The 1940 Centennial - NCEA Level 2 history activities

The growth of New Zealand identity 1890–1980

Case study: the 1940 Centennial

Related link on NZHistory.net.nz

The 1940 Centennial 

Topics include:

• the role of the Centennial Exhibition in Wellington as a symbol of progress and the ingenuity of the national spirit
• the centennial and the nation at play
• local commemorations 
• the centennial and the Treaty of Waitangi. 

Between 8 November 1939 and 4 May 1940 more than 2.6 million people visited the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition in Wellington; this represents an average daily attendance of about 17,000 people. The government spent £250,000 – more than $19 million in today's money – on the exhibition.

The Centennial Exhibition was four years in the planning and involved considerable public investment. It represented the Labour government's and the country's values and celebrated New Zealand's progress as a nation over the preceding 100 years. It was a deliberate act of national self-definition. Prime Minister Michael Savage said that in the exhibition 'we have history in a nutshell'.

This feature provides students with a context to explore the growth of New Zealand identity 1890–1980 and to prepare for: 

• Achievement standard 2.3: There are numerous excellent historical sources relating to this event that can be used as practice for final assessment.
• Achievement standard 2.6: The 1940 Centennial was a major expression of themes and ideas that supposedly underpinned what were considered to be the core values of New Zealand society 100 years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. 
• Achievement standards 2.1 and 2.2: This feature would be an excellent support for a research topic on New Zealand identity. 

A range of activities to support this study can be found in the navigation to the immediate right.