This article is part of the series History of Australia

Prehistory

Before 1788

1788-1850

1851-1900

1901-1945

Since 1945

Timeline

The history of Australia from 1788-1850 covers the early colonies period of Australia's history, from the first English settlement and penal colony at Port Jackson in 1788 to the establishment of other colonies and the spread of settlers. Image File history File links Flag_of_Australia. ... The history of Australia began when people first migrated to the Australian continent from the north, at least 40,000-45,000 years ago. ... The prehistory of Australia is a term which may be used to describe the period of approximately 40-45,000 years (or more, as is contended by some studies) between the first human habitation of the Australian continent and the first definitive sighting of Australia by Europeans in 1606, which... The first definite sighting of Australia by European explorers was in 1606. ... The history of Australia from 1851 - 1900 continues Australias colonial history, the discovery of gold in 1851 which led to increased economic and political independence from Britain and a great debate about federation. ... The history of Australia from 1901 - 1945 begins with the federation of the colnies to create the Commonwealth of Australia. ... The history of Australia since 1945 has seen a move away from Britian in political, social and cultural terms to engagement with the United States and Asia. ... This is a timeline of Australian history. ... In general, the word colonial means of or relating to a colony. In United States history, the term Colonial is used to refer to the period before US independence. ... A penal colony is a colony used to house prisoners. ... Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge located on Port Jackson Port Jackson, also known as Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Colonisation and convictism

See also: Convictism in Australia

After the loss of the American Colonies, Britain needed alternative destination to take the population of its overcrowded prisons (full mainly due to the unemployment created by the Industrial Revolution). Sir Joseph Banks, the eminent scientist who had accompanied Cook on his 1770 voyage, recommended Botany Bay as a suitable site. In 1787 the First Fleet of 11 ships and about 1350 people under the command of Captain Arthur Phillip set sail for Botany Bay. On arrival, Botany Bay was considered unsuitable and on January 26, 1788—a date now celebrated as Australia Day—a landing was made at the nearby Sydney Cove. Phillip named the settlement after Thomas Townshend, 1st Baron Sydney (Viscount Sydney from 1789), the Home Secretary. The new colony was formally proclaimed as the Colony of New South Wales on February 7. A studio photograph of Tasmanian convict Bill Thompson, showing the convict uniform and the use of leg irons. ... Betsy Ross purportedly sewed the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 colonies. ... A Watt steam engine in Madrid. ... Joseph Banks Sir Joseph Banks (February 13, 1743 - June 19, 1820) was the British naturalist and botanist on Cooks first great voyage (1768-1771) and some 75 species bear Banks name. ... For other Botany Bays see Botany Bay (disambiguation) Bicentennial Monument at Botany Bay Botany Bay is a bay in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, a few kilometers south of the central business district. ... 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the British First Fleet of the 18th century. ... Admiral Arthur Phillip (1786 portrait by Francis Wheatley, National Portrait Gallery, London) Admiral Arthur Phillip, RN (11 October 1738 – 31 August 1814) was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. ... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Australia Day is Australias official national day, January 26. ... Sydney Cove is a small bay on the southern shore of Port Jackson (commonly but incorrectly called Sydney Harbour), on the coast of the state of New South Wales, Australia. ... Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney (24 February 1732 - 30 June 1800), the British politician after whom the city of Sydney, Australia, is named, was born at Frognal House, near Chislehurst in Kent. ... Viscount Sydney is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain created in 1789, to Thomas Townshend, 1st Baron Sydney (the Barony having been created in 1783). ... The Secretary of State for the Home Department, known as the Home Secretary, is the chief United Kingdom government minister responsible for law and order (except in Scotland). ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

Map of Sydney from 1789

January 26, 1788 was also the date that the French expedition of two ships led by Admiral Jean-François de La Pérouse arrived off Botany Bay and Sydney Cove. Though amicably received, the other expedition was a troublesome matter for the English, as it showed the interest of France in the new land. The French expedition could not be given food from the meagre English fleet, but took on water and wood and departed, not to be seen again. La Perouse is remembered in a Sydney suburb of that name. Various other French geographical names along the Australian coast also date from this expedition. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1384x875, 310 KB) Summary A map of Sydney from 1789 done by a transported convict. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1384x875, 310 KB) Summary A map of Sydney from 1789 done by a transported convict. ... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Lapérouse by François Rude (1784-1855), in 1828 Lapérouse Jean François Galaup, count (comte) de La Pérouse (August 23, 1741 - 1788) was a French naval officer and explorer whose expedition vanished in Oceania. ... La Perouse is a suburb of Sydney, Australia, and is adjacent to Botany and Malabar. ...

In 1792 two French ships, La Recherche and L'Espérance anchored in a harbour near Tasmania's southernmost point they called Recherche Bay. This was at a time when Britain and France were vying to be the first to discover and colonise Australia. The expedition carried scientists and cartographers, gardeners, artists and hydrographers - who, variously, planted, identified, mapped, marked, recording and documenting the environment and the people of the new lands that they encountered at the behest of the fledging Société D'Histoire Naturelle. 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Recherche Bay is located in southern Tasmania, Australia and was a landing place of the d’Entrecasteaux expedition to find missing explorer La Pérouse. ...

European settlement began with a troupe of convicts, guarded by second-rate soldiers. One in three convicts was Irish, about a fifth of whom were transported in connection with the political and agrarian disturbances common in Ireland at the time. While the settlers were reasonably well-equipped, little consideration had been given to the skills required to make the colony self-supporting - few of the convicts had farming or trade experience (nor did the soldiers, for that matter), and the lack of understanding of Australia's seasonal patterns saw initial attempts at farming fail, leaving only what animals and birds the soldiers were able to shoot. The colony nearly starved, and Phillip was forced to send a ship to Batavia for supplies. Some relief arrived with the Second Fleet in 1790, but life was extremely hard for the first few years of the colony. Irish Republicanism is an ideology based on the Irish nationalist belief that all of Ireland should be a united independent republic. ... The Second Fleet refers to three convict ships which arrived at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson, New South Wales in June 1790. ... 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Convicts were usually sentenced to seven or fourteen years' penal servitude, or "for the term of their natural lives". Often these sentences were commuted from the death sentence, which was technically the punishment for a wide variety of crimes. Upon arrival in a penal colony, convicts would be assigned to various kinds of work. Those with trades were given tasks to fit their skills (stonemasons, for example, were in very high demand) while the unskilled were assigned to work gangs to build roads and do other such tasks. Female convicts were usually assigned as domestic servants to the free settlers. Where possible, convicts were assigned to free settlers who would be responsible for feeding and disciplining them; in return for this, the settlers were granted land. This system reduced the workload on the central administration. Those convicts who weren't assigned to settlers were housed at barracks such as the Hyde Park Barracks or the Parramatta Female Factory. Penal labour is a form of the unfree labour. ... The Hyde Park Barracks, built between 1818 and 1819, is a popular landmark in the historic precinct of Macquarie Street and Queens Square in Sydney. ...

Convict discipline was harsh, convicts who would not work or who disobeyed orders were punished by flogging, being put in stricter confinement (eg leg-irons), or being transported to a stricter penal colony. The penal colonies at Port Arthur and Moreton Bay, for instance, were stricter than the one at Sydney, and the one at Norfolk Island was strictest of all.. Convicts were assigned to work gangs to build roads, buildings, and the like. Female convicts, who made up 20% of the convict population, were usually assigned as domestic help to soldiers. Those convicts who behaved were eventually issued with tickets-of-leave, which allowed them a certain degree of freedom. Those who saw out their full sentences or were granted a pardon usually remained in Australia as free settlers, and were able to take on convict servants themselves. Port Arthur is the name of some places: Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia Old Western name for Lushun, China Port Arthur, Texas, United States of America Port Arthur, Ontario, a city in Ontario, Canada, became part of Thunder Bay in 1970. ... Moreton Bay from space, from a NASA photograph Moreton Bay is a large bay on the eastern coast of Australia 19 km from Brisbane, Queensland. ... The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour Sydney (pronounced ) is the most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of over 4. ... A ticket of leave was a piece of paper issued to convicts transported from Britain who had served a period of probation, and had shown by their good behaviour that they could be allowed certain freedoms. ...

By 1790 a convict, James Ruse, had begun to successfully farm near Parramatta, the first successful farming enterprise, and he was soon joined by others. The colony began to grow enough food to support itself, and the standard of living for the residents gradually improved. 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the Australian farmer. ... Parramatta is a city, suburb and Local Government Area in Sydney, Australia, 25 kilometres west of the central business district (CBD) in Western Sydney. ...

The Castle Hill convict rebellion

In 1804 the Castle Hill convict rebellion was led by around 200 escaped, mostly Irish convicts, although it was broken up quickly by the New South Wales Corps. On the 26th of January 1808, there was a military rebellion against Governor Bligh led by John Macarthur. Following this, Governor Lachlan Macquarie was given a mandate to restore government and discipline in the colony. When he arrived in 1810, he forcibly deported the NSW Corps and brought the 73rd regiment to replace them. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1799x1403, 464 KB) Summary Rebellion of Irish at Toongabbie 5 March 1804 by an eye-witness. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1799x1403, 464 KB) Summary Rebellion of Irish at Toongabbie 5 March 1804 by an eye-witness. ... A cartoon of the Irish rebellion some years later The Castle Hill Rebellion of 4 March 1804, also called the Irish Rebellion and the Battle of Vinegar Hill, was Australias only successful large-scale convict rebellion. ... A cartoon of the Irish rebellion some years later The Castle Hill Rebellion of 4 March 1804, also called the Irish Rebellion and the Battle of Vinegar Hill, was Australias only successful large-scale convict rebellion. ... The New South Wales Corps (also known as the Rum Corps and the Botany Bay Rangers) were the first foot soldiers to serve in Australia, in the then colony of New South Wales. ... William Bligh in 1814 Vice Admiral of the Blue William Bligh, FRS, RN (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was an officer of the British Royal Navy and colonial administrator. ... John Macarthur (1767-1834) was a soldier, politician and pioneer of the Australian wool industry. ... Major General Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of New South Wales Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, CB (31 January 1762 – 1 July 1824), British military officer and colonial administrator, served as Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of...

Land exploration

Main article: European exploration of Australia

The opening up of the interior to European settlement occurred gradually throughout the colonial period, and a number of these explorers are very well known. Burke and Wills are the best known for their tragic deaths in the crossing of the interior of Australia from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria. Such men as Hamilton Hume and Charles Sturt are also notable. Other notable events include the crossing of the Blue Mountains led by Gregory Blaxland in 1813. He was accompanied by William Lawson, William Wentworth and four servants. The European exploration of Australia encompasses several waves of seafarers and land explorers. ... The route Burke & Wills took north (red) and south (dark blue) Robert OHara Burke William John Wills Artists depiction of Burkes death In 1860-61, Robert OHara Burke and William John Wills were sent on an expedition to cross Australia from south to north. ... Melbourne (pronounced either or [1]) is the state capital and largest city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-largest city in Australia, with a population of approximately 3. ... The Gulf of Carpentaria viewed from orbit. ... Hamilton Hume Hamilton Hume (19 June 1797-19 April 1873) was an Australian explorer. ... Charles Sturt c. ... Cliff overlooking the Jamison Valley The Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, roughly 100 kilometres west of Sydney, are a range of sandstone mountains that reach to at least 1190 metres above sea level (in the Lithgow area). ... Gregory Blaxland, (1788-1855) Pioneer farmer and explorer. ... 1813 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... THE DETAILS BELOW ARE NOT FOR WILL LAWSON (1856-1957) William Lawson (1774 – 1850), explorer of New South Wales, Australia, was born in London and arrived in Sydney as an ensign with the New South Wales Corps in 1800. ... William Wentworth For the Australian politician, see William Wentworth IV William Charles Wentworth (early 1790 – 20 March 1872), Australian explorer, journalist and politician, was one of the leading figures of early colonial New South Wales. ...

In 1829-30, Charles Sturt performed an expedition that found the junction of the Murray and the Darling before continuing on to the mouth of the Murray. This expedition also led to the opening of South Australia to settlement. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Charles Sturt c. ... The Murray River, or River Murray, is Australias second-longest river in its own right (the longest being its tributary the Darling). ... Bold textInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text It is very important to us and the environment. ... Emblems: Hairy Nosed Wombat (faunal); Leafy Seadragon (marine); Piping Shrike (bird: unofficial); Sturts Desert Pea (floral); Opal (gemstone) Motto: United for the Common Wealth Slogan or Nickname: Festival State Other Australian states and territories Capital Adelaide Government Const. ...

Growth of free settlement

Australian colonies/states

The Second Fleet in 1790 brought to Sydney two men who were to play important roles in the colony's future. One was William Wentworth, who as well as being an explorer founded Australia's first newspaper and became a leader of the movement to abolish convict transportation and establish representative government. The other was John Macarthur, a Scottish officer (and a distant relative of General Douglas MacArthur), one of the founders of the Australian wool industry, which laid the foundations of Australia's future prosperity. Macarthur was a turbulent element: in 1808 he was one of the leaders of the Rum Rebellion against the governor, William Bligh. Image File history File links Australian_states_history. ... Image File history File links Australian_states_history. ... William Wentworth For the Australian politician, see William Wentworth IV William Charles Wentworth (early 1790 – 20 March 1872), Australian explorer, journalist and politician, was one of the leading figures of early colonial New South Wales. ... John Macarthur (1767-1834) was a soldier, politician and pioneer of the Australian wool industry. ... Douglas MacArthur (January 26, 1880 – April 5, 1964) was an American general and Medal of Honor recipient, who was Supreme Commander of Allied forces in the Southwest Pacific Area during World War II. He led the defense of Australia, and the recapture of New Guinea, the Philippines and Borneo. ... 1808 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... A contemporary propaganda cartoon of Blighs arrest produced to show Bligh as being a coward The Rum Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful (if only temporarily so) armed takeover of government in Australias recorded history. ... William Bligh in 1814 Vice Admiral of the Blue William Bligh, FRS, RN (9 September 1754 – 7 December 1817) was an officer of the British Royal Navy and colonial administrator. ...

From about 1815 the colony, under the governorship of Lachlan Macquarie, began to grow rapidly as free settlers arrived and new lands were opened up for farming. Despite the long and arduous sea voyage, settlers were attracted by the prospect of making a new life on virtually free Crown land. From the late 1820s settlement was only authorised in the limits of location, known as the Nineteen Counties. Many settlers occupied land without authority and beyond these authorised settlement limits: they were known as squatters and became the basis of a powerful landowning class. As a result of opposition from the labouring and artisan classes, transportation of convicts to Sydney ended in 1840, although it continued in the smaller colonies of Van Diemen's Land (first settled in 1803) and Moreton Bay (founded 1824, and later renamed Queensland) for a few years more. The Swan River Settlement (as Western Australia was originally known), centred on Perth, was founded in 1829. The colony suffered from a long term shortage of labour, and by 1850 local capitalists had succeeded in persuading London to send convicts. (Transportation did not end until 1868.) The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Major General Lachlan Macquarie, Governor of New South Wales Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, CB (31 January 1762 – 1 July 1824), British military officer and colonial administrator, served as Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821 and had a leading role in the social, economic and architectural development of... The Crown is a term which is used to separate the government authority and property of the state in a kingdom from any personal influence and private assets held by the current Monarch. ... The Nineteen Counties were the limits of location in the colony of New South Wales defined by the Governor of New South Wales Sir Ralph Darling in 1826 in accordance with a government order from Lord Bathurst, the secretary of State. ... This article is about occupying land without permission. ... The labour movement (or labor movement) is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and political governments. ... An artisan, also called a craftsman, is a skilled manual worker who uses tools and machinery in a particular craft. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Moreton Bay from space, from a NASA photograph Moreton Bay is a large bay on the eastern coast of Australia 19 km from Brisbane, Queensland. ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Emblems: Faunal - Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus); Floral - Cooktown orchid (Dendrobium bigibbum); Bird - Brolga (Grus rubicunda); Aquatic - Barrier Reef Anemonefish (Amphiprion akindynos); Gem - Sapphire; Colour - Maroon Motto: Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Const. ... The first detailed map of the Swan River, drawn by François-Antoine Boniface Heirisson in 1801 Black swan and family The Swan River estuary flows through the city of Perth, in the south west of Western Australia. ... Emblems: Floral - Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos manglesii); Mammal - Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus); Bird - Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) Motto: none Slogan or Nickname: Wildflower State Other Australian states and territories Capital Perth Government Const. ... Perth is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Western Australia, and is the fourth largest city in Australia, with a population of approximately 1. ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1829 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Each colony was governed by a British Governor appointed by the English monarch. Most of the administration of the early colonies was done by the military. The military in charge of the colony of New South Wales were known as the Rum Corps on account of their stranglehold on the distribution of Rum, the main currency in the colony at the time. There was considerable unhappiness with the way some of the colonies were run. In New South Wales this led to the Rum Rebellion. The Governors of the Australian states are the representatives in the six states of Australia of Australias head of state, Queen Elizabeth II. The Governors perform the same constitutional and ceremonial functions at the state level as does the Governor-General of Australia at the national level. ... Emblems: Floral - Waratah (Telopea speciosissima); Bird - Kookaburra (Dacelo gigas); Animal - Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus); Fish - Blue Groper (Achoerodus viridis) Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Slogan or Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Const. ... Caribbean rum, circa 1941 For other uses, see Rum (disambiguation). ... Emblems: Floral - Waratah (Telopea speciosissima); Bird - Kookaburra (Dacelo gigas); Animal - Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus); Fish - Blue Groper (Achoerodus viridis) Motto: Orta Recens Quam Pura Nites (Newly Risen, How Brightly You Shine) Slogan or Nickname: First State, Premier State Other Australian states and territories Capital Sydney Government Const. ... A contemporary propaganda cartoon of Blighs arrest produced to show Bligh as being a coward The Rum Rebellion of 1808 was the only successful (if only temporarily so) armed takeover of government in Australias recorded history. ...

Economy and trade

The colonies relied heavily on imports from England for survival. The official currency of the colonies was the British pound, but the unofficial currency and most readily accepted trade good was rum. During this period Australian businessmen began to prosper. For example, the partnership of Berry and Wollstonecraft made enormous profits by means of land grants, convict labour, and exporting native cedar back to England. Caribbean rum, circa 1941 For other uses, see Rum (disambiguation). ... Berry and Wollstonecraft was an Australian business partnership established in 1819 between Alexander Berry and Edward Wollstonecraft. ...

Religion, education, and culture

As a British colony, the predominant Christian denomination was the Church of England, however the high proportion of Irish convicts meant that Catholicism was also widely practiced. There were presumably also Dissenters, Methodists, and so forth^{[citation needed]}. Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on Jesus of Nazareth, and on his life and teachings as presented in the New Testament. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... It has been suggested that Catholic, One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church be merged into this article or section. ... The term dissenter (from the Latin dissentire, to disagree), labels one who dissents or disagrees in matters of opinion, belief, etc. ... The Methodist movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity. ...

Education was informal, primarily occurring in the home.

Some Australian folksongs date to this period.

A number of early Australians wrote about their experiences, but these were mostly intended for the English audience.

The first Australian theatre was opened in Sydney in 1796^{[citation needed]}. 1796 was a leap year starting on Friday. ...

Representations in literature and film

• Marcus Clarke's novel, "For the Term of his Natural Life"

Marcus Clarke (1846 - 1881) was an Australian novelist and poet, best known for his novel For the Term of his Natural Life. ... For the Term of his Natural Life, a novel by Marcus Clarke, is the best known novelisation of life as a convict in early Australian history. ...

References

• Lepailleur, François-Maurice. 1980. Land of a Thousand Sorrows. The Australian Prison Journal 1840-1842, of the Exiled Canadien Patriote, François-Maurice Lepailleur. Trans. and edited by F. Murray Greenwood. University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver. ISBN 0-7748-0123-9.
• Duyker, Edward & Maryse. 2001. Voyage to Australia and the Pacific 1791 - 1793. Melbourne University Press. ISBN 0-522-84932-6.
• Duyker, Edward & Maryse. 2003. Citizen Labillardière - A Naturalist's Life in Revolution and Exploration. The Miegunyah Press. ISBN 0-522-85010-3.
• Horner, Frank. 1995. Looking for La Pérouse. Melbourne University Press. ISBN 0-522-84451-0.

External links

• U.S. State Department Background Note: Australia
• Australian Broadcasting Corporation Hindsight Story: The French Connection
• National Museum of Australia: Who ‘discovered’ Australia?