1. The British in Australia

2. Early Exploration of Australia  1642-1644 Abel Tasman: A Dutch commander began the systematic exploration of New Zealand and Tasmania  Did not attempt to colonize it because his descriptions of native people (Maoris of New Zealand) were so negative

3. Captain James Cook (1728-1779)  1768: Went out on a 3 year voyage to Tahiti, Australia, and New Zealand  Described Aboriginal Australians in a positive way  His reports led the British government to use Australia as a “dumping ground” for prisoners who were overcrowding the prisons at home

4. British Control of Australia  1788: 1 st shipload of convicts first arrived  Convicts kept arriving until the 1850s “Transportation” to Australia was the only alternative to hanging for the convicts  “Assignment System:” Convicts were assigned for the duration of their sentence to particular masters: 90% were private individuals and 10% were government officials

5. A Harsh Life in Australia  Men outnumbered women by a ratio of 6:1 among the prisoners  4:1 in the cities  20:1 in the countryside  Prostitution and rape of women were common  1868: Last convict ship arrived in Australia

6. Negative Impact upon the Aboriginal People  European diseases killed off native people  European sheep and cattle displaced the native hunting grounds  At first, the Aboriginal people retreated inland, but some tried to fight  1788: 300,000 Aboriginal people  2007: 92% European, 7% Asian, 1% Aboriginal (total Australian population)