How did England become involved in Australia?

Answer 1

Dutch and Portuguese sailors were the first Europeans to discover Australia, but they showed absolutely no interest in the continent. The first Englishman to visit Australia was William Dampier. In 1688, his ship the 'Cygnet' was beached on the northwest coast of Australia. Dampier was unimpressed by the dry, barren landscape, the lack of water and what he described as the "miserablest people in the world" - the native population. His negative reports led to the delay of England's colonisation of what is now Australia. It was not until 1770 that Captain James Cook reported positively on the green, fertile countryside of New South Wales, and England sought to colonise the previously unknown continent. Australia was originally used as penal colony where criminals from England and other parts of today's United Kingdom were sent. Many people who live in Australia today are descendants of English people, although they by no means make up the majority. Australia is still an active member of the Commonwealth, which is bessentially made up of nations that have been colonised by Britain.