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First Europeans to sail to Australia were the Dutch in 1606, but they didn’t settle there, they got there and were attacked by Aborigines, and then abandoned any further exploration
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In 1770 Captain James Cook sailed around Australia
Cook and named it New South Wales
He Ignored the Aborigines living there & claimed the land for England -
British ships called the “First Fleet” left England with prisoners to establish a prison colony
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British Prisoners settle in Austraila
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New South Wales was officially a prison colony with mainly of convicts, marines, and the marines’ families
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government officials created boundaries for the colonies that are still in place today
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British transported prisoners to Australia
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separation was an official government policy which lasted for many decades
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The Commonwealth of Australia was established
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Melbourne served as the national capital until Canberra was completed
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remnants of the tribes in the settled areas were moved onto Reserves
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federal government began to pass legislation to help the Aborigines
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striking Aboriginal farmers changed political history by extending a demand for equal wages to a declaration of their rights of ownership of traditional lands.
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Australia Act -- all legal ties with the British Empire were severed
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55% of voters rejected the idea of becoming an independent republic.
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Immigration Restriction Act of 1901: restricted migration to people primarily of European descent
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Today, Australia is a parliamentary democracy (constitutional monarchy) with Elizabeth II as queen
