Aboriginals

• Aboriginals - Actions of Settlers

  • Brought smallpox which killed 50% of the Eora population
  • Settlers fenced off land and killed kangaroos, reducing Aboriginal hunting capabilities, housing on the coast blocked tradional fishing grounds
  • Settlers encouraged reprisal raids
  • development of sydney led to alcoholism and prostitution
  • 1820s-30s 'Black War' in VDL: many bushrangers had guns, settlers killed aboriginals for farming land, pressured Governor Arthur to implement martial law
• Aboriginals - Government policy

  • 'Terra nullis' did not recognise aboriginals claim to the land
  • Official policy given to Phillip in 1787 was to not persecute aboriginals, but this was far from practice
  • Macquarie orderedthe Appin Massacre 1816
  • Martial law by Arthur in 1828, VDL aboriginals could be persecuted and moved to 'settled districts'
  • Flinder's Island and the 1830 Black Line: attempts at removing aboriginal population
• Aboriginals - Aboriginal Actions

  • Benelong learned English and aided in improving relations between the British and aboriginals
  • Macquarie attempted to rehabilitate aboriginals by setting them up with a model farm in 1815, which they refused to work on
  • Aboriginals in VDL commonly sold their women to prostitution for tools and resources
  • Violence was not exclusively initiated by the British, reprisal raids were often reactions to aboriginal actions