Convict Life Flashcards
What is the relationship between the Bloody Code and convicts in Australia?
So many prisoners were being arrested due to the Bloody Code’s harsh rules so they had to be transported to Australia since the prison overflowed in England
What did convicts do in Australia? (Label these in dot points)
.Create farmland
.Build roads and bridges
.Build government buildings and public buildings such as hospitals
What were the types of pardons and what did they do?
.An absolute pardon is when you are free to back to England or you could receive a piece of land
.A conditional pardon is when you are free but have some restrictions, including the fact you must stay in your colony
What was a ticket of leave?
A ticket of leave allowed a convict to work for themself provided that they remained in a specified area, reported regularly to local authorities and attended divine worship every Sunday
What were the chain gang convicts?
A group of prisoners that would be chained together to perform physically challenging work as punishment
What was the assignment system?
When a convict worked for a private landowner
What were the different types of punishments?
Hard labour in leg irons, solitary confinement, floggings (whippings with the cat o’ nine tails), restricted diets, the treadmill (modern day stair-master)
What was the Rum Rebellion?
Result of rum being used as a currency and the NSW Corps owned and monopolised this currency rather than it just being shared like normal money. Governor William Bligh arrived and attempted to intervene in this market which angered the NSW Corps. Ultimately, the NSW Corps deposed Bligh and performed in the only coup (revolution) in Australia’s modern history
How did the Gold Rush start?
In 1851, Edward Hargraves returned to Australia after looking for gold in California. He noticed the land looked similar so began digging for gold. He was proven right. Months later, word had spread across the world. Husbands were leaving their families and people left their jobs to look for gold
What was a Miner’s License and why did the government introduce it?
A license that a miner had to pay for and show proof of to be able to mine for gold. It was introduced so the government could keep track of the large numbers of people and also helped them pay for roads, administration and police
Explain the Ballarat Reform League
Was formed in the 1850s as a response to the grievances of miners (moving from families, mining tax).
Why were the white peoples racist and abusive to Chinese people?
Chinese people were much different to Europeans, such as what they ate, wore and more. Chinese people also worked really hard and Europeans didn’t like this since they were jealous of them
