A Brief History of Australia

After Australia was discovered by Captain James Cook in 1770, the Europeans traveled there to dispose of their convicts. They were met with Aboriginal people who had already been living there for thousands of years. Europeans brought over diseases that the Aboriginals weren't immune to such as influenza, typhoid, tuberculosis, pneumonia, measles, venereal disease, and whooping cough; killing a lot of them. There was often conflict in what you can and cannot do with the two societies and war often broke loose. Massacres of Aboriginals happened frequently.

During the gold rush, many Chinese people migrated to Australia after hearing about the discovery of gold and a civil war that broke out in China between 1850 and 1864. Near the end of the 1850s, there were around 40,000 Chinese immigrants in Victoria. Because of the growing number of Chinese people in Australia, their "introduction" of exotic diseases and drugs; and unfamiliar culture and traditions, Europeans hated them and wanted them gone. So, laws passed, and many riots broke out. About half of the Chinese miners were viciously beaten or injured. By the 1870s, the focus of gold mining shifted to Queensland and many Chinese people returned home. Few remained and established a Chinese presence in Australia.

Because of the new arrivals of people during the gold rush. The government decided that the miners had to pay a license fee of thirty shillings a month regardless of whether they found gold or not. Naturally, people were upset and protested. A particular incident happened where the miners set up stockades and stood their ground against the government, ready for a fight. The policed troops attacked, killing at least 30 miners and taking 128 as prisoners. 

Working conditions in Australia were very poor. Workers didn't get paid very much, their health was meagre and there was very little free time. Usually, the whole family had to work because the man alone did not make enough money to survive. There were no fridges in the 1900s, so all food had to be fresh to be eaten. Women wore long dresses or skirts while men wore coats, jackets, and ties and typically wore hats outside.

After the opening of the first commonwealth parliament in 1901, many laws were passed:

• The Immigration Restriction Act limited immigration to Australia and laid the foundation of the White Australia policy.
• The Australia's first Defence Act in 1903 enabled the Commonwealth Government to call up 'unexempted' males in times of war for home defence.
• The Defence Act 1909 allowed for Australia's first universal training scheme.