"riddance" - 1 õppematerjal

Austraalia ajalugu

Sometimes prisoners would be sentenced to transportation. After the American War of Independence (17751783) transportation wasn't possible anymore and the government began looking for another place for the transportees which was selected to be Botany Bay. On 13.05.1787 11 ships set sail from Portsmouth. 759 convicts were on board, most of them guarded with Captain Arthur Philip in command.The reason for founding a colony in Australia wasn't the riddance of unwanted people. The British may have hoped to found a naval base in the Pacific, sources of timer and flax. They arrived on 26.01.1788. Things were hard for them and food was short. Things gradually improved and a second and third fleet arrived in years 1790 and 1791. Convicts worked on government land but since 1973 those who behaved well were freed and given land. The first free settlers arrived also that year.