impact of European settlement on our Indigenous people. Flashcards
What makes Australia a Nation?
- Temp/heat
- Single country
- Sports
- Animals
- Australia Day
- Multicultural
- History
- Government (Democratic) –> Prime Minister
Landmarks: Opera house, uluru, beaches - Rights
- Slang
- Community
- Facilities
- Culture –> BBQ, Backyard Cricket
- Medicare Health System
- Foods/Party
First Encounters…
The people of the First Fleet did not understand the ways of the local Indigenous peoples they encountered and their diaries and journals record the lack of respect that many members of the First Fleet had for local Indigenous people.
Contact Experiences between Settlers & Indigenous Australians
- Many Aboriginal’s were killed
- The British didn’t respect the land of the Aboriginals
- Instead of asking and respecting the Aboriginal’s, they fought them for land, causing the Aboriginal’s to be seriously injured
British Settlement in Australia
- When the first fleet arrived in 1788 with Captain Cook in Sydney Cove, the British Settlers brought all their equipment including tools to dig up and plant crops
- The crops that they did plant died
- As they dug up soil for growing plants they hit sandstone and broke their tools
- The British didn’t know what was safe to eat, what was poisonous, and what even was food
- The Second Fleet came a while after that, also known as the “Death Fleet”
- The Second Fleet came with all the supplies the British would need to survive
Indigenous Australia before British settlement:
Before 1788, Australia was populated only by the Indigenous people of Australia - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. In 1788, Aboriginal people inhabited in the whole of Australia and Torres Strait Islanders lived on the islands between Australian and Papua New Guinea, in what is now called the Torres Strait. There were many different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities made up of people who spoke different languages with various cultural beliefs, practices and traditions.
Before 1788, there were approximately 700 languages spoken throughout Australia with an estimated population of 750 000 people. Today, Indigenous people make up 2% of the entire Australian population (about 410 000 people). The number of Aboriginal people has changed since European settlement because of the impacts of removal of people from traditional lands, and the impact of cities and towns on populations.
The First Fleet and a British colony:
In 1688, William Dampier became the first Englishman to reach Australia. However, in 1770 a British sailor, Captain James Cook, found the fertile east coast of Australia. He called it New South Wales, and claimed it for Britain. Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet, comprising 11 ships and around 1,350 people, arrived at Botany Bay between 18 and 20 January 1788. Governor Phillip carried instructions to establish the first British Colony in Australia. A few days after arrival at Botany Bay the fleet moved to the more suitable Port Jackson where a settlement was established at Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788. This date later became Australia’s national day, Australia Day. The colony was formally proclaimed by Governor Phillip on 7 February 1788 at Sydney.
Exploration by British settlers:
For many years, the rugged Blue Mountains blocked western expansion of the Sydney settlement, but in 1813, the discovery of a passage over the mountains opened the way for inland exploration. Settlements were established in Hobart (Tasmania) in 1803, on the Brisbane River (Queensland) in 1824, on the Swan River (Western Australia) in 1829, on Port Phillip Bay (Victoria) in 1835 and on Gulf St Vincent (South Australia) in 1836. Today, the capital cities of 5 states are on those sites. Population growth and economic expansion prompted the colonies to call for self-government. On 1 January, 1901, the 6 colonies joined in a federation of states to become the Commonwealth of Australia.
Who were the first to live in Australia?
Indigenous Australians were the first Australians and the traditional owners of the land.
What did the arrival of the British in 1788 do?
The arrival of the British in 1788 dramatically changed the Australian landscape, and also led to expansion within Australia. It was also the start of a long history of mistreatment of Indigenous Australians. This will be the focus of the next lesson.
What is “Terra Nullius’’?
“Terra Nullius’ ‘ is the idea that there is land owned by nobody or that there is a country without a leader recognised by European governments.
What did British settlers need?
British settlers needed land to establish their new colonies. This involved building houses, roads, schools and churches. They also needed land to farm to establish an economy.
What did the settlers (British) believe their rights were with the land?
The settlers didn’t pay for the land taken from Aboriginal people because they believed the land was free for the taking, due to the fact it was “Terra Nullius”.
