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European Exploration: Dutch
The first European to land at Australia is Dutch explorer Captain Willem Janszoon. -
European Exploration : British
Captain James Cook is known for his incredible voyages that took him farther south than any other explorer of his time. Cook was also one of the first Europeans to encounter the Hawaiian Islands. His reports on Botany Bay were part of the reason Britain established a penal colony there in 1787. -
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. -
Penal Colony
British ships called the “First Fleet” left England with convicts to establish a prison colony -
Edenglassie
British prisoners settled in Australia -
Period: to
New South Wales
New South Wales was officially a penal (prison) colony consisting mainly of convicts, marines (guards), and the marines’ families.
Only 20% of the first convicts were women.
British transported prisoners to Australia until 1868
By this time, many free immigrants were settling there
They built businesses, trading posts, farms, etc -
Period: to
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.
Some tales suggest that prisoners committed murder (an offence punishable by death) just to escape the desolation of life at the camp. -
Commonwealth of Australia
the Commonwealth of Australia was established. -
Period: to
White Australia
Originally, Australia promoted a policy called “White Australia”
They would not allow non-Caucasians to immigrate to Australia.
That has since changed… Immigration Restriction Act of 1901: restricted migration to people primarily of European descent
This was dismantled after the Second World War. -
Period: to
Australia Today
Australia Act -- all legal ties with the British Empire were severed
Today, Australia is a parliamentary democracy (constitutional monarchy) with Elizabeth II as queen.
1999: 55% of voters rejected the idea of becoming an independent republic.
