Australian Colonization

By johnsonn

  • First Europeans to sail to Australia were the Dutch

    The Dutch made one landing, were attacked by Aborigines, and then abandoned further exploration

  • Captain James Cook sailed around Australia

    Cook named the area New South Wales
    Ignored the Aborigines living there & claimed the land for England

  • British prisoners settledin Australia

    New South Wales was officially a penal (prison) colony consisting mainly of convicts, marines (guards), and the marines’ families

  • government officials created boundaries for the colonies that are still in place today

  • British transported prisoners to Australia

    By this time, many free immigrants were settling there

  • the Commonwealth of Australia was established

    This was dismantled after the Second World War.

  • Melbourne served as the national capital until Canberra was completed

  • Australia's federal government began to pass legislation to help the Aborigines

  • The Australia Act severed all legal ties with the British Empire

  • 55% of voters rejected the idea of becoming an independent republic