Australian History

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EARLY HISTORY

50,000 BC

The first settlers are thought to have arrived around 50,000 years ago. This would have most likely been at a time when the sea levels were low, the land was more humid and animals larger. Although much of Australia became populated, the central dry areas didn't attract settlers until around 25,000 years ago. The population grew proportionately quicker around 10,000 years ago as the climate improved. At the time of British settlement at Sydney Cove it is estimated that 300,000 aboriginal people, speaking around 250 languages inhabited Australia. On arrival, finding no obvious political structure, the Europeans took the land as their own. The Indigenous people were driven out of their homes and many killed. Various new European diseases spread rapidly amongst the indigenous people, killing many. The introduction of feral and domestic animals contributed to the destruction of natural habitats. Fighting wiped out the Aboriginal population in Tasmania and greatly reduced the numbers in the rest of Australia. During the early part of the 20th century legislation's were passed to segregate and protect Aboriginals. This involved restrictions on where they could live and work and families being broken up. After World War II, assimilation became the governments aim. All rights were taken away from the Aboriginals and attempts made to 'Europeanise' them. During the 1960's the legislation was reviewed and the Federal Government passed legislation for all Aboriginals to be given citizen status. However, it wasn't until 1972 that the indigenous people were given back limited rights to their own land. The situation has been steadily improving for Australia's Indigenous people, although many feel more needs to be done.

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1606

The first European sightings of Australia were made by a Dutchman called Willem Janszoon on the Duyfken (Little Dove). Janszoon sailed into the Australian waters charting 300 km of the coast on the journey. Janszoon also met with the Aboriginal people on the journey. Janszoon was the first recorded European to achieve such feats. Later that year Louis Vaez de Torres sailed through the Torres Strait, named after himself. Both Captains have been recorded as having sighted the Cape York Peninsula.  

1642

Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman's, first journey to Australia. It was in 1644 that Abel Tasman established that Australia was made up of four coasts North, West, East and South. The Australian state of Tasmania was named after this famous explorer.

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1770

Captain Cook lands in Botany Bay on the Eastern side of Australia in the ship named HM Bark Endeavour. and claims New South Wales for Britain.


1788

The First Fleet arrives at Sydney Cove under Captain Arthur Phillip to establish the first settlement in Australia. This was to be a penal colony - Sydney was founded. The date of his arrival, 26 January, went on to mark Australia Day.

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1801 - 1899	The great age of exploration: coastal surveys (Bass, Flinders), interior (Sturt, Eyre, Leichhardt, Burke and Willis, McDouall Stuart, Forrest). Also the era of the bushrangers, overlanders, and squatters, and individuals such as William Buckley and Ned Kelly.
1803	Mathew Flinders completes the first voyage around Australia in the 'Investigator'.
1804	Castle Hill Rising by Irish convicts in New South Wales.
1813	Barrier of the Blue Mountains Crossed.
1825	Tasmania seceded from New South Wales.
1829	Western Australia formed.
1836	South Australia formed.
1840 - 1868	Convict transportation ended.
1851 - 1861	Gold rushes (Ballarat, Bendigo).
1851	Victoria seceded from New South Wales.
1855	Victoria achieved government.
1856	New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania achieved government.
1859	Queensland formed from New South Wales and achieved government.
1890	Western Australia achieved government.
1891	Depression gave rise to the Australian Labor Party.
1899 - 1900	South African War - forces offered by the individual colonies.

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1901	Creation of the Commonwealth of Australia. This was a federation of the States of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.
1911	Site for capital at Canberra acquired.
1914 - 1918	World War I - Anzac troops in Europe including Gallipoli. Australia experiences her first major losses in a war during in 1915 on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey.
1939 - 1945	World War II - Anzac troops in Greece, Crete, and N Africa (El Alamein) and the Pacific. The Japanese bomb Darwin in 1942.
1941	Curtin's appeal to USA for help in the World War marked the end of the special relationship with Britain.
1944	Liberal party founded by Menzies.
1948 - 1975	Two million new immigrants, the majority from continental Europe
1950 - 1953	Korean War - Australian troops part of the United Nations forces.
1964 - 1972	Vietnam War - Comonwealth troops in alliance with US forces.
1966 - 1974	Mineral boom typified by the Posiedon nickel mine.
1967	The ASEAN was established
1973	Britain entered the Common Market, and in the 1970's Japan became Australia's chief trading partner.
1974	Whitlam abolishes 'white Australia' policy.
1975	Constitutional crisis; Prime Minister Whitlam dismissed by the governor general.
1975	United Nations trust territory of Papua New Guinea became independent.
1975	The Liberal Party under Malcolm Fraser comes to power.
1978	Northern Territory achieved self-government.
1979	Opening of uranium mines in Northern Territory.
1983	Hawke convened first national economic summit - The Fraser Government is defeated in the election and the Australian Labour Party under Bob Hawke forms a government.
1988	Australia celebrates its Bicentennial - 200 years since the first European settlement.
1991	Paul Keating replaced Bob Hawke as Labour Party leader and Prime Minister.
1994	The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) was established
1996	Labour Party ousted in general election by Liberal-National Coalition.
1996	John Howard replaced Paul Keating as Prime Minister.
1901 - 1999	Australian Prime Ministers of the 20th Century

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2000	Australia hosts the 2000 Olympic Games.
2001	Australia celebrates the Centenary of the Federation of Australia.
2007	Liberal-National Coalition lost in the general election to the Australian Labor Party (ALP).
2007	Kevin Rudd replaced John Howard as Prime Minister.

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Anzac Day is one of the most important commemorative days in Australia. Held on the 25th April every year, Anzac Day commemorates the day in 1915 when Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed in Gallipoli, Turkey during World War I.

On that fateful day Australian and New Zealand Soldiers landed in, what is now called Anzac Cove, to be faced with shelling and enemy fire from a large, well-prepared and fierce Turkish force. With only sea behind them, progressing forward was near impossible for the Anzacs.

During the 8 month campaign 8,700 Australians lost their lives along with 2,721 New Zealanders. In proportion to both nation's populations at the time this was a both devasting and monumental loss. While the troops were eventually forced to withdraw, the Gallipoli battle was the birthplace of the Anzac spirit. This spirit is synonymous with bravery, ingenuity and mateship - traits exhibited by the Australian and New Zealand troops during the battle.

The first anniversary of the Gallipoli landing was held on 25th April 1916. It was on this day that the acting Australian Prime Minister officially declared the date Anzac Day. By the 1920's all the Australian states had appointed Anzac Day as a public holiday and ceremonies were being held nationwide. As ceremonies continued through the 1940's World War II veterans also attended the parades. Recently, returned servicemen and women from battles across the globe have been remembered and represented in the ceremonies.

Every year, Anzac Day is commemorated with Dawn Services across Australia, New Zealand and at the landing in Gallipoli, Turkey. The significance of the Dawn Service and parade has to do with an operational practice still in place in the defence force today. Soldiers were made to rise in the half-hour before dawn so they were positioned with their weapons at the very first light - which was the favoured time for attack. This routine is known as 'Stand-to' and was repeated at sunset.

The first Dawn Service was held at the Sydney Cenotaph in 1927. Initially Dawn Services were restricted to War Veterans only, allowing soldiers a time to reflect with their fellow returned servicemen. However, in recent times families and young people alike have been encouraged to participate in these poignant events.

Anzac ceremonies have become more elaborate as the years pass, with huge turnouts at War Memorials, Cenotaphs and Remembrance Shrines nationwide. Generally, an Anzac ceremony includes a speech from a local dignitary or serviceman or woman; laying of a wreath; a hymn and reading of the Ode; playing of 'The Last Post,' followed by a minute's silence and then 'The Rouse.'

Attending an Anzac Ceremony in your local area is both a valuable experience and a memorable way to pay respect to the thousands of soldiers who fought for the freedom of this great nation.

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PRIME MINISTER	FROM	UNTIL
Edmund Barton	01 / 01 / 1901	24 / 09 / 1903
Alfred Deakin	24 / 09 / 1903	27 / 04 / 1904
John Watson	27 / 04 / 1904	17 / 08 / 1904
George Reid	18 / 08 / 1904	05 / 07 / 1905
Alfred Deakin	05 / 07 / 1905	13 / 11 / 1908
Andrew Fisher	13 / 11 / 1908	02 / 06 / 1909
Alfred Deakin	02 / 06 / 1909	29 / 04 / 1910
Andrew Fisher	29 / 04 / 1910	24 / 06 / 1913
Joseph Cook	24 / 06 / 1913	17 / 09 / 1914
Andrew Fisher	17 / 09 / 1914	27 / 10 / 1915
William Hughes	27 / 10 / 1915	09 / 02 / 1923
Stanley Bruce	09 / 02 / 1923	22 / 10 / 1929
James Scullin	22 / 10 / 1929	06 / 01 / 1932
Joseph Lyons	06 / 01 / 1932	07 / 04 / 1939
Earle Page	07 / 04 / 1939	26 / 04 / 1939
Robert Menzies	26 / 04 / 1939	29 / 08 / 1941
Arthur Fadden	29 / 08 / 1941	07 / 10 / 1941
John Curtin	07 / 10 / 1941	06 / 07 / 1945
Francis Forde	06 / 07 / 1945	13 / 07 / 1945
Ben Chifley	13 / 07 / 1945	19 / 12 / 1949
Robert Menzies	19 / 12 / 1949	26 / 01 / 1966
Harold Holt	26 / 01 / 1966	17 / 12 / 1967
John McEwan	17 / 12 / 1967	10 / 01 / 1968
John Gorton	10 / 01 / 1968	10 / 03 / 1971
William McMahon	10 / 03 / 1971	05 / 12 / 1972
Gough Whitlam	05 / 12 / 1972	11 / 11 / 1975
Malcolm Fraser	11 / 11 / 1975	11 / 03 / 1983
Bob Hawke	11 / 03 / 1983	20 / 12 / 1991
Paul Keating	20 / 12 / 1991	02 / 03 / 1996
John Howard	02 / 03 / 1996	03 / 12 / 2007
Kevin Rudd	03 / 12 / 2007	-- / -- / ----

astina

感谢分享，如果每段有简短中文说明就更好了

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it might force people to learn English :)

astina

English Study may be a more suitable place for this thread.

jasonliu234

truly exceptional piece

[ 本帖最后由 jasonliu234 于 2008-9-16 14:47 编辑 ]