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Difficulty: MediumFederation of 1901 and the Commonwealth

Throughout the late 1800s, representatives from the six separate British colonies in Australia met to draft a constitution and discuss the benefits of uniting as one nation. After the people voted in favor of the plan and the British Parliament passed the necessary legislation, the Commonwealth of Australia was officially proclaimed on January 1, 1901. Following this proclamation, what did these six separate colonies officially become?

  1. The states of the Commonwealth of AustraliaAnswer
  2. B
    Six independent countries with their own separate monarchs
  3. C
    One large territory governed directly by the British Parliament

Answer

The six colonies became the states of the Commonwealth of Australia.
The correct answer is correct because on January 1, 1901, the six separate British colonies (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania) officially united to form a single nation called the Commonwealth of Australia, and at that moment, their status changed from colonies to states.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the historical event described.
The event is the Federation of Australia on January 1, 1901.
The date and the mention of colonies uniting point specifically to the creation of the Commonwealth.
2
Analyze the structural change of the colonies.
The colonies transitioned from separate entities to components of a federal nation.
Federation is defined as the process where separate colonies unite to form a central government while retaining certain powers.
3
Determine the correct legal term for these components.
The term used for the original six colonies within the new nation is 'states'.
The Australian Constitution established a federal system comprising states and a central Commonwealth government.

Key Concept

Federation of 1901

Hints

1
Think about how Australia is divided today. What are the six main regions that have their own governments called?
2
When the colonies 'federated' in 1901, they formed a 'Commonwealth'. The parts that make up this Commonwealth are not called territories or countries.

Practice More

Review the names of the six original states and the two main territories to understand the difference in their constitutional status.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Federation of 1901 and the Commonwealth

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