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The first European to set foot on the new continent is Willem Janszoon. -
In 1770, United Kingdom Lieutenant James Cook arrived and the eastern two-thirds of the country were claimed by them. -
From 1770 to 1829 the English continued to take territories to establish penal colonies (i.e. colonies used to hold prisoners who were generally forced into forced labor).
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On New Year's Day 1901, Sydney was proclaimed the Commonwealth of Australia, as a Dominion of the British Empire, i.e. a series of territories of the British Empire enjoying semi-freedom. -
The Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 limited non-white people from migrating to Australia and encouraged the deportation of people already in the country. -
Under the Holt government's new laws, migrants were to be selected for their skills and ability to contribute to Australian society, and after five years could become Australian citizens. -
This gesture was an affirmation of the desire of the Australian people to see the government act directly to help them. All following a strike that changed history, with rights and wages equal to those on traditional lands -
Whitlam's Labor government definitively renounces the white Australia policy, to put in its place a policy of multiculturalism with migrants arriving from over 200 countries. -
Only in 1986 were ties with the United Kingdom officially severed -
In 1999 the Australian population was called to vote to change the state to a republic, with a president in place of the Queen. But the population still showed itself to be in favor of the monarchy.