Question

Difficulty: MediumEarly Free Settlers

While the early years of European settlement in Australia were dominated by the penal system, the arrival of 'free settlers' from Great Britain and Ireland began to change the colony's demographic. What was the primary motivation for these individuals to travel to the Australian colonies?

  1. To voluntarily start a new life by setting up farms or businesses.Answer
  2. B
    To serve a mandatory period of labor as punishment for a crime.
  3. C
    To stay in the colony after completing a fixed prison sentence.

Answer

Free settlers chose to move to Australia voluntarily to build a new life, typically by establishing farms or businesses.
The correct answer accurately reflects that free settlers were voluntary migrants from Great Britain and Ireland. Their goal was to seek new opportunities by establishing themselves in the colony's growing economy, particularly through farming and trade.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the distinction between the groups in early Australian history.
Free settlers are distinguished from convicts based on the voluntary nature of their migration.
The Australian Citizenship Test requires understanding the different roles and origins of early colonial groups.
2
Recall the specific goals of free settlers as outlined in historical records and official study materials.
The primary goals were economic and social: starting new lives, farms, and businesses.
This identifies the 'why' behind the migration of people from Great Britain and Ireland who were not part of the convict system.

Key Concept

The distinction and motivation of early free settlers in colonial Australia.
Estimated Time:45s
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