Colonization In Australia

Colonization

Colonization is the forming of a settlement or colony by a group of people who seek to take control of territories or countries. It usually involves large-scale immigration of people to a new location and the expansion of their civilization and culture into this area. Colonization may involve dominating the original inhabitants of the area, known as the indigenous population.

In Australia we speak about settler colonies which are colonies settled by people from another country and displaced the Indigenous people.

The name

Today’s name of the continent comes from the Latin name Terra Australis, The Southern Land. It was named by Matthew Flinders in 1814 who said that the name New Holland is not exactly accurate because this name

Thanks to his knowledge, cartographic abilities he was assigned to organize an important overseas expedition. He was supposed to find the fabulous continent Terra Australis Incognita. Under his leadership his exploration ship Endeavour sailed over Atlantic Ocean, around South America to southwest direction all the way to New Zealand. Then he sailed over Tasman Sea towards a new coast. After several days Endeavour sailed into a bay where nowadays Sydney suburbs are located. That was in 1770. The bay was later named Botany Bay thanks to its rich water flora and the new land was later named New South Wales by James

Therefore during the next two decades was in each colony created a local government that had the decision making duties within its province. However, formally Australia remained under the British flag. British government still operated the foreign affairs, trade and defense. This golden age also brought other development like the railway, telegraph and better marine connection to Europe.

Indigenous people

From the beginning of the colonization the explorers had to deal with their relationship with the indigenous population. In Australia we call them the Aboriginals.

Ever since the British first invaded, Aboriginal people have had their land stolen from them or destroyed. The principle governing British and the Australian law was that Australia was considered „terra nullius“, the land of nobody. That means that Australia was considered empty, belonging to no one, before the British arrived and could legitimately be taken over. The loss of the Aboriginal land has had a devastating social and physical impact on Aboriginal