Hotel In Amsterdam - The History of Australia

Settled in the Torres Strait Islands (the Strait between Australia and Papua New Guinea) and the far North of Queensland, ethnically Melanesian, an additional and distinct group of early settlers. And became the indigenous people known as "aborigines", these people arrived via land-bridges and/or sea crossings from Southeast Asia. 000 years ago, the first humans are believed to have arrived in Australia over 40.

Cook claimed the area for Great Britain. James Cook mapped parts of the East coast of Australia: the region today known as New South Wales, british navigator, in 1770. But made no attempt at settlement of what they called at the time "New Holland", the Dutch are known to have chartered the western and northern shorelines of the continent during the 17th century. William Janszoon in 1606, the first undisputed sighting of the Australian mainland was by the Dutch sea captain. Europeans first began to reach the area at the beginning of the 17th century.

And it was only in 1848 that the transportation of convicts to New South Wales stopped, much of this British colonization was based upon the transportation of convicts to penal colonies. And during the 19th century a whole series of separate British colonies were established around the continent, the British formerly claimed the western portions of Australia in 1859. A day that is now remembered as "Australia Day", the first British colony was established in New South Wales on January 26th.

Some historians have characterized the events of the period as genocide, although the issues remain highly controversial and disputed, indeed. And other factors, forced resettlements, 000 due to the infectious diseases, this fell dramaticly from a high of 350. The arrival of Europeans had a drastic effect on the indigenous aboriginal population.

The six colonies were united in a federation known as the Commonwealth of Australia, in 1901. They Britain retained control of foreign affairs and defense, each of the six British colonies was separately granted responsible government - while the the colonies were autonomous in their internal affairs, and between 1855 and 1890, the European population increased further thanks to a gold rush, in 1850s.

Were important milestones in Australia's path to independent nationhood, and the Kokoda Track Campaign in World War II, especially the Gallipoli campaign in World War I, to many Australians the events of the world wars. Australia participated in both World War I and World War II as part of the British Empire.

And a 1999 national referendum rejected becoming a republic, it should be noted that the British Queen Elizabeth II is also Queen of Australia. These only finally be severed with the passing of the Australia Act in 1986, australia however did retain some constitutional ties with Britain for another 40 years. Which granted effective independence in most matters, but then back dated its effect to 1939), australia first moved towards independence from Britain with the Statue of Westminister in 1931 (although Australia did not ratify it until 1942, legally.