Impact of European Settlement on the Indigenous People of A ustralia.

1. Impact of European Settlement on the Indigenous People of Australia.

2. Arrival • When Europeans arrived in Australia they did not recognize Indigenous Australian’s complex cultural social systems. • Although Europeans were ordered to be friendly with the Indigenous people there were cultural misunderstandings and conflict from the first days of settlement.

3. Disease • The Europeans introduced many foreign diseases that had a devastating impact on the indigenous population. • One such disease was smallpox – a highly infectious and contagious illness. It creates headaches, fever and a rash would cover a person’s hands and feet. This often meant people could not walk or feed themselves. • Indigenous people had no immunity to small pox and by May 1789 it is estimated that it had killed half the indigenous people around Port Jackson.

4. Assimilation • Assimilation is when an ethnic group becomes a part of a dominant culture. • Many Europeans expected indigenous people to assimilate into European culture. • Some indigenous people dressed like Europeans, they started speaking English, converted to Christianity, worked for European employers and took on the European way of life. • Some indigenous people became native police and assisted the Europeans with their expansion through out Australia. • Many indigenous people were not fully accepted or welcomed by European society. They became ill with depression and substance abuse.

5. A Battle for Land • Europeans declared Australia Terra Nullius meaning that it was not owned by anyone. • The Europeans did not recognize that indigenous people had lived on the land for thousands of years and relied on it for their survival. • Conflict grew as Europeans started to cut trees and clear land for farming. The indigenous traditions, sacred sites and sources of food were disrupted by the Europeans.

6. Frontier Battles • Europeans became frustrated with Indigenous people blocking their expansion through out Australia. • There were battles and massacres between the Europeans and Indigenous people. • Some of the settlers were extremely violent and cruel to the indigenous people. • The indigenous people were pushed out of the most fertile and habitable land. The indigenous population numbers fell rapidly. • There are still debates about this history – some historians argue that the indigenous people died mainly of disease, other historians believe that many were murdered in what can be deemed a genocide.

7. Genocide • Genocide is a term used to describe the deliberate and systematic destruction of a culture, ethnic or political group. • Some historians believe that the European settlement of Australia was a genocide of indigenous people and culture. • Other historians refute this and claim that the rapid decline of indigenous population and the loss of culture was due to ‘natural’ causes such as disease.

8. Settlement or Invasion • Traditionally the European arrival has been referred to as the “Australian settlement”. • In recent years historians have started to consider the devastating impact that European arrival had on indigenous life. The arrival has began to be seen as an “invasion”. • The 26th of January marks the anniversary of European arrival in Australia. It is known as Australia Day. Many people now refer to the day as Invasion Day. • What do you think? Should Australia continue to recognize the 26th of January as its national day?