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Captain James Cook Sailed
1770: Captain James Cook sailed around Australia -
British ships
1787 – British ships called the “First Fleet” left England with convicts to establish a prison colony -
British Prisoners
1788—British prisoners settled in Australia -
Period: to
1788 to 1832: New South Wales was officially a penal
1788 to 1832: New South Wales was officially a penal (prison) colony consisting mainly of convicts, marines (guards), and the marines’ families -
Period: to
Hardest Convicted
From 1833, until the 1850 it was the destination of the hardest of convicted British and Irish criminals, those who were secondary offenders having re offended after their arrival in Australia. -
government officials
1861: government officials created boundaries for the colonies that are still in place today -
Commonwealth of Australia
January 1, 1901: the Commonwealth of Australia was established. -
Federal Governement
1967: federal government began to pass legislation to help the Aborigines -
Australia Act
1986: Australia Act -- all legal ties with the British Empire were severed -
1999
1999: 55% of voters rejected the idea of becoming an independent republic.