Did Australia begin as a penal colony?
Did Australia begin as a penal colony?
On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip guides a fleet of 11 British ships carrying convicts to the colony of New South Wales, effectively founding Australia. Australia, once known as New South Wales, was originally planned as a penal colony. …
Which Australian states were penal colonies?
Convict Colonies. There were two major convict colonies: New South Wales (1788-1840) and Van Diemen’s Land (later Tasmania, 1803-1853). Eventually, Swan River (Western Australia) would become a third penal colony when the failing settlement requested an injection of convict labourers (1850-1868).
Why did British deport convicts to Australia?
Between 1788 and 1868 more than 162,000 convicts were transported to Australia. The convicts were transported as punishment for crimes committed in Britain and Ireland. In Australia their lives were hard as they helped build the young colony.
Is there a list of convicts sent to Australia?
This website allows you to search the British Convict transportation register for convicts transported to Australia between 1787-1867. Information available includes name of convict, known aliases, place convicted, port of departure, date of departure, port of arrival, and the source of the data.
What was Britain’s most important use for Australia?
By colonising Australia Britain gained an important base for its ships in the Pacific Ocean. It also gained an important resource in terms of being somewhere to send convicts. Until the American Revolution Britain could send convicts to the Thirteen Colonies.
How did convicts get their freedom?
Pardons were generally given to convicts with life sentences and shortened the sentence by granting freedom. New South Wales Convict Registers of Conditional and Absolute Pardons 1791-1867 provides details about the convicts, such as: Convict’s name.
What was convict life like in Australia?
Convicts lived in their own homes in an area known as ‘The Rocks’, some with their families. But it wasn’t just convicts living in the village; local Aboriginal people lived there too. They camped near the convict houses, fished on the harbour, traded goods and food with townsfolk and brought news from further away.
Who actually runs Australia’s government?
Australia is a federation, a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. This means that Australia: Has a Queen, who resides in the United Kingdom and is represented in Australia by a Governor-General. Is governed by a ministry headed by the Prime Minister.