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The first Europeans to sail to Australia were the Dutch. They did not settle there, though. They landed and were attacked by aborigines, so they abandoned further exploration.
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Captain James Cook sailed around Australia, naming the area New South Wales. He ignored the aborigines and claimed the land for England.
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A group of ships called the "First Fleet" left England to establish a prison colony in Australia.
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The government officials created boundaries for the 7 independent colonies that are still in place today.
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The British transported many prisoners to Australia until free immigrants started to settle there.
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The Commonwealth of Australia was established at this date.
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Melbourne was the national capital of Australia, but Canberra was completed and it became the national capital.
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The federal government has begun to pass a legislation to help the aborigines, because many people in Australia think the government should take direct action in improving the living conditions of aborigines.
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When passed, this act made it so that Australia was not legally bounded to the British anymore. It is now a parliamentary democracy.
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Australia's citizens voted to become an independent republic, but 55% of the voters rejected the idea.
