Module 2b - Historical, Social, Political Context

Question 1

Appropriate terminology for colonisation? (7)

Answer 1

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples occupied Australia before
colonisation.
invasion
colonisation
occupation
massacre
discrete community

Question 2

Inappropriate terminology for colonisation? (5)

Answer 2

Captain Cook discovered Australia.
settlement
skirmish
encounter
killing

Question 3

Prior to colonisation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been living culturally, socially and physically rich lives for millennia
(T/F)

Answer 3

T

Question 4

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is the oldest surviving culture in the world 1800000 BC
(T/F)

Answer 4

T - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is over 60000 years old

Question 5

What is policy? (4)

Answer 5

A statement of government intent, and its implementation through the use of the policy instruments

Outline government’s reasons for actions

Identify actions to achieve goals

Can lead to development of laws

Question 6

Eras of Australian Policy: (8)

Answer 6

1. British Proclamation (1770)
   Australia Colonised by the British
2. Protection Era (1788 to 1890’s) Segregation Era (1890s – 1950’s)
   Aboriginal people moved onto reserves and missions for their own protection
3. White Australia Policy (1901 – 1973)
   The Immigration Restriction Act stops non-Europeans entering Australia
4. Assimilation Era (1950’s – 1960’s)
   Removal of children to attempt to blend Aboriginal culture into the dominant culture
5. Integration Era (1960’s - 80’s)
   Post-war immigrants and Aboriginal people encouraged to take on the language and mannerisms of the dominant culture
6. Self – Determination Era (1970’s -1990’s )
   Empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make choices
7. Reconciliation (1990’s - )
   A holistic approach that encompasses rights, as well as symbolic and practical actions

Question 7

1 British Proclamation (1770)

Answer 7

Australia Colonised by the British

Question 8

2. Protection Era (1788 to 1890’s) Segregation Era (1890s – 1950’s)

Answer 8

Aboriginal people moved onto reserves and missions for their own protection

Question 9

Protection through regulated Co-existence:

Answer 9

English Government pressured by Aborigines Protection Society for peaceful colonisation & a recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ needs.

Governor Phillip (1788) to protect ‘natives’ and gradually assimilate them into society

‘Aboriginal Protectors’ appointed but uninformed and under-resourced.

‘Fringe Dwellers’ living in poverty

Question 10

Protection Policy:

Answer 10

Protection through Segregation:-
§ Mission Stations and Reserves developed.
§ Curfews for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples accessing towns.
§ Forced to go to Missions for food (Govt handouts).
§ Languages disallowed.
§ Massacres continued.
§ Native Police set up

Question 11

Segregation Era:

Answer 11

Establishment of missions or reserves where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were confined to live

Aboriginal peoples’ children were not allowed to attend state schools

Many country towns enforced curfews

Aboriginal peoples could not access social service benefits

Not allowed to drink, vote or live with a non-Aboriginal person

Question 12

4 White Australia Policy (1901 – 1973)

Answer 12

The Immigration Restriction Act stops non-Europeans entering Australia

Question 13

White Australia Policy:

Answer 13

Officially known as The Immigration Restriction Act
Consisted of a number of laws
AIM: to stop non-Europeans entering Australia
Prevented Aboriginal soldiers returning from the Boer War in South Africa

Question 14

5. Assimilation Era (1950’s – 1960’s)

Answer 14

Stolen Generation Removal of children to attempt to blend Aboriginal culture into the dominant culture

Question 15

Assimilation Policy 3:

Answer 15

White intellectual superiority vs noble savages
Removal of infants - no maternal consent
Chief protectors - legal guardians

Question 16

Effects of Assimilation Policy

Answer 16

• Depression and other mental illnesses.

• Loneliness, Loss of identity, Mistrust, Loss of language, Loss of Land

• Low self esteem and feelings of worthlessness

• Difficulties in finding spiritual beliefs: Missions imposed Eurocentric religions.

• Anguish in searching for their identity.

• Loss of cultural affiliation: Stolen Generations cannot take a role in the cultural and spiritual lifeof their Aboriginal communities.

• Deep distrust of government, police and officials.

• Short family tree: Many Aboriginal peoples in rural and urban areas can’t go further than 2 generations into their Aboriginal family tree

• Impact on:
Parenting and family functioning;
physical and mental illness;
disconnection and alienation from extended family, country, culture and society.

• Multiple bereavements and other losses

• Traumatisation:
children witness the on-going effect of the original trauma which a parent or other family member has experienced.
Past traumas still impact on children in the form of:
Ill health,
family dysfunction, community violence, psychological morbidity and early mortality.

Question 17

Assimilation policy Denied Aboriginal peoples basic rights (9)

Answer 17

Denied Aboriginal peoples basic rights
including:
• Raising children
• Freely moving
• Marriage
• Eating out in restaurants
• Accessing education
• Receiving equal wages
• Swimming in a public pool
• The right to vote
• Entering a pub

Question 18

Stolen Generations

Answer 18

A whole generation of kids were stolen
You are either black or white
Any mixed race was snatched and forced to be assimilated
Light skinned children were adopted, darker skinned ones were sent on missions

Question 19

Effects of Stolen Generation

Answer 19

With no identity or bonds, many suffer from alcoholism, homelessness and other issues
Intergeneration trauma

Question 20

6. Integration Era (1960’s - 80’s)

Answer 20

Post-war immigrants and Aboriginal people encouraged to take on the language and mannerisms of the dominant culture

Question 21

7. Self – Determination Era (1970’s -1990’s )

Answer 21

Empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make choices

Question 22

Self Determination Era

Answer 22

• Led by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
• Involvement of Aboriginal peoples in developing Government Policies.
• Land Rights Policy
• ‘Black organisations’ funded more realistically
• Aboriginal peoples included in public service; Accepted as members of Boards;
• Formation of Organisations to determine ‘Aboriginal affairs’
• National Aboriginal Consultative Committee
• National Aboriginal Conference
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission

Question 23

8. Reconciliation (1990’s - )

Answer 23

A holistic approach that encompasses rights, as well as symbolic and practical actions

Question 24

Is White Australia guilty of genocide?

Answer 24

Article II (a) to (e) of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948:

a) Killing members of the group

b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group

c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part

d) Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

e) Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group

Question 25

Frontier:

Answer 25

The armed conflicts over land between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and the British

Question 26

Small pox:

Answer 26

A disease that the British Colony brought with them and killed many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Question 27

Invasion

Answer 27

An alternate term used to describe the arrival of the British colony that depicts the violence of the arrival

Question 28

Massacre

Answer 28

A violent attack on a group of people that leads to the violent death of at least 6 people

Question 29

Terra nullius

Answer 29

the latin term meaning land belonging to no one that the Governor of NSW used in 1885 to deprive Indigenous Australians access to their lands

Question 30

Policy

Answer 30

A set of principles adopted by a government/organisation to achieve what it considers to be best for people

Question 31

Aboriginal Resistance:

Answer 31

1965 ‘Freedom Ride’

Question 32

1967 Australian Referendum:

Answer 32

• Aboriginal peoples included in Census statistics.
• Federal Government to legislate on Aboriginal matters
• 90.77% yes vote

Question 33

1972 Tent Embassy

Answer 33

Demands:
- Control of NT; voice in NT parliament
- Legal title and mining rights
- Preservation of sacred sites
- Legal title and mining rights in and
around capital cities
- Compensation