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Question

Difficulty: Very hardVictoria

The 1850s gold rush in Victoria created a legacy of grand architecture and wealth that significantly influenced the early administrative history of the Australian nation. Which statement accurately combines Victoria's geographic status with the specific historical role its capital played during the first decades of the Commonwealth?

  1. While Victoria is the smallest of the mainland states, the infrastructure built during its 19th-century economic boom enabled Melbourne to serve as the temporary seat of the national government from 1901 until 1927.Answer
  2. B
    As the smallest mainland state, Victoria’s early establishment as a free-settler colony in 1788 provided the political stability required for Melbourne to serve as the permanent national capital for the first half of the 20th century.
  3. C
    Despite being the smallest mainland state, Victoria used its immense gold rush wealth to negotiate a constitutional requirement that Melbourne would remain the national capital for fifty years after Federation in 1901.

Answer

While Victoria is the smallest of the mainland states, the infrastructure built during its 19th-century economic boom enabled Melbourne to serve as the temporary seat of the national government from 1901 until 1927.
The correct answer accurately synthesizes three critical facts: Victoria is the smallest of Australia's mainland states; the 1850s gold rush provided the wealth for grand infrastructure; and Melbourne served as the nation's temporary capital for the first 26 years of the Commonwealth (1901–1927).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the geographic classification of Victoria.
Victoria is the smallest mainland state in Australia.
This distinguishes it from the larger mainland states and the even smaller island state of Tasmania.
2
Analyze the impact of the 1850s gold rush.
The gold rush brought massive wealth and the construction of grand buildings in Melbourne.
This explains why the city had the infrastructure to host a national government.
3
Recall the details of Melbourne's role as the national capital.
Melbourne was the temporary capital from Federation in 1901 until 1927 (26 years).
This provides the specific timeline and status required to verify the correct statement.
4
Synthesize these facts to select the correct description.
The statement combining the 'smallest mainland state' status with the '1901-1927 temporary capital' fact is correct.
It successfully integrates geographic, economic, and political history.

Key Concept

Victoria's Geographic and Historical Status

Hints

1
Think about whether Victoria is larger or smaller than other mainland states like New South Wales or Western Australia.
2
Consider the specific years that the Australian Parliament met in Melbourne before moving to Canberra.
3
Remember that Melbourne's status as the capital was always intended to be temporary, and it lasted for 26 years starting from 1901.

Practice More

Review the history of the 1850s gold rush to understand why Victoria grew so rapidly compared to other colonies.
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Victoria

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