Lexi Webster
Between 1788 and 1868, the British penal system transported about 162,000 convicts from Britain and Ireland to various penal colonies in Australia. The first fleet of eleven convict ships set sail for Botany Bay in May 1787, arriving on 20 January 1788 to found Sydney, New South Wales, the first European settlement on the continent. This transportation of convicts was a solution to the overcrowding of British prisons and hulks, as well as a way to establish a British colony on the continent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for sending people to Australia | To relieve overcrowding in British prisons and hulks |
| Date transportation began | 1787 |
| Date transportation ended | 1868 |
| Number of convicts transported | 162,000 |
| Number of convict ships | 43 |
| Number of people on the First Fleet | 1,400+ |
| Number of ships on the First Fleet | 11 |
| Date the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay | 20 January 1788 |
| Date the First Fleet arrived in Sydney Harbour | 26 January 1788 |
| Date the Second Fleet arrived | 1790 |
| Percentage of convicts who were female | 20% |
| Percentage of convicts who were Irish | 24% |
| Percentage of convicts who were Scots | 5% |
| Average working hours per day | 10 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The First Fleet: 11 ships carrying convicts departed in 1787
- Captain Cook's exploration: Botany Bay reports influenced the decision
- Overcrowded prisons: Transportation was a solution to overcrowding in Britain
- American War of Independence: America refused convicts post-independence
- Political prisoners: Irish home rule insurgents and Chartists were transported
The First Fleet: 11 ships carrying convicts departed in 1787
The British began sending convicts to North America in the early 18th century. However, this practice ended with the American War of Independence, which concluded in 1783. As a result, Britain was forced to find a new location to send its convicts.
In 1770, James Cook charted and claimed possession of the east coast of Australia for Britain. In 1783, James Matra, who had been a junior officer on Cook's voyage, proposed to the British government that Botany Bay would be a suitable location for a colony. The idea of sending convicts to Australia was based on the fact that Britain had already mapped much of the Australian coast, and Captain Cook had given favourable reports about the area. It is probable that the pressing need to solve the problem of Britain's overcrowded jails was the main consideration in the decision to send convicts to Australia.
On 6 December 1785, the Orders in Council were given, and transportation to Australia commenced. In 1787, the First Fleet of 11 convict ships set sail for Botany Bay, carrying over 1,000 convicts, as well as seamen, officers, and free people. The journey was arduous, first sailing south towards South America before turning east at Cape Town and voyaging through the Great Southern Ocean. The Fleet arrived at Botany Bay on 20 January 1788, and the new colony was named Sydney, New South Wales, marking the first European settlement on the continent.
Magic Mike Sequel Release Date in Australia
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Captain Cook's exploration: Botany Bay reports influenced the decision
The British began sending convicts to Australia in the late 1780s. This was due to a combination of factors, including the loss of America as a place to send convicts following the American War of Independence, the overcrowding of British prisons, and the desire to establish a colony in New South Wales.
Captain James Cook was a British Royal Navy officer, explorer, and cartographer who led three voyages of exploration to the Pacific and Southern Oceans between 1768 and 1779. Cook was the first European to explore the eastern coast of Australia, landing at Botany Bay in 1770.
Cook's exploration of Botany Bay had a significant influence on the decision to send convicts to Australia. Botany Bay was first suggested as a candidate for a settlement and British colonial outpost by Joseph Banks, who accompanied Cook on his first voyage. Cook's favourable reports about the area, including its potential for farming and the discovery of large pines and flax plants on nearby Norfolk Island, likely contributed to the decision to establish the First Fleet's colony there.
However, some of Cook's accounts of Botany Bay later turned out to be inaccurate. When the First Fleet, led by Captain Arthur Phillip, arrived at Botany Bay in 1788, they found that it did not live up to Cook's descriptions. Phillip decided to move the colony along the coast to what is now known as Sydney Harbour.
In addition to influencing the location of the First Fleet's colony, Cook's exploration also contributed to the broader decision to establish a colony in Australia. Cook's voyage was the first recorded circumnavigation of New Zealand, and his mapping of the Australian coastline added to Britain's growing knowledge of the region. This likely played a role in the eventual decision to establish a British colony in Australia.
Overall, while other factors were also at play, Captain Cook's exploration of Botany Bay and the surrounding area had a significant influence on the decision to send convicts to Australia and the establishment of the colony in New South Wales.
Colgate Toothpaste: Gluten-Free in Australia?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Overcrowded prisons: Transportation was a solution to overcrowding in Britain
The British began sending convicts to Australia in 1787, when the First Fleet of 11 ships carrying over 1400 people, including 736 convicts, arrived in Botany Bay. This marked the beginning of a period of penal transportation to Australia that lasted until 1868.
The decision to send convicts to Australia was driven by several factors, including the need to relieve overcrowded prisons in Britain. Until 1782, English convicts were transported to America. However, with the end of the American War of Independence in 1783, America refused to accept any more convicts, leaving Britain in search of a new destination for its prisoners.
The prisons in Britain at the time were overcrowded and in poor condition. The rapid industrialization and urbanization occurring in Britain led to an increase in crime, further exacerbating the prison overcrowding issue. The Penitentiary Act of 1779 was passed to address the issue by introducing a policy of state prisons, but no new prisons were built as a result. As a result, old, dilapidated ships known as "hulks" were used as floating prisons, but they proved inadequate and expensive.
The idea of sending convicts to Australia was considered, and Captain Cook's favourable reports of the region around Botany Bay influenced the decision. The establishment of a penal colony in New South Wales provided a solution to the prison overcrowding problem in Britain, as convicts could be transported and utilized for labour in the new colony.
The convicts transported to Australia faced harsh conditions, including a poor diet, hard labour, and long working hours. The transportation system was not without its challenges, as prisoners were not motivated labourers, leading to delays and failures in construction projects. Despite these issues, the transportation of convicts to Australia continued until the 1850s when it was officially ended and substituted with imprisonment and penal servitude as forms of punishment.
Airlines Flying from Australia to Athens: A Comprehensive Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
American War of Independence: America refused convicts post-independence
The British began sending convicts to Australia in the late 18th century. The American War of Independence ended in 1783, and America refused to accept any more convicts. This meant that Britain had to find somewhere else to send its prisoners.
Convict Transportation to America
Prior to the American War of Independence, the British transported convicts to America. The process of transporting criminals to the colonies began in 1615 when King James I authorised the transportation of convicts who could be of profitable service to the Commonwealth. By 1634, around 60 convicts had been sent to the colonies. However, by 1697, the colonies were refusing to take convicts, and there were few merchants willing to pay to ship them.
Convict Labour in America
Benjamin Franklin objected to the influx of convicts from Britain, stating that such laws were against the "public utility" as they impeded the improvement and well-peopling of the colonies. He also suggested that sending rattlesnakes to England in exchange for its human snakes would be a more reasonable trade.
Overcrowded Prisons in Britain
Life in Britain was very hard, and with the invention of new machines, people were no longer needed for farming jobs. This led to overcrowding in the cities, high poverty rates, and an increase in crime. Prisons quickly became full, and prisoners were kept in old, rotting prison ships called hulks.
Establishment of Penal Colonies in Australia
The need to find an alternative destination for convicts led to the consideration of West Africa and New South Wales, Australia, as potential sites. Australia was chosen due to its favourable reports by Captain Cook, the only European to have explored the eastern coast at the time, and the fact that Britain had already mapped much of the Australian coast. The first fleet of 11 ships carried over 1400 people, including 736 convicts, and supplies necessary to establish the new colony.
The colony was established in Botany Bay, but Captain Arthur Philips soon realised that the conditions did not live up to Cook's reports, and the colony was moved to Sydney Harbour. The convicts faced harsh conditions, with a daily diet of boiled ox-cheek, peas, bread, and mouldy biscuits. They were forced to work up to ten hours a day on hard labour, including tasks such as timber cutting, brickmaking, and stone cutting. Despite the challenges, the colony took hold, and later shipments of convicts followed, contributing to the development of Sydney and other settlements.
Feeding Australian Baby Geckos: A Diet Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Truck (There Was an Old Lady [Colandro])](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/A1oGS0v949L._AC_UL320_.jpg)
Political prisoners: Irish home rule insurgents and Chartists were transported
Between 1788 and 1868, over 160,000 convicts were transported to Australia from Britain, Ireland, and other parts of the Empire. The majority of these convicts were sent to Australia as a result of crimes such as theft, burglary, and pickpocketing. However, a significant number were also political prisoners, including Irish home rule insurgents and Chartists.
Irish prisoners made up a large number of those transported to Australia. Many were sent there for relatively minor crimes such as stealing cheese or bootlaces, or simple larceny of coats and shoes. Given the agrarian nature of the Irish economy at the time, a large number of thefts also involved livestock, with sheep, cattle, and pig rustling resulting in transportation. However, records also show that many Irish prisoners were members of revolutionary organisations involved in rebellions against British rule, including the Whiteboys (agrarian rioters), Fenians, and other revolutionary groups. These prisoners continued their revolutionary activities in Australia, with some taking part in the failed Convict Rebellion of 1805, and others escaping British custody to become Australia's first Bush Rangers.
The Chartists transported to Australia were largely working-class men who had been involved in social or political protests. The social historian George Rude calculates that of the 1,200 people transported from England, Scotland, and Wales as a result of social or political protests, 102 were Chartists. These Chartists were transported in the wake of the three successive Chartist peak years of 1839, 1842, and 1848.
One of the most famous Chartists transported to Australia was John Frost, who had been the mayor of Newport and a serving magistrate before becoming involved in the Chartist movement. After chairing the first Chartist Convention, Frost was sacked by the Home Secretary as a justice of the peace. He later became involved in the conspiracy that led to the Newport Rebellion. Other notable Chartists transported to Australia include William Cuffay, a Chartist leader who was tried for sedition and "levying war" against Queen Victoria, and Zephaniah Williams, who was transported for his role in the Newport Rising.
The Deadliest Journey: Refugees Drown En Route to Australia
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The British started sending people to Australia in 1787.
The British sent people to Australia to reduce overcrowding in prisons and hulks.
The British sent convicts, military, and civilian personnel to Australia.
