The Extent and Nature of Colonial Control in Australia 1803-29:

Question 1

How many convicts were transported to Australia 1788 - 1868?

Answer 1

Around 168k.

Question 2

Describe the population of New South Wales:

Answer 2

Steep increase in convicts from 1815 onwards. Most convicts (mostly men) would settle and stay and the native born population skyrocketed (1 in 4 were children) By 1828 free population outnumbered prison population. In 1807 it was 7000.

Question 3

When was Van Diemens Land settled by the British?

Answer 3

1803

Question 4

Why was Van Diemens Land chosen?

Answer 4

It was ideal for whaling which NSW depended on and it took weeks off travel time to England.

Question 5

Who controlled VDL?

Answer 5

George Arthur

Question 6

How was VDL run?

Answer 6

Totalitarian - divided into police districts under control of police magistrate. Control was established over settles by withholding convict Labour. There were no early pardons.

Question 7

How did Arthur’s religious views affect VDL?

Answer 7

Having friendly relations with convicts e.g. sharing Christmas Dinner bad them blacklisted as well as offering convicts a drink.

Question 8

What was the 2nd most important resource to the colony after the 1830s?

Answer 8

Wool.

Question 9

When did Whaling begin in NSW? Significance?

Answer 9

1791 when the 3rd fleet arrived - it provided money for the colony to buy the goods they needed and rum. It was important for the following 70 years. Mostly done by emancipists.

Question 10

Example of selling of seal products?

Answer 10

Robert Campbell sailed to England with 200 tons of seal oil. This established free trade between England and the colony. Trade was easy in VDL due to the development of smaller ships (open-bottom dories) and port Hobart was teeming with Seals.

Question 11

What resource became more important in the later years? How many sheep?

Answer 11

Wool - great sheep stations established and trade boomed between 1820 and 1840. After 1805 agriculture was increasingly important and it grew enough grain to be self sufficient. Sheep numbers grew to 20000. The industry was drove by John Macarthur.

Question 12

When was the crossing of the Blue mountains?

Answer 12

1813 - led by Blaxland

Question 13

What was significant about the crossing of the Blue mountains?

Answer 13

Enough land for the colony for 30 years - a road was built across for easy transport. Discovered the Liverpool Plains. The land was fertile.

Question 14

What was wool industry valued at by 1830?

Answer 14

Around £2 million.

Question 15

What was the Australian Agricultural company and what did it do?

Answer 15

Established 1824 and given 1 million acres in NSW to farm sheep. Convicts and aboriginals used for work.

Question 16

What was the first settlement in western Australia and how was it established?

Answer 16

• King George Sound / Albany –> swan river company created in 1828 and 10000 sent out with free land grants (40 acres for every £3).
  -They arrived 1829.
• 1500 settlers arrived.

Question 17

What was the wider significance of expansion into western australia?

Answer 17

It represented a shift into thinking of Australia as a source of wealth and power rather than just a penal colony.

Question 18

Why did Macquarie fall from power?

Answer 18

-The exclusives were unhappy with the promotion of emancipists.
-The cost of his public works programme was massive.
-There was more scrutiny from London as it developed into a colony from a prison.

Question 19

What 3 things did Bigge recommend in his inquiry of Australia’s effectiveness as a penal colony?

Answer 19

-Convict labour should be used for sheep farms rather than public works.
-Early pardons should end.
-Positions of power should not be given to emancipists.

Question 20

What was the outcome of Bigges inquiry?

Answer 20

Decreased power for the governor:
- Legislative council created comprised of exclusives (15 member from 1828).
- Justice system was independent of the governor.
- VDL was a separate colony with its own justice system and LC.

Question 21

What was the significance of the Gov. giving further land grants to the AAC and the SRC in 1829?

Answer 21

It showed a transition to Britain’s traditional way of imperialism by handling colonies over to private companies.