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Making a Nation

Year 9 History Study

Learning Module

Abstract

This learning module focuses on Australian settlement, including the effects of contact (intended and unintended) between European settlers in Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the Gold Rushes, living and working conditions and the experiences of non-Europeans in Australia prior to the 1900s, and Federation.

Keywords

Primary Source, Secondary Source, Chinese, Gold Rushes, Federation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, History

Knowledge Objectives

Historical Skills

Chronology, terms and concepts

Use chronological sequencing to demonstrate the relationship between events and developments in different periods and places (ACHHS164)

Use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS165)

Historical questions and research

Identify and select different kinds of questions about the past to inform historical inquiry (ACHHS166)

Identify and locate relevant sources, using ICT and other methods (ACHHS168)

Analysis and use of sources

Identify the origin, purpose and context of primary and secondary sources (ACHHS169)

Process and synthesise information from a range of sources for use as evidence in an historical argument (ACHHS170)

Evaluate the reliability and usefulness of primary and secondary sources (ACHHS171)

Perspectives and interpretations

Identify and analyse the perspectives of people from the past (ACHHS172)

Identify and analyse different historical interpretations (including their own)(ACHHS173)

Explanation and communication

Develop texts, particularly descriptions and discussions that use evidence from a range of sources that are referenced (ACHHS174)

Select and use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies (ACHHS175)

Making a Nation

The extension of settlement, including the effects of contact (intended and unintended) between European settlers in Australia and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (ACDSEH020)

The experiences of non-Europeans in Australia prior to the 1900s (such as the Japanese, Chinese, South Sea Islanders, Afghans) (ACDSEH089)

Living and working conditions in Australia around the turn of the twentieth century (that is 1900) (ACDSEH090)

1. Life Prior to the First Fleet

For the Student

Learning Intention: To share what you know about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander's life prior to the arrival of the Europeans.

Q. What can we assume about these aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life?

  • Knowledge of the environment
  • sustainable use of the environment
  • laws
  • social relations
  • technology
  • 'International' relations - relations with neighbouring but separate groups
  • culture

Watch the following clip from the series First Australians. After watching try to answer the previous question again.

Fig. 1: A 19th-century engraving of an Aboriginal Australian encampment, showing the indigenous lifestyle in the cooler parts of Australia at the time of European settlement.

For the Teacher

Purpose: At the end of the activity students' prior knowledge of aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders life prior to the arrival of the Europeans will be established.

Resources: First Australians Episode 1 watch the first 3.25 minutes.

Timing: LA 1 and 2 = 1 lesson

2. The First Australians

For the Student

L.I: The aim of this lesson is to show students a documentary titled 'The First Australians.' The episode discusses the arrival of the Europeans and consequences such as disease, violence and resistance.

Expert Groups: Each of you will be assigned one of the following 3 topic to focus on in the documentary.

  • First Contact and Disease
  • Settlers
  • Violence / resistance

As you are watching the documentary take notes on your topic. These notes will be used in expert groups.

Once the documentary is over, share your notes in expert groups.

Create a mind map based on the notes you have taken on the 3 areas of focus. 'First Australians Mind Map'

LA_2_-_First_Australians_Mind_Map.docx
Fig. 2: A 19th-century engraving showing natives of the Gweagal tribe opposing the arrival of Captain James Cook in 1770.

For the Teacher

The arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney in 1788. Curious of each other, friendships form, but relations between the two races soon sour as settlers spread out across the land. Focuses on the relationship between Bennelong and Governor Arthur Phillip, as well as the lives of Pemulwuy and Windradyne.

This first episode explores the impact of disease (small pox)

Note: These questions can be answered in circle time.

Resources: The First Australians - Episode One DVD. Youtube link: First Australians Episode 1 Watch from 3.25 - 16.47 This part discusses the arrival of the First Fleet and disease. Then watch 53.20 - end. This part describes what happens when settlers move further into the new land.

Teaching Tips: Possible questions to prompt students after watching.

  • What was the nature of the first contact? How did they respond to each other? Why?
  • What happens when the settlers move into their land?
  • Describe Windradjuri.
  • How does the Wiradjuri war end?

Key words: Wirdradyne, Wiradjuri,

Timings: LA 1 and 2 = 2 lessons

3. Primary or Secondary?

For the Student

L.I: Students will be given a number of primary and secondary sources that describe the impact of European settlement on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Think about The First Australians which uses a combination of primary and secondary sources. Look at the handout which includes a number of primary and secondary sources.

Step One: Decide if the source is primary or secondary.

Step Two: Cut out all of the boxes. Sort the information into these categories:

  • Stages of contact
  • Dispossession
  • Violence (massacres / Myall Creek, shootings, poisonings)
  • Paternalism (policy of protection)

Step Three: Stick the sources in your books under the categories headings.

a_and_E_contact_source_analysis.pub

For the Teacher

Resources: 'Sources analysis'

scissors and glue

NOTE: Students may need to be reminded what a primary and secondary source is.

Definitions: Paternalism:

A policy or practice of treating or governing people in a fatherly manner, especially by providing for their needs without giving them rights or responsibilities.

Dispossession: People being taken away or forced from their land, their economic base, their way of life and cultures. Dispossession was experienced by many Aboriginal peoples.

Stages of intentional and unintentional contact

The impact of dispossession for Aboriginal people has been enormous and overwhelmingly detrimental. Broadly speaking, the history of dispossession can be divided into three key stages. Firstly, the colonial period of non-recognition, which were marked by the introduction of terminal European diseases, shootings, massacres and poisonings.

This was then followed by the paternalistic policy of protection, which began in the mid 1880s. This was followed by the equally detrimental policy of assimilation, which began in the mid-twentieth century. As a part of and spanning across the official Government policies of protection and assimilation, are the dark episodes of the Stolen Generation. The term Stolen Generation refers to the mass removal of Australian Aboriginal children from their families by Government agencies and churches.

4. Intended or Unintended?

For the Student

L.I: The purpose of this activity is to decide whether or not actions of the Europeans and A&TSI's was intentional or unintentional, and what the consequences were.

Fill in the following table: 'The effect of contact between European settlers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people'.

LA_4-_Intended_or_Unintended.docx

For the Teacher

Intended or Unintended?

5. Reliable or What?

For the Student

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of primary and secondary sources?


 Advantages Disadvantages
Primary

Secondary

2. Fill in the following table describing the following information:

Who wrote the article?

What is their point of view? (How do we know? Use examples)

Bias?

Primary or Secondary?

3. Record 3-5 questions that these sources raise. Is this a reliable source?

For the Teacher

Using the resources from before, evaluate the reliability of 5 sources.

NOTE: Could use the tactical teaching reading activity.

NOTE: You may need to do a lesson on bias

6. First Australians Episode 5

For the Student

On your mind map, what 'arm' would the Stolen Generation fit under? (Paternalism)

As you are watching take notes to add to your mind map. These are some areas to focus on:

  • motivation for removing the children
  • Children's experiences

For the Teacher

This episode discusses the experience of Jandamurra and Glady Gilligan.

The first 17.49 minutes talks about Jandamurra's story. This part is optional but it does give an insight into why ATSI's were persecuted and the reaction by the government.

Questions to consider:

  • What do you learn about the police presence and why it increased in WA?
  • Why would Aboriginal Australians have killed cattle and sheep in this period?
  • The Killing times: What happened to Aboriginal people in WA in these times?
  • Why was the life on Rottness Island so difficult for Aboriginal Australians?
  • Describe the 'guerrilla war'

From 17.49 - to the end: The Stolen Generation

Questions to consider:

  • Why was Gladys taken away from her famiy?
  • What happened when her father wrote to her?
  • Life at Sister Kate's: Where fair-skinned children were taken after they had been picked out by A.O Neville. How would you describe the life of Jerry Walker? and Sue Gordon?
  • How did Mr Neville control Gladys' life?

7. First Contact PEC and Mind Map

For the Student

Create a mind map based around this essay question:

What effect did the extension of settlement and contact (intended and unintended) have to European and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders?

The arms coming off the main question are:

  • disease
  • violence
  • resistance
  • paternalism

Use all of your notes from the previous lessons.

PEC Reflection: What do you think was the most important effect of settlement and why? (describe one of the following, disease, violence, resistance or paternalism).

For the Teacher

NOTE: After study each area in the Making a Nation unit (Chinese Migration, Living and Working Conditions and Federation), students will create a mind map based on the information they have learnt. These mind maps will be important when they decide which area they would like to study further for the essay assessment. Remind students to put them somewhere safe.

Equipment: A3 paper

8. Mini-timeline 1788 - 1861

For the Student

Record (on post it notes) 5 significant events that happened between 1788 and 1861.

Share with the class.

For the Teacher

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to link each of the areas of study in the making a nation unit.

Teacher Tip: Draw a timeline on the board or create one that students can use in future lessons.

Timeline: Based on the previous lessons, students should be already know the date of European arrival in Australia.

Make sure that at least one student has mentioned the gold rush beginning in Australia.

Timing: 15 minutes

9. Brief Overview of the Gold Rush

For the Student

L.O: By the end of the lesson students will be able to describe where miners migrate from during the Australian Gold Rush.

Q. What happened in 1851?

Look at the map: From where in the world did the miners come from?

Read these statistics and discuss:

  • The gold rushes occurred hard on the heels of a major worldwide economic depression. As a result, about two per cent of the population of the British Isles emigrated to New South Wales and Victoria during the 1850s. There were also a significant number of continental Europeans, North Americans and Chinese.
  • In 1851 the Australian population was 437,655. A decade later the Australian population had grown to 1,151,947.NOTE: the population numbers does not include the aboriginal population

Turn this information into a graph:

  • The majority of migrants came from the United Kingdom. Between 1852 and 1860, 290,000 people came to Victoria from the British Isles. Of the other migrants, less than 15,000 came from other European countries and 18,000 migrated from America.
  • In 1861, 29% of the population was Australian born, 60% were from the United Kingdom and 11% were from other parts of the world.
LA_5_Brief_overview_of_the_gold_rush.docx

For the Teacher

Aim:

Resources: 'origin of miners map'

Timing: LA 5 = 1/2 lesson

10. Chinese on the Goldfields

For the Student

LO: The purpose of this activity is to give students an idea about why the Chinese were seen as 'different' and an object of the European's persecution.

Q1. Read and look at the information given to you. List the reasons why miners from British (and European) backgrounds thought the Chinese were different and disliked them.

Q2. Which of these reasons could be called racist and which could be due to other motives?

Q3. How might the behaviour and values of the Chinese diggers have benefited Australia if they had been accepted by the other diggers?

Chinese_diggers.pdf
Chinese_diggers_humanities_alive_history_2.pdf

For the Teacher

LO: The purpose of this activity is to give students an idea about why the Chinese were seen as 'different' and an object of the European's persecution.

Possible Answers:

  • physical appearance and dress (pigtails, hats, 'pyjamas', looked like women)
  • They mined differently (wasted water, shifted through the tailings which the Europeans considered still their own property)
  • Chinese miners did not mix with others, set up camp away from everyone else.
  • Spoke Chinese
  • Religion. Buddhism (not Chinese). Worked on Sundays. Set up Joss houses (Buddhist temples). Burials were different.
  • Europeans thought that they were homosexual because they did not bring women with them.
  • Smoked Opium
  • Ate with chop sticks
  • Gambled.

Teacher Tips: You may have to define the term racism.

  • discriminatory or abusive behavior towards members of another race
  • the prejudice that members of one race are intrinsically superior to members of other races

Resources: 'Chinese Diggers' and 'Chinese Diggers Humanities Alive 2'

11. Gold Rush Hostility

For the Student

Read through the information about the Lambing Flats riots

i. To what extent do these two sources provide supporting evidence about what took place during the Lambing Flat riots?

ii. In what way do they provide conflicting evidence?

iii. Which source do you think is more accurate

Fill in the following table about the language used to describe the Chinese and the European miners

Chinese
European
+ - + -




Create a Venn diagram describing the similarities and differences between the two accounts of the Lambing Flats Riots.

Chinese_Migration_lesson_2_source_analysis.docx

For the Teacher

Source Analysis - Gold Rush hostility

L.O

Resources: 'Gold Rush hostility'

12. Chinese Immigration Restrictions

For the Student

The pressure of public opinion against the Chinese caused the New South Wales Government to pass the Chinese Immigration Restriction and Regulation Act in 1861 to restrict the number of Chinese into the colony. They were not the first nor would be the last government to persecute the Chinese.

Your task is to create a timeline of Chinese persecution in Australia including the following:

  • Beginning of the gold rush
  • Lambing Flats riots and other riots against the Chinese
  • restrictions placed upon the Chinese such as taxes and immigration (include the different states Acts) and a brief description.

For the Teacher

Resources: computer lab. Poster paper is optional.

Timing: 1-2 lessons

Possible answers:

1851 – Gold is discovered in NSW and Victoria.

1855 – Victoria introduces the first Immigration Restriction Act in Australia limiting Chinese immigration.

1855 – Victorian parliament passed an Act imposing an entry tax of £10 on each Chinese immigrant, and limiting the number who could be carried on each ship.

Another law in Victoria imposing a residency tax of £4 per head per annum on them.

1857 - Chinese miners outnumber European miners by at least three to one at the Buckland River goldfields in Victoria. This sparks racial tensions culminating in a violent anti-Chinese riot in which at least three Chinese miners are killed.

1861 – Lambing Flat riots

1881 Chinese Restrictions Act in NSW imposed.

1888 An inter-colonial conference is held. Harsher measures are taken to restrict Chinese immigration by all colonies except Tasmania, which only imposes a 10 pound tax on Chinese

13. Experience of the Chinese Migrants

For the Student

The experience of the Chinese people in the gold rushes was very negative and yet so many remained and were productive members of society.

Create a mind map which includes both positive and negative experiences of the Chinese in Australia.

Put this question in the middle of the mind map: What was the experience of Chinese migrants prior to 1900s?

For the Teacher

Note: This mind map will assist students if they choose this topic as their essay question. Remind students to put this somewhere safe and to add to it after the next activity.

14. AOCAMBUR: Mongolian Octopus

For the Student

AOCAMBUR: Mongolian Octopus

The_Mongolian_Octopus_Source_Analysis.docx
The_Mongolian_Octopus_Source_Analysis_ANSWERS.docx
The_Mongolian_Octopus.pptx

For the Teacher

Will be changed to the 6 C's

Resources: 'AOCAMBUR: Mongolian Octopus Student handout'

'AOCAMBUR: Mongolian Octopus Answers'

AOCAMBUR: 'Mongolian Octopus ppt'

15. AOCAMBUR: Chinese Pest

For the Student

AOCAMBUR: Chinese pest

For the Teacher

Resources: AOCAMBUR Chinese Pest

16. Mini-timeline 1850 - 1914

For the Student

Record (on post it notes) 5 significant events that happened between 1850 and 1914. Try to find at least 2 important events that happened in Australia.

Share with the class.

For the Teacher

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to link each of the areas of study in the making a nation unit.

Teacher Tip: Draw a timeline on the board or create one that students can use in future lessons as they will be adding to it at later stages of the unit.

Timeline: Make sure that students are looking at key events that happened in Australia during this time and in Melbourne.

Timing: 15 minutes

17. Working Conditions in Australia Today

For the Student

What privileges do Australian workers enjoy today?

Anticipation True or False

a. Conditions in Australian factories are the same today as in the 1870s.

b. It was not unusual for factory workers in the 1870s to work sixteen hours a day.

c. There were no toilets in some factories in the 1870s because people did not need to go to the toilet in those days.

d. During the 1880s female factory workers earned less than a third of the wages for a male factory worker.

e. All people living in cities had very low wages

For the Teacher

Possible answers:

a. Minimum rate of pay

b. Sick allowances

c. Superannuation

d. Right to work without discrimination, harassment and bullying.

e. Cannot be unfairly dismissed from work.

f. Safer work conditions.

g. Organisations available such as government organisations, safe work and unions available for workers to complain about unsafe work conditions or any other concerns that employees have.

Anticipation True or False ANSWERS

a. Conditions in Australian factories are the same today as in the 1870s. F

b. It was not unusual for factory workers in the 1870s to work sixteen hours a day. T

c. There were no toilets in some factories in the 1870s because people did not need to go to the toilet in those days. F (but there were no toilets, because some employers saw it as a workers chance to waste time)

d. During the 1880s female factory workers earned less than a third of the wages for a male factory worker. T

e. All people living in cities had very low wages F

18. Working Conditions Reading Map

For the Student

Reading Map:

Step One: Draw the layout of the textbook pages on a blank piece of paper and record any headings, subheadings and pictures onto the sheet of paper. It should look like a series of boxes.

Step Two: Record 5 key points from each section of text under each heading and sub-heading. Describe the pictures and cartoons.

Step Three: Share with a partner and compare information. Check if you have covered the key points of each section. Amend if necessary.

After you have created and filled in the reading map, discuss with the class. What surprised you or did you find interesting?

Working_conditions_in_Australia.pub

For the Teacher

Working Conditions reading map

Resources: 'Working Conditions in Australia'

19. Living Conditions in Australia Today

For the Student

What amenities and luxuries do people living in Australia enjoy today?

What do you think living and working conditions were like for people living in the nineteenth century?

For the Teacher

Possible answers:

What amenities and luxuries do people living in Australia enjoy today?

  • running water
  • toilets inside
  • hospitals, doctors, vaccinations
  • power / gas

TEACHER NOTE: Include a mini clip depicting life or living conditions in 19th century Australia - thus far, I have been unsuccessful!

20. Living Conditions in Australia

For the Student

Read through the following information and take notes. Put these notes into a mind map.

What are the main features that influenced living and working conditions in Australia? (Describe the impact of the gold rushes on the development of ‘Marvellous Melbourne’)

Leave a space for working conditions and Marvellous Melbourne.

Living_conditions_in_Australia.docx

For the Teacher

Resources: 'Living conditions in Australia

Teacher notes: This mind map will help students if they decide to do this as their essay topic. Students will add to this mind map at a later date.

21. Marvelous Melbourne

For the Student

The village of Melbourne was established in 1835

Read “City living” and answer the following question How did Melbourne grow from village to city in only 50 years?

Include information about the population growth, innovations in technology, in what ways was Melbourne Marvellous and not so marvellous.

City_living_Humanities_alive_2.pdf

For the Teacher

Learning intention: To understand the impact the Gold Rush had on the development of urban life in Australia, using Melbourne as a case study.

Introduce the concept of Marvelous Melbourne to the students using the following quote:

—"It was on the 17th of March, in the present year of Grace, 1885, that I made my first entrance, shortly before high noon, into Marvelous Melbourne.”

—George Augustus Sala

——The students then read two articles, and “City living" and answer the questions.

22. Impact of Gold Rush on Melbourne

For the Student

—Your task is to investigate into how the gold rush impacted the village of Melbourne

—In your groups, divide up the data set provided.

—As you read keep these questions in mind to help you focus on the pertinent information:

—What were the living and working conditions like at the time?

—How did the influx of people and money affect Melbourne?

—How did the Gold rush affect the living and working condition in Melbourne?

For the Teacher

In this activity the students investigate how the Australian gold rush impacted on the living and working conditions on urban population using Melbourne as a case study by reading a selection of articles.

Use the focus questions to guide the students' reading

There are 3 data sets focussing on the key concepts:Living and Working conditions, Life for the Upper Classes and Middle classes, and Life for the Working classes.

As a class, complete the key concepts chart.

23. Cause and Effect

For the Student

Individually read the “Cause and Effect” article.—On your own, answer question 1 in your book:

Cause_and_Effect.pdf

Using Sources 1.17 and 1.18 explain the effect you think the gold rushes had on life in Melbourne.

What other evidence would you need to establish stronger links between the gold rushes and the development of Melbourne?

For the Teacher

The purpose of this activity is for the students to understand links between a cause and an effect.

Explain the concepts to the students; A cause is something that produces an effect or an action. An effect is a change resulting from this action.

—Generally an effect will then cause a subsequent action or event, which will then cause yet another action, and so on.

—History provides countless examples of the link between these two factors, and the ability to identify cause and effect is a critical skill.

24. Federation

For the Student

Students will use computers to research the Federation of Australia. Direct students to use the following websites:

Source 1

Source 2

Source 3

Source 4

Source 5

Source 6

Source 7

Source 8

Source 9

Source 10

Source 11

Source 12

For the Teacher

Federation

25. Federation 2

For the Student

Students will apply their knowledge creatively by completing one of the following in-class projects in groups of three or four (split these up evenly so that not everyone is doing the same task).

  1. Timeline for Federation – students will construct a timeline of events leading up to Federation
  2. For and against table – outlining the arguments for and against Federation from the perspective of the figures involved
  3. Profile of one major figure involved in Federation (Sir Henry Parkes; Edmund Barton; Duke of Buckingham; James Service; Alfred Deakin; Andrew Inglis Clark; John Quick; Sir Samuel Griffith) outlining their involvement with Federation
  4. Draw a diagram of the structure of Federal and State governments in Australia that was established at Federation and the division of their responsibilities

Students will have one lesson to complete this and will present and explain their work in a brief presentation to the class.

For the Teacher

Federation 2

26. Student Choice Essay

For the Student

Choose one of the following topics for your essay. Once you have you will receive more time to research and plan your essay.

i. What effect did the extension of settlement and contact (intended and unintended) have to European and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders?

ii. What was the experience of Chinese migrants prior to the 1900s?

iii. What are the main features that influenced living and working conditions in Australia? (Describe the impact of the gold rushes (hinterland) on the development of ‘Marvellous Melbourne’)

iv. Explain the factors that contributed to federation and the development of democracy in Australia

Read through the rubric and highlight any areas you need clarification on and areas you think you will need to focus on.

For the Teacher

NOTE: Students will receive 3 lessons to prepare their essay and 2 lessons to write the essay in class.

  • Please go through the rubric with students. It will guide students as they write, give feedback, and revise their essays.

Teacher Tip:

  • Students have always found it difficult to add evidence such as statistics and quotes to their essay. Quick refresher is advisable.
  • Bibliography - must be included.

Project Rubric

27. Acknowledgements

Title: (Source); Fig. 1: (Source); Fig. 2: (Source).