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Although the arrival of the indigenous is unknown, they were the first civilization known in Australia and their name suggests, "the people who were here from the beginning." The Aborigines occupied Australia for at least 40,000 years, they migrated from Asia and entered from the north. The civilization developed efficient ways to survive Australia's environment, they could as be described as nomadic. When the Europeans arrived, they killed, captured, and moved them away from British territory. -
The first Europeans to sail into Australia were the Dutch (Netherlands) in 1606. Once the Dutch made a landing, they were attacked by the Aborigines. But before they were attacked, they recorded some of Australia's mainland. -
In 1770, Captain James Cook sailed around Australia and mapped the island on his ship called Endeavor. Even though the Aborigines were there, he claimed the land for the British. His team also mapped another island called Tasmania. The British began to colonize Australia by 1780. -
In 1788, Great Britain started sending their prisoners to Australia because the American Revolution prevented them from coming to Georgia. One of the reasons why the British wanted to colonize Australia can include, the British relieving their overcrowded jails. Great Britain chose Australia because it seemed to have few indigenous people and it was in a region where the British did not have any territory. From 1788 to 1823, the colony of New South Wales was an official penal colony. -
From 1833, to around the 1850s, Port Author was the strictest penal colony of the British penal system. This prison contained the hardest criminals of Britain and Ireland. -
In the 1850s, the gold rush attracted thousands of new settlers which brought more conflicts with the Aboriginal people. It ultimately led to many deaths. -
On January 1, 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia was established. Melbourne was the national capital of Australia until Canberra. Which was a successful planned city completed in 1927. In 1861, officials created the boundaries of Australia that are used to this day. -
At first Australia had very absurd policy called, “White Australia.” No non-Caucasian immigrant could immigrate to Australia. In 1901, the same year the Commonwealth of Australia was formed, the Immigration Restriction Act was formed. It prohibited migration of all people not of European ethnicity. Thankfully, Australia has removed those policies and is home to people of more than 200 countries. -
In the 1830s, the last of the natives of Australia are forced to move into the Reserves, and during the 1990s separation was an official policy. Fortunately, in 1967 the government began helping the Aborigines by giving them more land, improving their living conditions, and they even have a national Sorry Day. -
The Aborigines of Australia have equal rights as of modern day, Australia. In 1986, the Australian Act, all legal/constitutional ties with Great Britain were broken and Australia became an independent country. Australia is now a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy. Their monarchy, like the United Kingdom’s, is Queen Elizabeth II.