Australian frontier wars

Quick Facts: Who was Australian frontier wars?

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Australian frontier wars

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Violent conflicts between European settlers and Indigenous Australians from 1788 to the early 20th century.

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Origins & Early Life

The Australian frontier wars were the violent conflicts between Indigenous Australians and mostly British settlers from the colonial period of Australia to at least 1928. The first conflict took place several months after the landing of the First Fleet in January 1788, and the last conflicts occurred in the early 20th century following the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901, with some occurring as late as 1934. Conflicts occurred in a number of locations across Australia. Estimates of the number of people killed in the fighting vary considerably. In 1770 an expedition from Great Britain under the command of then-Lieutenant James Cook made the first voyage by the British along the Australian east coast.

Career & Major Achievements

On 29 April, Cook and a small landing party fired on a group of the local Dharawal nation who had sought to prevent them from landing at the foot of their camp at Botany Bay, described by Cook as "a small village". Two Dharawal men made threatening gestures and threw a stone at Cook's party. Cook then ordered "a musket to be fired with small-shot" and the elder of the two was hit in a leg. This caused the two Dharawal men to run to their huts and seize their spears and shields. Subsequently, a single spear was thrown toward the British party, which "happily hurt nobody".

Enduring Legacy & Impact

This then caused Cook to order "the third musket with small-shots" to be fired, "upon which one of them threw another lance and both immediately ran away". Some historians have argued that under prevailing European legal doctrine such land was deemed terra nullius or land belonging to nobody or land "empty of inhabitants" (as defined by Emerich de Vattel). However, terra nullius was not part of British law at the time and Cook was instructed only to take possession of land if he found it uninhabited. Nevertheless, Cook took possession of the east coast of New Holland for Britain on 22 August 1770 when on Possession Island off the west coast of Cape York Peninsula. The British Government decided to establish a prison colony in Australia in 1786.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1770: 1770 Milestone — In 1770 an expedition from Great Britain under the command of then-Lieutenant James Cook made the first voyage by the British along the Australian east coast.
2. 1786: 1786 Milestone — The British Government decided to establish a prison colony in Australia in 1786.
3. 1788: 1788 Milestone — The first conflict took place several months after the landing of the First Fleet in January 1788, and the last conflicts occurred in the early 20th century following the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901, with some occurring as late as 1934.
4. 1928: 1928 Milestone — The Australian frontier wars were the violent conflicts between Indigenous Australians and mostly British settlers from the colonial period of Australia to at least 1928.

Notable Quotes by Australian frontier wars

“The Australian frontier wars were the violent conflicts between Indigenous Australians and mostly British settlers from the colonial period of Australia to at least 1928.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Australian frontier wars

True or False: “Did Lieutenant James Cook's initial actions against the Dharawal nation in 1770 constitute a direct, armed conflict that set the precedent for later frontier violence?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While Cook fired on the Dharawal men and ordered musket fire, the text notes this was an incident of confrontation rather than establishing a sustained pattern of warfare.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Australian frontier wars