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Europeans discover Australia!
The first Europeans (Dutch) sail to Australia, but don't settle there because of being attacked by Aboringines. -
Australia is mapped!
Captain James Cook sails around Australia,claims land for England, and names it New South Wales. -
British prisoners settle in Australia.
Great Britain had to stop sending prisoners to Georgia because of the American Revolution, so they needed a penal colony, and Australia seemed perfect. -
Australia gets colonies.
Free imagrants started and kept coming to live in Australia, so the 7 major coastal settlements became 7 independent colonies. Also the government created boundaries for the colonies that sre still in place today. -
Great Britain stops sending prisoners to Australia.
To many nonprisoners come to New South Wales, so Great Britain decides to stop sending prisoners there. -
The Commonwealth of Australia is established!
All of the colonies of Australia join together. -
New capitol!
Canberra becomes Australia's capitol instead of Melbourne. -
Aborigines get rights, finally!
The Federal Government begins to pass laws to help Aborigines. -
Australia is free!
Australia Act: all legal ties with Great Britain are cut off, making Australia independent. -
No independent republic!
55% of voters didn't want Australia to become an independent republic, so it stayed a parlimentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth ll as queen.
