Empire Topic 3 - Australia

Question 1

When did Cook explore and map Australia and what did he call it?

Answer 1

1770, naming it ‘New South Wales.’

Question 2

Penal Colony Context

Answer 2

• Between 1768-1771, Cook’s circumnavigation of the globe took place.
• After loss of America, Britain had nowhere to send their felons as domestic prisons were overcrowded.
• Botany Bay picked at suggestion of Banks and Matra after Cook’s death.
• British wanted base in West Pacific to prevent French expansion into region.

Question 3

Who was the first Governor of New South Wales?

Answer 3

Arthur Phillip

Question 4

How much money was spent kitting out the New South Wales fleet?

Answer 4

£84,000

Question 5

How long was the journey to New South Wales?

Answer 5

252 days

Question 6

How many people were on the journey to NSW?

Answer 6

1400

Question 7

How many died on the journey to NSW?

Answer 7

69

Question 8

How many ships were on the journey to NSW?

Answer 8

11 ships

Question 9

How long was the journey to NSW?

Answer 9

5000 miles

Question 10

When did the jounrey to NSW arrive in Botany Bay?

Answer 10

18th January 1788

Question 11

When did the NSW expedition claim the territory?

Answer 11

7th February 1788

Question 12

Who composed the first settlers of NSW?

Answer 12

• 775 convicts
• 14 children (born en route)
• 549 men
• 189 women
• 22 children
• 2/3 transported for minor theft

Question 13

What did population of Britain change from and to 1750-1800.

Answer 13

1750: 5 million
1800: 10 million

Question 14

What was Phillip’s original mission?

Answer 14

• Ensure substinence
• Build shelter
• Command marines
• Foster good relations with aborigines
• Encourage respectful and godly behaviour among convicts

Question 15

What problems did the settlement have originally?

Answer 15

• All livestock had been eaten or disappeared within 6 months
• No ploughs available and soil around Botany Bay did not yield sufficient crop
• Erecting buildings was difficult as hard to make bricks
• Settlers had to trade with aborigines for Kangaroo meat and most of protein they consumed was dried

Question 16

How many years did governemnt want to be self sufficient within? And how many did it actually take?

Answer 16

4 years, took 33.

Question 17

How many land grants were handed out and how many of which to convicts?

Answer 17

• 66 land grants, 52 of which to former convicts.

Question 18

Why did Colony survive despite initial difficulties.

Answer 18

• Mainly attributed to Arthur Phillip.
• Thanks to careful planning death rate of colony was low.
• Establishment of settlement at Norfolk Islands helped relieve pressure off Sydney.
• More convicts sent to colony.
• Phillip controlled rationing and relocated to better farmland at Parramatta

Question 19

What was death rate of colony during initial era?

Answer 19

3%

Question 20

How many more people were sent to colony during Phillip years?

Answer 20

• 183 convicts
• 28 children
• 81 marines
• Only 1 died of starvation

Question 21

When was the wrecking of HMS Sirius?

Answer 21

19th March 1990

Question 22

Significance of wrecking of HMS Sirius?

Answer 22

• Left colonists with only 1 navy ship on brink of starvation.
• Crew stranded on Norfolk Island until rescue on 21st February 1791.

Question 23

When was Hunter appointed as Phillip’s succesor?

Answer 23

February 1795

Question 24

When was Mutiny on the Bounty?

Answer 24

29th April 1789

Question 25

What was the Mutiny on the Bounty?

Answer 25

- Fletcher Christian led mutiny against Blight after being accused of stealing coconuts and the crew being put on half-rations as a result. - 19 men elected to stay with Bligh.

Question 26

How long was Bligh's journey following the mutiny?

Answer 26

4000 miles

Question 27

When was Bligh made governor of NSW?

Answer 27

13th August 1806

Question 28

Why was Bligh made governor of NSW?

Answer 28

- Had reputation as a 'hard man.' - Expected to have good chance in bringing NSWC to heel due to role in suppressing Nore Mutiny.

Question 29

Context of Bligh's arrival in Sydney?

Answer 29

- French had tried to invade Ireland in 1798 rebellion so many Irish rebels had been transported to NSW. - In 1804 they rebelled and tried to declare the republic of New Ireland. - They were defeated at battle of Castle Hill by NSW corps. - This led to leader of NSW corps, Major Johnstone, developing the belief that the NSWC were entitled to running NSW.

Question 30

How did Bligh try to change things in the colony by taking power away from the exclusives?

Answer 30

- One of Bligh's first actions was to use colony's stores to provide relief to farmers who had been severely affected by Hawksebury River flooding. - Supplies were divided up according to those most in need. - Bligh gained gratitude of the farmers, but emnity of traders in corps who had been profiting greatly from power vacuum before Bligh arrived.

Question 31

How did events in UK parliament impact Bligh's ability to lead colony?

Answer 31

- Bligh often recieved different commands from different fractions of British Government. - Violence was very prominent in political life in the early 19th century, a PM was assasinated and there was an attempt to blow up the entire cabinet. - Bligh was very low down on political agenda.

Question 32

Example of Bligh's differing commands?

Answer 32

- When Blight communicated to colonial office that he intended to use spirits as payment for commodities in 1807, they responded that it would be met with resistance. - However he recieved instructions from Lord Castlereigh, Secretary for War, on 31st December 1807 to stop the barter of spirits.

Question 33

Why did Bligh cause conflict with the NSW corps?

Answer 33

- Bligh stopped Macarthur from cheaply distributing large amounts of rum to the corps - Also halted Macarthur's allegedly illegal import of stills - Macarthur's interest in land granted to him by Governor King conflicted with Bligh's town-planning regulations - Parramatte Incident

Question 34

When was the Parramatte Incident?

Answer 34

26th January 1808

Question 35

Basic explanation of Parramatte Incident

Answer 35

- June 1807 a convict stowed away on Macarthur's parramatte and escaped Sydney - Upon return in December 1807 the bond to ensure that masters and owners of vessels did not help prisoners escape the colony was deemed forfeit - Macarthur refused to be held accountable by Bligh - Bligh attempted to arrest Macarthur but was instead held to house arrest by the corps

Question 36

What happened following the Parramatte incident?

Answer 36

- Colonial office decided sending naval governors to rule colony was untenable - NSW corps were recalled to England with Macarthur returning with them - Macquarie takes over as Governor