The History of Australia

Australian history has been written for over two centuries beginning with European explorers and colonists attempting to convey something of the complexity of the strange upside-down world they encountered in the southern hemisphere. Of course aboriginal peoples had lived in Australia for millennia before the arrival of the whites. Modern Australia has its foundations in these two cultural strands. Intertwined with these are the impact of colonialism and federation indentured servitude and convict transportation the effects of El Nio on European-style farming techniques gold rushes and longstanding issues of ethnicity immigration and religious tolerance. Covering these topics and more this most recent and up-to date narrative history of Australia includes a timeline of major events a biographic sketches of noteworthy historical figures and a bibliographic essay.Noted historian of Australia Francis Clarke provides a complete comprehensive and contemporary account of the political economic and cultural forces of each period of Australian history and gives readers a clear understanding of the many factors that have shaped the country. Written for a general audience The History of Australia is the perfect introduction to Land Down Under.