zealand history, heritage and culture

At which 1915 campaign did the New Zealand and Australian Army Corps fight together, an event commemorated each Anzac Day?

  1. Passchendaele
  2. Gallipoli Correct answer.
  3. The Somme
  4. El Alamein

Explanation

New Zealand and Australian troops formed the Anzac Corps and landed at Gallipoli in April 1915. The campaign's heavy casualties and shared sacrifice became central to Anzac commemoration.

Question 42New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which New Zealand Prime Minister introduced the economic reforms of the mid-1980s, including deregulation and removal of subsidies?

  1. Jim Bolger
  2. Helen Clark
  3. David Lange Correct answer.
  4. Robert Muldoon

Explanation

David Lange became Prime Minister in 1984 and his government, guided by Finance Minister Roger Douglas, carried out rapid deregulation and market reforms. These changes became known as Rogernomics.

Question 43New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which 1987 statute made New Zealand formally a nuclear-free zone by banning nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered vessels?

  1. The Commerce Act 1986
  2. The Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975
  3. The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act 1987 Correct answer.
  4. The Constitution Act 1986

Explanation

The New Zealand Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament, and Arms Control Act 1987 gave legislative effect to the Lange government's nuclear-free policy. It prohibited nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered ships from entering New Zealand territory.

Question 44New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which Māori term describes the open courtyard or meeting ground in front of a wharenui on a marae?

  1. Pōwhiri
  2. Marae ātea Correct answer.
  3. Wharekai
  4. Waharoa

Explanation

The marae ātea is the open area in front of the meeting house where visitors are welcomed and speeches are made. It is often described as the domain of Tūmatauenga, the god of war.

Question 45New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which traditional Māori art form involves carving wood, bone or stone, often producing whakairo pieces for meeting houses?

  1. Raranga
  2. Whakairo Correct answer.
  3. Tā moko
  4. Kōwhaiwhai

Explanation

Whakairo is the art of Māori carving in wood, bone, stone and other materials, used on meeting houses and personal taonga. It is distinct from weaving, painting and tattooing.

Question 46New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which term refers to the principle of guardianship or stewardship often used to describe Māori relationships with the environment under the Treaty?

  1. Manaakitanga
  2. Rangatiratanga
  3. Kaitiakitanga Correct answer.
  4. Whanaungatanga

Explanation

Kaitiakitanga is the concept of guardianship and stewardship, particularly of land, water and natural resources. It is frequently discussed in Treaty settlements and resource management.

Question 47New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which 1975 protest march from Te Hāpua to Wellington highlighted Māori land grievances and helped spur Treaty settlement processes?

  1. The Springbok Tour protests
  2. The Parihaka campaign
  3. The Bastion Point occupation
  4. The Māori Land March Correct answer.

Explanation

The 1975 Māori Land March, led by Dame Whina Cooper, travelled from Te Hāpua in the far north to Wellington to protest against further Māori land loss. It drew national attention to Treaty grievances and helped build momentum for later settlement processes.

Question 48New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which early twentieth-century Māori religious and political leader founded a movement that later allied with the Labour Party and campaigned for Māori rights?

  1. T. W. Ratana Correct answer.
  2. Wiremu Tamihana
  3. Rua Kenana
  4. Te Kooti

Explanation

T. W. Ratana founded the Rātana movement in the early twentieth century, combining spiritual healing with political advocacy for Māori. The movement later formed a lasting alliance with the Labour Party.

Question 49New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which of these is the Māori name for the meeting house at the centre of a marae, where guests are welcomed and slept?

  1. Wharenui Correct answer.
  2. Wharekai
  3. Pātaka
  4. Waka

Explanation

The wharenui is the large meeting house on a marae, used for welcoming guests, speeches and sleeping. Its structure often represents an ancestor, with the ridgepole as the spine and rafters as ribs.

Question 50New Zealand history, heritage and culture

Which New Zealand governor was responsible for the invasion of Parihaka in 1881, when the settlement's leaders were arrested?

  1. Thomas Gore Browne
  2. William Hobson
  3. George Grey Correct answer.
  4. George Bowen

Explanation

Governor George Grey ordered the invasion of Parihaka in 1881, leading to the arrest of its leaders Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi. The settlement had used non-violent resistance against land confiscation.