Why were British penal colonies were established?

Answer 1

The British established a presence in New South Wales 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. 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.

Answer 2

The British wanted a presence in as many places around the world as possible as this made them more powerful. The situation in Britain was so desperate with prisons over flowing to the point of barges on the Thames being filled with prisoners. It seemed like a good way of killing two birds with one stone, Establish British basses and at the same time reducing the amount of prisoners in the goals.

Answer 3

Most notably Australia.

Clarification: Australia was not known as the original British penal colony. New South Wales was the name of the penal colony. Australia was never a British colony, as the name "Australia" was only assigned to the continent in 1824, and to the country after federation of the colonies in 1901.

Answer 4

Conditions in England in the 18th century were tough: the industrial revolution had made it harder for people to earn an honest wage as simpler tasks were replaced by machine labour. Many people who had worked on farms lost their jobs and flocked to the cities, where they were also unable to find work. With the increased unemployment came an increase in crime, especially the theft of basic necessities such as food and clothing. The authorities elected to clamp down heavily on people for minor penalties, hoping to stem the tide of rising crime.

The British prison system was soon full to overflowing, and a new place had to be found to ship the prison inmates. The American colonies were no longer viable, following the American war of Independence. America had won the right to refuse any more convicts, so England's choices were limited. England had resorted to using old ships - hulks - to place the convicts at night, but they were extremely unhealthy and overcrowded. Also, the West Indies and Africa were unsuitable due to disease and climate, and India already crowded.

Following James Cook's voyage to the South Pacific in 1770, the previously uncharted continent of New Holland proved to be suitable. Cook had claimed the eastern half of the continent for England, naming it "New South Wales", and determined that a small bay in the south which he named "botany Bay" would present the ideal conditions for a penal colony. There was no issue with the indigenous people as their rights were not recognised. Cook declared the country "terra nullius", meaning "no man's land". As far as the British were concerned, they were within their rights to establish a colony on the continent.

A colony which established Britain's claim on Australia would also help expand the British Empire and provide a physical presence in the south Pacific. This held both strategic and economic/trade advantages for England. Also, the presence of a colony would enable England to lay claim to Australia during a time when France was rapidly expanding its empire as well.

In summary:

England decided to colonise Australia for the purpose of convicts for the following 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. The continent had natural resources and raw materials which England wanted.

3. Primarily: to solve the problem of Britain's overcrowded prisons by establishing a new penal colony in a land which showed promise for eventually becoming self-supporting.

4. Sir Joseph Banks, one of three botanists aboard James Cook's The Endeavour which charted the eastern coast of Australia in 1770, was a passionate advocate of British settlement and colonisation of the Australian continent. Cook claimed the eastern coast of Australia ("New South Wales") for Britain in 1770. It was largely upon his and Banks's recommendation that Australia ultimately was colonised.