Inquiry Skills | Pakirehua Aronehe

Inquiry learning is to question

In all likelihood you did some inquiry learning in primary school. The main purpose is to question things, to research and explore ideas to see what you can learn.

Key things historians ask about

• Significance 

• How things change over time 

• What causes things to happen and the effect they have

• Perspectives
  
  

New Zealand Conflicts

• The New Zealand Wars (1845–1872) – Includes the Northern War, Waikato War, and Taranaki Wars. Land, sovereignty, and colonisation.

• The Invasion of Parihaka (1881) – Peaceful resistance, civil disobedience, and government violence.

• World War I – NZ at Gallipoli (1915) – The ANZAC experience and legacy.

• World War II – NZ in North Africa or Europe (1939–1945) – NZ troops in the wider war, including the Battle of El Alamein or Crete.

• Vietnam War (1960s–70s) – NZ’s controversial involvement and protests back home.

• East Timor Peacekeeping (1999 onwards) – NZ’s modern peacekeeping role.

• Afghanistan (2000s–2021) – NZ’s SAS and military presence in a modern conflict.

Global Conflicts (Interesting + Resource-Rich)

• World War I – Trench warfare, alliances, new technology, global scale.

• World War II – Holocaust, Pacific front, D-Day, resistance movements.

• The Cold War – Espionage, nuclear fear, Berlin Wall, space race.

• The Vietnam War – Guerrilla warfare, protests, US involvement, media impact.

• The Korean War – The "forgotten war," still unresolved, North vs South Korea.

• The Rwandan Genocide (1994) – Ethnic conflict, UN failure, global reaction.

• The Russian Invasion of Ukraine (2022–) – Modern war, global economy, media influence.

• The Irish Troubles (1960s–1998) – Political and religious conflict, peace process.