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America and Australia were both British colonies and both had convicts sent to them. The American uprising against the British succeeded as there were more free people.

Just to start the ball rolling, it would be the refusal by America to accept convicts from Britain. America became an independent entity no longer under British domination.

Further details:

The American War of Independence did have a significant influence in the decision to settle Australia. Conditions in England in the 18th century were tough: the industrial revolution had removed many people's opportunities to earn an honest wage as simpler tasks were replaced by machine labour. As unemployment rose, so did crime, especially the theft of basic necessities such as food and clothing. The British prison system was soon full to overflowing, and a new place had to be found to ship the prison inmates.

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.

For many years, Britain had sent convicts to the American colonies. Following the American war of Independence, the American colonies were no longer viable, as America was now in a position to deny Britain the right to send convicts to North America. An alternative had to be found.

This meant that Britain needed to find another place to colonise, a place that was far enough away to prevent the convicts returning to England. Captain James Cook's mission to chart the transit of Venus in 1768-9 provided the opportunity for Cook to explore unknown lands of the Southern Hemisphere, reporting on colonisation potential. Cook's recommendation of the eastern coast of New South Wales was followed up.

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12y ago

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