Birth of British Australia 1788-1829: What was extent and nature of colonial control in Australia 1803-29? Flashcards
How many convicts were transported to Australia 1788-1868?
168,000
Give three reasons why the number of convicts transported to Australia rose steeply after 1815.
:
1. End of Napoleonic Wars so:
* more ships available and
* short-term economic problems in Britain so more crime
2. rapidly growing population in Britain (doubled 1801-1841)
What was the approximate ratio of male to female convicts transported to Australia?
6:1
As well as more convicts, what were two key reasons for population growth in Australia?
- soldiers sent to guard convicts often stayed
- very high birth rate among settlers/convicts
When did British start to settle Van Diemen’s Land?
1803
Give two reasons why Van Diemen’s Land was chosen as second settlement after NSW?
- strategic value as sailing through Bass Strait took weeks of the journey England to Sydney
- key area for whaling, which NSW economy depended on
Who governed Van Diemen’s Land 1823-37?
Sir George Arthur
How could convicts in Van Diemen’s Land earn their freedom?
working through seven levels of punishment devised by Arthur
How did Arthur control the free settlers in Van Diemen’s Land?
by withholding their assigned labour
What were Arthur’s views on friendly relationships between convicts and free settlers?
banned (he thought convicts needed to be punished not helped)
When did the British start whaling and sealing off Australia?
after arrival of Third Fleet in 1791
What were the three key products from sealing and whaling that were exported from Australia?
whale oil, whalebone, sealskins
Where were the two key spots for whaling?
Sydney harbour and the estuary in Van Diemen’s Land
What sort of boats were used for whaling?
open-bottom dories
Why were open-bottom dorries used for whaling?
cheap to build (as simple and lightweight) and designed for estuaries and harbours
How and where were seals killed for their skings?
clubbed to death on beaches
By which year did the colony grow enough grain to feed itself, allowing it to start production to sell/export?
1805