What was the reason for sending convicts to Australia?

Answer 1

The British decided to send convicts to New South Wales because it was the best way to colonise the continent. They wished 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.

Answer 2

The British and the French had been engaged in a colonial empirical "competition" since the 1600s. Both countries sought to colonise as much new land as they could. Both had interests on the North American continent, and numerous islands scattered throughout the oceans. The French had not yet shown any real interest in Australia, although the western coast was beginning to attract their attention. Dutch seafarers had frequently passed Australia on their way to trade with Asia, but had not yet shown any inclination to claim any of the Australian continent for themselves, despite naming the western half "New Holland". Britain was still concerned that this new land, which would essentially be their only claim in the western Pacific, could be taken up by the French. Hence, they aimed to quickly colonise the new, southern continent with convicts.

Answer 3

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. Unemployment rose, and consequently, so did 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. 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 Captain 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.

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.

Answer 4

Australia was chosen as the location to send convicts from Britain for several reasons.

To begin with, sending convicts to New South Wales would 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. The convict colonies in the West Indies also could not take any more prisoners.

In addition to this, Britain sought to expand the British empire, in order to prevent the French from gaining a foothold in the Australian continent or in that part of the Pacific. In the meantime, Australia could also provide commercial and political gains to Britain. For example, 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.

Britain also needed a port in the East to promote trade with China and to extend its naval and commercial power.

Answer 5

The Australian continent was never just a penal colony. However, this was a major function of the first settlement. Something needed to be done 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.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. Banks was one of three botanists aboard Cook's ship "The Endeavour", and he was a passionate advocate of British settlement and colonisation of the Australian continent. It was largely upon Cook's and Banks's recommendation that Australian ultimately was colonised by the British, and not by another power later.

In fact, the British decided to colonise Australia for several reasons, not just as a penal colony. Other reasons included:

To expand the British empire, and prevent the French from gaining a foothold in the Australian continent or in that part of the Pacific.

Australia could provide commercial and political gains to Britain.

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.

Britain needed a port in the East to promote trade with China and to extend its naval and commercial power.

The continent had natural resources which England wanted.

Answer 6

Convicts were sent from England to Australia because of crimes such as stealing and highway robbery. Sending the convicts was called transportation.