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
Who was the key person in driving the growth of the Australian wool industry?
John Macarthur, who came out with Second Fleet
What were two key achievements of John Macarthur?
imported merino sheep
took first wool bale back to Britain
Why was John Macarthur sent back to Britain?
To stand trail for his part in the Rum Rebellion
When was the first crossing of the Blue Mountains?
1813
Who carried out the first crossing of the Blue Mountains?
Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth, led by an Aboriginal guide
What did Blaxland report back to the governor after crossing the Blue Mountains?
enough grazing land west of the mountains to support the colony for 30 years
What did Macquarie commission in 1814?
road across Blue Mountains
How long did it take for convict labour to build the road over the Blue Mountains?
six months
When was the Australian Agricultural Company established by Royal Charter?
1824
How much land was the Australian Agricultural Company given in 1824?
1 million acres
Give three reasons why Western Australia was settled?
- to stop the French from settling there
- to trade with India and China
- on recommendation of Captain James Stirling
When was the first British settlement established in Western Australia?
1826
When was the Western Australia coast claimed for Britain?
1791
What was the first British settlement in Western Australia?
small military outpost at Albany
When was the Swan River Company established?
1828
How was the settlement in Western Australia different to that in NSW and VDL?
free settlers rather than convicts
How many settlers did the Swan River Company undertake to send to Western Australia in return for a large land grant?
10,000
How many acres were each of the settlers given?
40 acres for every £3 they had in assets
When did the first non-military settlers arrive in Western Australia?
1829
What did Captain Freemantle lay claim to in May 1829?
all of Australia except NSW
How many colonists were there in Western Australia by 1832?
only 1,500
Why was the Western Australia important even if initially small?
Change in thinking of Australia as an oen prison to a source of potential wealth and opportunity
Who was appointed in 1819 as commissioner of an inquiry to report on whether transportation to Australia was still an effective punishment?
John Thomas Bigge
What were the four main conclusions of the inquiry into effectiveness of punishment of being sent to Australia?
- convict labour should be used mainly on sheep farms not on public works programmes.
- Early pardone and ticketst of leae granted under Macuqarie should stop.
- Land grants for Emancipists should stop.
- Positions of responsibility should not be given to Emancipists.
What did the 1823 New South Wales Act do?
Altered power of governors in existing colonies, eg independent justice system, legislative council to advise governors, VDL to officially become separate colony
What change was made to legislative councils in 1828?
enlarged from 7 to 15 members, with 7 nominated by governor and 8 being government officials
