History of Australia

First Explorers

Jan 1, 1606

Dutch (Netherland) people explored Austarila but didnt colonized or setle because they were attacked by the aborigines of Australia which abanded further exploration

Captian James Cook

Jan 1, 1770

Captain James Cook sailed around Australia and named the area New South Wales and ignored the Aborigines living there and claimed land for England.

Establishing a Penal Colony

Jan 1, 1787

British ships left to establish a prison colony ( penal colony)

British Prisioners

Jan 1, 1788

British prisoners settled in Austarila. The british giovernment did this because the American Revolution forced the british to stop sending prisoners to Georgia so they thought Ausatraila would be a good place to make it become a penal colony because there was no chance of escape, very few indegonous people and there were no colonies around it.

Beggining of Penal Colony

Mar 11, 1788

Austraila was an offical penal colony.

End of the Penal Colony

May 30, 1832

The last year Australia was a penal colony.

Criminals

Oct 30, 1833

This was the destination for hardest of convicted British and Irish criminals, those who were secondary offenders

Boundries in Austraila

Jan 13, 1861

Government officials created boundries for the colonies that are still in place today.

Commonwealth

Jan 1, 1901

The commonwealth of Austraila was esablished. Melbourne served as the national capital unitl Canberra was completed in1927

Australia Act

Mar 12, 1986

All legal ties with the British Empire were severed.

Independent Republic

Mar 14, 1999

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