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being Australian
In 1860 there were six British colonies in Australia. The main laws of the colonies were made by the British Parliament.
The Idea of Being Australian
At first the colonies had little to do with each other. But in 1872 telegraph linked the colonies, and the idea of being 'Australian' began to be celebrated in songs and poems.http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/federation.htm -
syney 1872
A serious movement for Federation of the colonies arose in the late 1880s, a time when there was increasing nationalism amongst Australians, the great majority of whom were native born. The idea of being "Australian" began to be celebrated in songs and poems. This was fostered by improvements in transport and communications, such as the establishment of a telegraph system between the colonies in 1872. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
pro Federation group
Hard times across Australia drew people's attention away from federation for several years but in 1893 there was a conference of pro-federation groups. They agreed that a national meeting would redraft the constitution and that all Australians should have a chance to agree with the constitution by vote.http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/federation.htm -
Australian colonies to establish
In 1895 a proposal was accepted by the premiers of the Australian colonies to establish a new Convention by popular being submitted to the electors of each colony in a referendum. The Convention held meetings over the course of a year, first in Adelaide in 1897,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia -
australia become one nation
Australia became an independent nation on 1 January 1901. The British Parliament passed legislation allowing the six Australian colonies to govern in their own right as part of the Commonwealth of Australia. http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-government/australias-federation -
Australia was declared
When the Commonwealth of Australia was declared on 1 January 1901, a ceremony was held in Centennial Park in Sydney. The first Governor-General, Lord Hopetoun, was sworn in and the first Prime Minister, Sir Edmund Barton, and federal ministers took the oath of office. Australians celebrated their nationhood, participating in parades, processions, sporting events and school pageants.
http://www.peo.gov.au/students/fact_sheets/federation.html -
form a new federation
During the 1890s, each colony sent representatives to special meetings, called conventions, to try to agree about how to form a new federation. Eventually the delegates agreed on the rules for a federal system and a draft constitution. The people of the colonies voted in a series of referendums to accept this new Australian Constitution. http://www.peo.gov.au/students/fact_sheets/federation.html -
laws, including its own railway
Before 1901, Australia was not a nation. At that time, the continent consisted of six British colonies which were partly self-governing, but subject to the law-making power of the British Parliament. Each colony had its own government and laws, including its own railway system, postage stamps and tariffs (taxes). This caused a lot of problems and people began to think about the benefits of uniting as one nation, http://www.peo.gov.au/students/fact_sheets/fede -
WA GOLD RUSH
The West Joins In
About this time, there was a gold rush in Western Australia. Many people went there to seek their fortune. This contact with people from the other colonies began to change ideas about federation in Western Australia. In August 1900 a referendum was held, and the people of Western Australia voted to join the Commonwealth.
http://www.kidcyber.com.au/topics/federation.htm -
victoria and New south dominated australia
The individual colonies were somewhat wary of Federation. Smaller colonies in particular were wary of delegating power to a national government which they feared would be dominated by the more populous New South Wales and Victoria.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federation_of_Australia
