1.7Experiences - Convicts and Free Settlers

Learning Intention: To understand the experiences of convicts and free settlers to Australia

Success Criteria: I can:

• Interpret sources and explain the experiences of convicts to Australia

• Empathise with and write from the perspective of a convict

• Research an individual convict

• Interpret sources and explain the experiences of free settlers to Australia

Activity 1 -  Read and copy bold text

The experiences of convicts and free settlers in Australia during the 18th and 19th centuries were distinct yet intertwined in shaping the nation’s early history. Convicts, transported as part of Britain's penal system, faced harsh conditions, including grueling labor, strict discipline, and limited freedoms. Many were assigned to work for free settlers, building infrastructure or working on farms. Over time, some convicts earned their freedom and integrated into society, contributing to the colony's development. In contrast, free settlers, who arrived voluntarily, often sought new opportunities for land, wealth, and a better life. While they generally had greater autonomy and resources, they also faced challenges such as isolation, unfamiliar environments, and conflict with Indigenous Australians. Together, these groups played pivotal roles in establishing Australia's social and economic foundations.

Activity 5 -  Read and copy

Most European settlers in Australia in the early colonial years were convicts sent by the British government. There were also some free settlers, however—people who chose to leave their homes in Britain and make a new life in the colony. Those who made the long and difficult journey to Australia received assistance from the British government, which wanted to make the remote colony stable and capable of supporting itself.