Stage 2 Human Society and Its Environment.

Unit: British Colonisation of Australia

Foundation Statements
Students exlore change in communities from different ersectives and evaluate the effects of
change on individuals and grous! including A"original eoles! and the environment. #hey understand
$ey events related to the British colonisation of Australia and identify the changes and conse%uences
for A"original and other eoles and the continent.
Students exlain ho& different cultures and traditions contri"ute to Australian and community
identity. #hey examine a variety of local and other communities! investigating similarities and
differences including &ays of living! languages and "elief systems.
Students identify! locate and descri"e natural! heritage and "uilt features in the local area and in
other arts of Australia and exlain their significance and management. #hey locate the four
comass oints and other significant features on a ma and develo s$ills to locate and evaluate
information from a variety of sources.
Students examine roles! resonsi"ilities! rights and the decision'ma$ing rocesses in schools and
local government. #hey articiate in the lanning! imlementation and evaluation of school and
community rograms recognising ho& articiation in these contri"utes to the %uality of school and
community life. #hey examine ho& technologies affect the rovision of goods and services! lifestyles!
the environment and monetary exchange. Students use a variety of texts and media to communicate
information and data.
Overview: #his unit rovides oortunities for students to exlore issues related to Australia(s
original inha"itants! exlorers "efore the British and the British arrival and occuation of Australia.
#he unit focuses on the evaluation of vie&oints a"out the conse%uences of British colonisation for
eole! grous and the environment! and on formulating informed oinions.
Outcomes and Indicators
CCS2.1
Describes events and actions related to the
British colonization of ustralia and assesses
chan!es and conse"uences.
se%uences significant events related to
human occuation in Australia
exlains the roles layed "y significant
eole during the British colonisation of
Australia as a enal colony
descri"es some of the conse%uences of
British invasion for A"original eoles
identifies the conse%uences of the
assumtion of terra nullius "y the British
)overnment
#$S2.%
Describes &eo&le's interactions with
environments and identifies res&onsible wa(s
of interactin! with environments.
identifies the conse%uences of using
features! sites and laces in different
&ays
identifies issues a"out the care of laces
in the community or laces of imortance
to them.
descri"es the involvement of eole and
grous from other countries in Australia(s
heritage! including Euroean and Asian
contact and exloration
descri"es asects of &ays of life and
achievements in the early colony for male
and female convicts and exconvicts! the
military and their families! officials and
officers! A"original eole! free settlers
refers to different vie&oints and
ersectives on a significant historical
event
exlains &hy terms such as *invasion(!
*occuation(! *settlement(! *exloration( and
*discovery( reflect different ersectives
on the same event
ac%uires and critically evaluates
information from source material.
)esources:
#he Board(s &e"site
+htt:,,&&&."oardofstudies.ns&.edu.au- lists
current availa"le resources such as some selected
"ac$ground information sheets! &e"sites! texts
and other material to suort this unit. #he
teacher'li"rarian for availa"le rimary and
secondary sources that resent various
ersectives . texts! C/'012s!
documents! letters! novels! "iograhies!
auto"iograhies! aintings.
Encycloedias such as #he Encycloedia of
A"original Australia +Horton +ed-! 3445-!
Australians: A Historical 6i"rary +3478-.
C/'012 data"ases that include information on
the 9irst 9leet.
Extracts from videos and television rograms that
re'enact events of this time from various
ersectives! eg Ba"a$eiria. An excursion to the
historic sites associated &ith rior occuation and
early British occuation of Sydney. A"original
education consultant +government schools- or local
A"original 6and Council! families of A"original
students! A"original education &or$ers! local
A"original Education Consultative )rou +AEC)-.
*in+s to other ,*'s:
#n!lish: #he structure and language features of
the text tyes students create and interret
+see a"ove-.
Creative and -ractical rts: Collages! :/
modelling! dra&ings! murals.
6earning Exeriences
*earnin! Se"uence 1: Ori!inal Inhabitants .
/hat /as *ife *i+e for bori!inal -eo&le Before British Colonisation0
)e!
$ote: 0efer to Information Sheet 3: *#he Eora( at the end of this unit.
Exlain to students that the Australian continent has al&ays "een
multicultural. Before 3877! there &ere aroximately ;<< different
language grous or nations. Current scientific understandings indicate that
A"original occuation dates "ac$ to "et&een ;< <<< and ossi"ly 3<< <<<
years "efore resent +B=-. 2any A"original eole "elieve that they have
al&ays "een here.
Construct a timeline to reresent 3<< <<< years! &here 3 cm > 2<< years.
9ive metres &ill reresent &hat may "e 3<< <<< years of A"original
occuation. Indicate that the last centimetre on this timeline reresents
the 2<<? years since British colonisation.
Using an A"original languages ma! oint out the diversity of A"original
cultures in Australia. @ointly locate the A"original language grou for your
local community. 9ind the names of the A"original eoles &ho came from
the area no& $no&n as Sydney.
Have students investigate A"original lace names and food sources in the
local area.
*earnin! Se"uence 2: #1&lorers before the British
Before commencing this se%uence students &ill need to "e a&are of the
context of Euroean colonisation. /uring the 38th and 37th centuries! sea'
going Euroean countries &ere exanding their o&er and &ealth through
the creation of colonies. #his rocess! called colonisation! created ne&
mar$ets and rovided resources for Euroean economies. Exloration! eg
da )ama(s search for the Sice Islands! layed an imortant role in
colonisation.
)e!
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Have students! in grous! research early exlorers of Australia and
roduce an information reort on each! eg @ansA! #orres! Hartog! #hiBssen!
#asman. I
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Using a ma! have students indicate areas of Australia charted "efore
Coo$ and have them use a string or tae to indicate from &here these
exlorers Bourneyed. /iscuss the evidence of this activity! eg trade
relations "et&een the 2acassan eole of Indonesia and A"original eoles
of the )ulf of Carentaria and Arnhem 6and! the /auhin ma.
0efer to @ames Coo$(s voyage and have students ma his route.
Exlain the concet of terra nullius in the context of British recognition of
A"original eoles at the time. +In 388<! the British )overnment sent
Catain @ames Coo$ to loo$ for the )reat South 6and that &as "elieved to
exist some&here in the =acific 1cean. His orders &ere that! if it &as
uninha"ited! he should claim it! "ut if there &ere eole living there he
should ta$e ossession of those arts of the country that the inha"itants
agreed to. Even though Coo$ had encountered A"original eole! he claimed
the east coast of Australia as a British ossession as if the country &as
uninha"ited or terra nullius. #his decision &as "ased on a different
understanding of land management. Because he sa& no fences or other
features that indicated land management in Euroean terms! Coo$ assumed
that the land &as unused. As a result! A"original eoles did not have the
rights to &hich other con%uered eole &ere entitled to under Euroean
la& at the time.-
*earnin! Se"uence 3 Sir @oseh Ban$s
htt:,,&&&.an"g.gov.au,"iograhy,"an$s."iograhy.html rovides some
"rief "ac$ground notes on Sir @oseh Ban$s. He &as a "otanist! a lant
exert! &ho documented 3:<< ne& secies of lants.
htt:,,setis.li"rary.usyd.edu.au,oAlit,df,<<<23.df rovides a transcrit
of Sir @oseh Ban$s( diary of his Bourneys &ith Catain Coo$ on the
Endeavour. 1f interest is the time sent at Botany Bay from 27 Aril to ;
2ay 388<. #his transcrit is in old fashioned English and %uite lengthy. A
fe& $ey oints could "e arahrased for students and used to develo ne&s
udates.
@oseh Ban$s "ecame a considered exert on the South =acific. In 387;
the British government used the advice given "y @oseh Ban$s to select
Botany Bay as a ne& enal colony. English Bails &ere overcro&ded &ith
eole sentenced for etty crime. England needed a lace to send convicts
so that they &ere out of the &ay.
Exlain the urose of a enal colony.
6ist reasons @oseh Ban$s could have given British officials to ersuade
them use Botany Bay as a ne& colony. +Consider: good climate! food &ould
"e easy to gro&! large suly of local tim"er! lenty of fish and &ild life
)e!
and edi"le lants! no dangerous &ild animals! the *natives( seemed timid!
they &ere limited in num"ers and &ere a nomadic eole &ho gre& no cros
nor had ermanent settlements. #here &ere no rulers or to&ns! the land
&as considered terra nullius! and did not need to "e aid for! the
settlement &ould esta"lish a strong British "ase for trade and a military
resence in the area.-
*earnin! Se"uence 4 . 2he First Fleet
Catain Arthur =hili &as aointed as catain of the 9irst 9leet. He had a
variety of s$ills including "eing a successful farmer.
33 shis &ere assigned to the 9irst 9leet to transort a"out 88< convicts
+official num"ers vary- made u of ;C7 men! 343 &omen and 3: children of
convicts. #here &ere also a"out 258 0oyal 2arines +guards and soldiers-!
23< 0oyal Davy sailors! 2:: merchant seamen! 2< civil officers together
&ith 28 &ives and 34 children.
#he 33 shis &ere: H2S Sirius +9lagshi! in &hich Catain =hilli travelled-
H2S Suly +escort shi-! six convict shis: Alexander! Charlotte!
9riendshi! 6ady =enrhyn! =rince of Eales and Scar"orough and three
store shis: Borro&dale! 9ish"ourn! )olden )rove.
/iscuss and Bointly ma the Bourney of the 9irst 9leet to Sydney Cove.
Ehat &ere conditions li$e for the various grous on "oardF Ehat did they
"ring &ith themF
@ointly vie& videos! aintings or ictures that deict conditions in England
"efore the 9irst 9leet. /iscuss &hy convicts &ere transorted to
Australia.
/evelo students( understanding of the inclusion of articular e%uiment
and resources in relation to the era( i.e. &hat &as availa"le and the lifestyle
of the time.
Students discuss their reasons for the inclusion of articular e%uiment
and resources on the 9irst 9leet and the suita"ility for the esta"lishment
of a ne& colony in an un$no&n land.
Consider:
' did they ta$e the right tools and &ere there enoughF
' did they have enough food to last until the ne& colony could roduce its o&n
food suliesF
' did they have the right resources +seeds! lants! animials- and e%uiment to
"egin roducing foodF
Assist students to identify and exlain the gas in sulies and the
conse%uences for the ne& colony.
*earnin! Se"uence 5 . -eo&le of the First Fleet
Use a 9irst 9leet data"ase to ac%uire information a"out the first convicts!
officers! soldiers and settlers that arrived in Australia.
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Have students indeendently research one of the convicts in rearation
for an information reort. A short factual recount could also "e develoed!
including the reason the convict &as transorted! &here they &ere
sentenced! the length of their transortation! the shi they &ere
transorted on! their age and other statistics. Students could dra& a
icture of ho& this erson may have loo$ed and &rite a summary of the
information gained! then locate this erson on a class dislay of the shis
of the 9irst 9leet.
2au!ht durin!
Com&uters
*earnin! se"uence % 6 #stablishin! the colon(
=ose the %uestion: *Ehy did Catain =hilli not settle at Botany Bay as had
"een suggested "y @oseh Ban$sF( +lac$ of fresh drin$ing &ater-. Instead
Catain =hilli sailed u to =ort @ac$son +Sydney Har"our- &hich had "een
noted "y Catain Coo$! "ut not exlored. Catain =hilli found a har"our
that &ould suort a large num"er of eole! fresh &ater +the #an$
Stream- and! otentially! asignificant commercial &or$ing har"our.
0evie& information on the e%uiment! sulies and eole carried "y the
9irst 9leet. In grous! discuss:
' &hat sort of life did the eole of the 9irst 9leet faceF
' &hat ne& exeriences could they faceF
' ho& do you thin$ they &ould manage to surviveF
' &hat challenges faced the leaders of the colony! articularly Catain +no&
)overnor! "ecause he &as on land! not sea- =hilliF
#1&andin! the new colon(
#he need to find suita"le land to gro& food &as very imortant. #his led to
the settlement of 0ose Hill +later $no&n as =arramatta-. @ames 0use
started a small farm and gre& some &heat. Consider:
' ho& long did it ta$e for the colony to gro& enough food to suort itselfF
' &hat haened to the animals "rought out on the 9irst 9leetF
' &hat do you thin$ the eole on the 9irst 9leet thought a"out living in the ne&
colonyF )ive reasons.
!rowin! colon(
1n /ecem"er 33 3842! )overnor =hilli left Sydney to return home. He &as
disaointed at the rogress he had made. #here &ere 8<< huts! some
su"stantial homes! a hosital! o"servatory! Betties! doc$yards! government
stores! a )overnor(s house! a &indmill and t&o small schools. He left the
colony almost self'sufficient in food! and it &as finally over its most
difficult years.
/iscuss: /o you agree that )overnor =hilli should have "een disaointed
at the rogress of the colonyF As$ students to give reasons to suort
their oinions.
*earnin! Se"uence 7 6 Conse"uences for bori!inal &eo&le
Bac+!round information
#he Eora eole lived in the area around Sydney Har"our. #o the &est "et&een
the coast and the mountains &ere the /harug eole. Dot a lot haened until the
Indigenous eole realised that the invaders &ere not going to leave.
#he colonists stole tools and &eaons from the A"original eole to trade for
food &ith other colonists. #hey accessed local food sulies! articularly fish! to
feed the eole of the 9irst 9leet. #here &as not enough food for "oth grous to
survive.
)overnor =hilli &as $een to esta"lish good relationshis &ith the A"original
eole. He intervened &hen ro"lems occurred and endeavoured to meet &ith the
Eora. He had no &ay of communicating &ith them! so he had the marines cature
some A"original men at different times. #hese include Ara"anoo +first $no&n as
2anly-! Bennelong! Gemmerra&annie and Col"y.
6ater! )overnor =hilli &as not as suortive of the A"original eole as they
continued to lunder food sulies of the colonists! on A"original land! in order to
survive.
Small &o1 and other white mans' diseases
A"original eole did not have any resistance to the diseases that the eole on
the 9irst 9leet carried. Small ox! influenAa and measles &ere some of the
diseases that $illed many A"original eole. At times half +others estimate u to
t&o thirds- of the eole in the A"original communities died. 2any of these &ere
&omen and children.
*earnin! Se"uence 8 6 bori!inal resistance to British colonisation
As the country &as rogressively settled! A"original lands &ere invaded. In
many laces around Australia these invasions &ere resisted &ith force.
Dota"le A"original resistance fighters include =emul&uy! Eindradyne!
Gagan! the Hal$adoons and @andamurra.
0ead a text a"out =umul&uy or Eindradyne to the class. Alternatively!
rovide a text suita"le for students to read. 0efer to the /E# 2ultistage
unit Australian /emocracy +/E#- age 7 for a list of suita"le texts..
/evelo students understanding of the text.
Identify and list reasons &hy =emul&uy or Eindrayne did &hat they did to
try and defend their land.
Students reare %uestions they &ould li$e to as$ =umul&uy or Eindradyne
if they &ere still alive today.
Have students consider the colonisation *from the shi( and *from the
shore(. /iscuss the follo&ing: Ehy do many A"original eole o"serve
Australia /ay as Survival /ayF /o you thin$ the British )overnment &ould
have seen the esta"lishment of the colony as an invasionF Have students
consider the terms discovered and exlorer. /o you thin$ A"original eole
&ould have used these terms to descri"e colonisationF Ho& might they
have seen itF