History of Australia

  • The First Visitors

    The First Visitors
    The Dutch were the first Europeans to sail to Australia. The Dutch made one landing, were attacked by Aborigines, and then abandoned further exploration.
  • Captain James Cook

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

    The First Fleet
    British ships called the “First Fleet” left England with convicts to establish a prison colony.
  • That was Quick

    That was Quick
    British prisoners settled in Australia.
  • Penal Colony

    Penal Colony
    New South Wales was officially a penal colony consisting mainly of convicts, marines, and the marines’ families
  • Port Arthur

    Port Arthur
    Port Arthur, Tasmania, was the destination for the hardest of convicted British and Irish criminals, those who were secondary offenders having re-offended after their arrival in Australia. In addition, Port Arthur had some of the strictest security measures of the British penal system.
  • Boundaries

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

    Commonwealth
    the Commonwealth of Australia was established.
  • White Australia

    White Australia
    Originally, Australia promoted a policy called “White
    Australia” They would not allow non-Caucasians to immigrate to Australia. That has since changed…
  • Melbourne

    Melbourne
    Melbourne served as the national capital until Canberra was completed in.