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European Exploration Dutch
First Europeans to sail to Australia were the
Dutch (Netherlands) in 1606, but they didn’t
settle there -
The Perfect Colony…
Great Britain saw that Australia was a good
location to base its navy in the South Pacific
Ocean Its location would make it possible for British
ships to make repairs & get supplies Had many opportunities for trade with Asia
and the Americas -
Prisoners as Colonists
American Revolution forced the British to
stop sending prisoners to Georgia (used as a
penal colony at the time) Great Britain had to start looking for another
place to send its prisoners… Australia seemed like a good choice: no
chance of escape, no colonies around it, and
very few indigenous people lived there -
New South Wales
1788 to 1832: New South Wales was officially a
penal (prison) colony consisting mainly of
convicts, marines (guards), and the marines’
families -
Aborigines
Aborigines went through stages of being conquered
through an 'invasion' and taking of their lands. European settlers often separated Aborigines from society Some were removed from their families and placed into institutions Others were killed because they were seen as a “nuisance” 1830s: remnants of the tribes in the settled areas were
moved onto Reserves They were forbidden from teaching their children their language and
customs. -
Port Arthur, Tasmania
From 1833, until the 1850s, it was the destination for the
hardest of convicted British and Irish criminals, those who
were secondary offenders having re-offended after their
arrival in Australia. In addition, Port Arthur had some of the strictest security measures
of the British penal system. -
Commonwealth of Australia
1861: government officials created boundaries
for the colonies that are still in place today January 1, 1901: the Commonwealth of
Australia was established. Melbourne served as the national capital until
Canberra was completed in 1927 -
“White Australia”
Immigration Restriction Act of 1901: restricted migration
to people primarily of European descent This was dismantled after the Second World War. Today, Australia has a global,
non-discriminatory policy and is home to people
from more than 200 countries! -
Australia Today…
1986: Australia Act -- all legal ties with the
British Empire were severed Today, Australia is a parliamentary
democracy (constitutional monarchy) with
Elizabeth II as queen (They do have a Prime
Minister) 1999: 55% of voters rejected the idea of
becoming an independent