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Many people believe that Australia was colonised to be used just as a convict prison for Great Britain. There was much more to it than that. The British decided to colonise Australia for several reasons:
1. To expand the British empire, and prevent the French from gaining a foothold in the Australian continent or in the southwest Pacific.
2. To solve the problem of Britain's overcrowded prisons (a consequence of the Industrial Revolution) by establishing a new penal colony in a land which showed promise for eventually becoming self-supporting. Britain had been sending their excess prisoners to North America, but the American War of Independence put a stop to the practice. Following this, the English were no longer able to transport surplus prisoners who couldn't legally be executed to North America.
3. Australia could provide commercial and political gains to Britain.
4. Due to war, Britain needed to find an alternative supply of Flax and timber as her Baltic supply was under threat. It was believed that nearby Norfolk Island would provide this.
5. Britain needed a port in the East to promote trade with China and to extend its naval and commercial power.
6. The continent had Natural Resources which England wanted.
The first permanent settlers arrived in Australia with the First Fleet on 26 January 1788 to set up the new penal colony.
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
Wiki User
∙ 16y agoYes, the earliest settlers were convicts from Britain. As time went on, settlers from other countries began to colonize Australia. An example of this is the German settlers in South Australia.
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoAustralia was colonised by convicts, officers and marines from Great Britain. Australia was settled as a penal colony, and also a colony for free settlers (it was never a slave colony). Great Britain wished to expand its empire, and to offset the possibility of the French colonising the continent and thus the south Pacific.
The First Fleet arrived in 1788 and more free settlers sought passage on the Second Fleet which arrived in Sydney in 1790. Subsequent fleets brought more convicts and free settlers.
Australia was colonized by the Great Britain.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThe British decided to colonise Australia for several reasons:
1. To expand the British empire, and prevent the French from gaining a foothold in the Australian continent or in that part of the Pacific.
2. To solve the problem of Britain's overcrowded prisons (a consequence of the Industrial Revolution) by establishing a new penal colony in a land which showed promise for eventually becoming self-supporting. Britain had been sending their excess prisoners to North America, but the American War of Independence put a stop to the practice. After James Cook's successful voyage which involved charting the eastern coast of Australia, New South Wales was seen as a viable proposition for a convict colony. In particular, it was endorsed by Sir Joseph Banks, the influential botanist who travelled with Cook.
3. Australia could provide commercial and political gains to Britain.
4. Due to war, Britain needed to find an alternative supply of Flax and timber as her Baltic supply was under threat. It was believed that nearby Norfolk Island would provide this.
5. Britain needed a port in the East to promote trade with China and to extend its naval and commercial power.
The first permanent settlers arrived in Australia with the First Fleet on 26 January 1788 to set up the new penal colony.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoAustralia was originally colonised by Great Britain.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoBritain
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What country settled Australia?
The first European settlers in Australia were primarily convicts from England, together with the officers and the marines who guarded them.
When was west Africa colonized?
Nigeria was owned by Great Britian by 1950, but won its independance back by 1960.
Who was the queen of England when the british colonised Australia?
The explorer who claimed the territories of the East Coast of Australia for the British Crown in 1770 was James Cook, who claimed this territory in the name of King George III of England. The name he gave to this territory was 'New South Wales'. The colonization of Australia by the British lasted from year 1788 to 1900, so, there were three kings and a queen who ruled the country and the colonized territories during that time frame: King George III, King George IV, King William IV and Queen Victoria, who ruled from 1837 to 1901.
Why is Australia different from other countries?
Australia is the only country that takes up an entire continent.Australia is therefore the only non-island country that shares no land borders with any other countries.The wildlife is unique in that it comprises a large number of marsupial species.Most of the land is flat except for the eastern seaboard, where the Great Dividing Range separates coast from the inland.Australia is similar to other countries in that it was originally inhabited by native peoples, but it is different in that it was later colonised by convicts and officers.
Australia was founded as a British colony for what?
prisonerspeople convicted of crimesWhilst Australia was founded by convicts, strictly speaking it was not founded for convicts. There were many reasons why the British wished to colonise Australia, and using it as a place to send convicts was an excuse more than a reason.The British colonised Australia to expand the British empire, and prevent the French from gaining a foothold in the Australian continent or in that part of the Pacific. It was expected that Australia could provide commercial and political gains to Britain, and Britain needed a port in the East to promote trade with China and to extend its naval and commercial power.Also, due to war, Britain needed to find an alternative supply of Flax and timber as her Baltic supply was under threat. James Cook had reported that nearby Norfolk Island might be a suitable source, so it was strategic to colonise the nearby continent of Terra Australis.
What part of Australia was colonised?
The first part of Australia to be colonised was Port Jackson.
Why do you have Australia?
We have Australia now because it was colonised by the British in 1788.
Which part of Australia was first colonised?
The first region of Australia to be colonised was Port Jackson, where the settlement of Sydney was established with arrival of the First Fleet in 1788.
What country inhabited Australia?
Australia was originally colonised by Great Britain.
Was Captain Cook the first governor of Australia?
No. Captain James Cook died nine years before Australia was colonised.
Does Australia belong to England?
No, Australia does not belong to England. Australia was originally colonised by England, and under English rule, but the last of these ties were severed with the Australia Act of 1986.
What country settled Australia?
The first European settlers in Australia were primarily convicts from England, together with the officers and the marines who guarded them.
Why do australians speek English?
Australia was originaly colonised by the british and as a result we speak english.
Which British captain colonized Australia for Britain?
Captain Arthur Phillip was the one who colonised Australia, as he commanded the First Fleet of convicts.
What country is responsible for the colonization of Australia?
Australia was colonised by the British. In the years following colonisation, immigrants came from other parts of the world.
How are Australia and England related even though they are not neighbors?
Great Britain originally colonised Australia with convicts. Thus, Australia was founded by convicts, marines and officers from England.
Is Australia in the UK?
No. Although Australia was originally colonised by Great Britain, it is in fact on the other side of the world from the UK, and in the Southern Hemisphere. Australia is an independent country, with its own government.
