Empire Topic 3 - Australia - Aboriginals Flashcards
(24 cards)
Context of Aboriginals in Australia
- Migrated to Australia 65,000 years ago
- 250 different nations with own languages
What was Governor Phillip’s mission with the Aboriginals?
- Instructed to foster good relations, however due to lack of communication with London and being in a harsh, unfamiliar environment, this was not a priority.
The Kidnapping of Bennelong and Colbee
- Kidnapped by order of Governor Phillip
- Eora concientiously avoided contact with newcomes but Phillip had orders to foster good relation so resorted to kidnapping.
- Man named Arabnoo was captured as well, but like many others died from smallpox epidemic a few months later in May 1789.
When was the kidnapping of Bennelong and Colbee?
November 1789
Deteriorating relationships with Aborigines
- Bennelong escaped settlement.
- Phillip organised whale feast to re-establish relations with Eora
- However when he approached Bennelong he was speared by another Eora warrior, likely as a form of punishment for the kidnapping
- Phillip not retaliating to this shows he likely understood this.
Biological Warfare
- Unusual epidemic of smallpox reported amongst Port Jackson aboriginal tribes who were resisting settlers from the first fleet.
- May have killed over 90% of native families
- Not definite, but given the only smallpox present at the time was in a vial the British held for vaccinations, educated assumptions can be made.
Pemulwuy
- Speared Phillip’s gamekeeper John Macintyre, known to treat aboriginals poorly.
- British responded by taking 10 aboriginals hostage.
- Led 100 Aboriginals at Battle of Parramatta, was shot in the head yet survived and escaped following capture.
- Led Guerilla War around Parramatta, led to Governor Phillip issuing kill on sight order in the region.
When did Pemulwuy spear Phillip’s gamekeeper?
9th December 1790
When was the Battle of Parramatta
21st-22nd March 1797
Between what years did Pemulwuy conduct raids in the Parramatta region?
1795 and 1802
When did Governor Phillip issue kill on sight order in Parramatta?
1801
Settling of Tasmania
- Governor Phillip established small military outpost in Tasmania to stop French expansion in the region.
- Penal Colony was established in Van Dieman’s land
- Eventually led to all penal transport to NSW stopping in favour of Van Dieman’s land.
When did Governor Phillip establish the military camp in Van Dieman’s land?
August 1803
In what years was Van Dieman’s land the main penal colony in Australia?
1830s to 1853
How many convicts were sent to Van Dieman’s land and what percentage of all convicts sent to Australia was this?
75,000, 40%.
What was the purpose of settling Van Dieman’s land?
- Most difficult convicts sent there.
- 5 female factories in Van Dieman’s land and often women employed there to serve free settlers.
- Convicts who had been well behaved and given ticket of leave often went to main colony at Sydney Cove.
- Became very important as source of pine trees for building, shipbuilding and repairs
Who was appointed Governor of Van Dieman’s land and when?
- George Arthur in 1823
Between 1817 and 1824 what did colonial population of Van Dieman’s land rise to and from?
2000 - 12,600
How many sheep were in Van Dieman’s land by 1827?
436,256
How many people did George Arthue execute?
260 people
When did George Arthur issue a proclomation that placed Aboriginal people under the protection of British law?
When he arrived in 1823.
What were the settled districts?
Created by Arthur as land that Aboriginal settlers should remain is as to not disturb settlers moving to Van Dieman’s land.
How much of the island did settled districts account for by 1823?
30%
What did Arthur issue in November 1826?
A government notice under which colonists could kill Aboriginals if they attacked settlers or property, essentially if they left the settled districts.
