The Development of the First British Penal Colony as a Settlement:

Question 1

When did The First Fleet arrive at Botany Bay and how many people were they with?

Answer 1

1788 and with around 1400 people.

Question 2

Why did the government choose Botany Bay?

Answer 2

• Cook said it was fertile and was empty (he viewed aboriginals as having no right to the land.)
• It was ideal for growing flax to make sails.

Question 3

Why did the British need Australia as a penal colony?

Answer 3

• Felons couldn’t be sent to America and there was a prison crisis in Britain (this was the primary reason.) It was much easier to transport than to reform the prison system.
• They would deny French territorial claim to the land.

Question 4

What was the cost of Fitting out the fleet?

Answer 4

£84000.

Question 5

How many of the 1400 settlers were convicts? What severity of crimes had they committed?

Answer 5

Around 700. Most were for minor theft and some prostitutes. There were no serious crimes as crimes like murder were capital and only a small amount were transported for political activity.

Question 6

Who were the other 600 non-convict settlers?

Answer 6

Mostly marines and their families. The marines caused issues as they didn’t want to do anything other than military duties (which there were basically none of in Australia).

Question 7

What powers did the Governors have other settlers?

Answer 7

They had complete military control and absolute power. Because London was so far, communications were rare and they had autonomy.

Question 8

Describe Phillips and Bligh as governors:

Answer 8

Phillips - responsible for the survival of the colony. Disciplinarian but fair. Gave land grants to convicts. Fair to aboriginal people.
Bligh - very flawed. He was removed by the NSW corps and London barely punished them, suggesting they recognised his flaws.

Question 9

Describe Brisbane and Arthur as governors:

Answer 9

Brisbane - less paternalistic than Macquarie from before him and limited pardons and land grants. During his reign, a wealthy class of farmers emerged.
Arthur - Devised punishment/reward system for convicts. Had high control and essentially ran a police state. Ran Van Diemen’s Land.

Question 10

Why was the choice of Botany Bay questionable?

Answer 10

Lacked fresh water and cultivatable soil (the settlement soon resettled to Port Jackson and Sydney Cove.)

Question 11

Problems upon moving to Sydney Cove?

Answer 11

6 months later - all livestock gone, no plough and no crops. Lack of building materials. They even resorted to trade with aboriginal people. The people they had were not experienced farmers or labourers.

Question 12

How did Phillips allocate Land?

Answer 12

Based on how skilled the people were. He gave land to marines and serving officers also.

Question 13

Why did a real economy not develop under Phillips?

Answer 13

The convicts were unskilled so they mostly survived off of the supplies they brought with them rather than trading with each other.

Question 14

How many land grants and acres of land under cultivation by 1792?

Answer 14

66 land grants (53 to ex-convicts) and 1500 under public or private cultivation.

Question 15

Give 4 reasons how Governor Phillip ensured the survival of the colony:

Answer 15

• Preparation for journey was painstaking and ran contrary to his instructions to sail in 1786.
• Established a second colony at Norfolk island: sent around 300 there and the island had mutton bird (which were hunted until they disappeared). Only 1 convict died here.
• Equal share of rations (resented by marines). Also ensured a lack of riots as it was equal.
• Move to Rose Hill after SC as it was more fertile. This meant less convicts were living of gov. supplies e.g. James Ruse had 30 acres for wheat growing.

Question 16

When did the 2nd fleet arrive?

Answer 16

Lady Juliana arrived in 1790 - 2 years after initial settlement. Supply ship Justinian arrived 2 weeks after. 1/4 of convicts in the 2nd fleet died.

Question 17

What was the significance of the 2nd Fleet?

Answer 17

Brought supplies to ensure colonies survival and Phillips sent one of the ships to buy rice from Calcutta.

Question 18

When did Phillips leave the settlement? What did the population grow to under his leadership?

Answer 18

1792. The population had grown to 3000.

Question 19

What significance did the Irish Settlers have?

Answer 19

Seen as more dangerous due to their political activities and religious prejudice (they were catholic). They attempted rebellion in 1804 and failed.

Question 20

Which 2 developments happened under Macquarie that helped the colony’s economy?

Answer 20

• Gov. sent official silver coins so the colony now had an official currency.
• End of Napoleonic wars saw an increase in prisoners due to poor standard of living in Britain. MQ could use these to enact his public works schemes.

Question 21

What was the first initial change MQ made to the colony?

Answer 21

Removed NSW corps who had rebelled against Bligh. This was because the governor had effectively unlimited power.

Question 22

What control did the NSW corps exercise?

Answer 22

Assigned several convicts to farm labour to their farms and also controlled import of alcohol. They also issues the currency of the time so effectively controlled the economy. (Afterwards rum became the currency before 1812)

Question 23

What was a major source of tension in MQ colony?

Answer 23

He tended to side with convicts (emancipists) over exclusives (free settlers / NSW corps)

Question 24

Who came with MQ to the colony?

Answer 24

The 73rd regiment - this was to dismantle the NSW corps and ensure his own control.

Question 25

How did MQ treat convicts?

Answer 25

-He had a paternalistic style towards them.
-He would personally greet each new convict ship and even invited some to his mansion.
-He would also emphasise the punishment and reward system and convict rights.
-Punishments were only dealt after a hearing by the local magistrate.
-Reoffenders were sent to Van Diemen’s Land.

Question 26

Was MQs style towards convicts successful?

Answer 26

Yes - most convicts stayed in Australia after their sentence was due and enjoyed the rewards system. It was very ideal to Georgian society back in Britain.

Question 27

How did MQ (an Anglican) enact religious change?

Answer 27

-No cohabitation without Benefit of the Clergy. –> marriage more common and women had better economic status as widows could control their husbands assets e.g. Mary Haydock who controlled a shipping and trading business from 1811. This was an improvement over early attitudes to women but these women were largely exceptions.
-He also restricted the sale of Alcohol and closed pubs during religious ceremonies.

Question 28

How did the role of convicts change?

Answer 28

Overtime they were assigned to private masters for wool industry and they became less important when wool industry was the main source of income.

Question 29

What was life like for a convict?

Answer 29

Worked 9 hours a day for 5 days and sold extra labour to employers for extra wages. Punishments were extremely harsh. Minor transgressions were 100 lashes. However, there were hearings before a magistrate and they had rights to shelter and food.

Question 30

What was life like for women in the settlements?

Answer 30

-Outnumbered by men 6 to 1.
-Most were raped upon arrival unless protected by marines.
-Their best chance of protection was by becoming a domestic servant to an officer. Some women were given back to the Government Store pregnant, whereas some prospered in their cohabitation with men. e.g. Rev. Marsden ‘female register’ showed around 1500 married or concubine women.

Question 31

Who were specials?

Answer 31

Convicts with skills e.g. used in public work schemes under MQ. Some were designated to to recording the development of the colony. Some became lawyers e.g. George Crossley.

Question 32

What was MQ system of convict labour?

Answer 32

Settlers (including Emancipists) could apply for convict labour.

Question 33

What was the reaction to the new system of convict labour?

Answer 33

Committee into Transpiration of Convicts in 1812 found that it was a well devised system although too many tickets of leave were issued and opposed pardons being granted. These complaints were upheld in the Bigge report.

Question 34

Describe the land grants under MQ that were given to convicts:

Answer 34

Given at Rose Hill and Paramatta and then in Hawkesbury near Sydney as it was easier to transport goods this way as it was near water and the land was fertile. 5 towns established in Hawkesbury region between 1810 and 1811.

Question 35

What were the positives of the Hawkesbury land grants?

Answer 35

Essential to feed the growing population of Sydney and received strong support from MQ. Trade and transportation was easier due to the river.

Question 36

Negatives of these land grants?

Answer 36

-They came into conflict with local natives and were killed through bloody guerrilla conflict. 1816 - MQ allowed punitive expeditions to Aborigines.
-The exclusives were critical of MQ land grants to convicts and wanted to see land grants go themselves which was one of the reasons MQ fell from power.

Question 37

How was money raised by the colony spent under MQ?

Answer 37

It was reinvested back into the settlements whereas it was typically sent back to London.

Question 38

What did MQ towns include? What were the benefits of these?

Answer 38

A church, an inn and a school. Some e.g. Sydney had a hospital. Besides obvious social benefits, the work schemes provided jobs and helped through economic depression and plague. The road built across the Blue mountains also boosted wool industry.