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Violence occurs towards Chinese on the goldfields.
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The Eureka Rebellion takes place.
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Men in South Australia get the vote.
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Men in Victoria get the vote.
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Men in New South Wales get the vote.
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Men in Queensland get the vote.
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This decade is a boom time in Australia.
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There were six British colonies in Australia. They could decide some things themselves, but the laws were made in Britain.
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Premiers from the six Australian colonies and New Zealand meet in Sydney. They are afraid that the French, Germans or Japanese may invade Australia or New Zealand. They discussed ways to build a stronger defence force. Federation is put forward as a solution.
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Melbourne and Adelaide are linked by a train service.
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Sydney and Brisbane are linked by a train service.
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Sir Henry Parkes, premier of New South Wales, suggests drawing up a constitution for a federal parliment.
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Maritime workers' strike occurs.
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Each colony was now able to elect their own government, but still the big decisions were made in Britain. People in the colonies were starting to talk about joining together to be one nation instead of six little colonies. Joining together like this is called FEDERATION.
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A National Convention to draft the Constitution is held
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A meeting was held to discuss Federation. Each colony sent seven people. They started to write a Constitution which is a list of rules about how the nations parliament will work.
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Delegates from from the six Australian colonies and New Zealand hold a federal conference. Sir Henry Parkes, the leader of the conference, makes a speech calling for 'One People, One Destiny'. These words became the catch cry for Federation. Delegates draw up a draft constittution for Federation and take it back to their colonies to show their governments. The New South Wales government does not like the constitution.
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Men in Western Australia get the vote.
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The federation groups decided that the people of Australia should vote to decide if federation should take place.
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The people living in the colonies begin to demand Federation. They form groups called Federation Leagues.
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Women in South Australia get the vote.
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South Australia becomes the first places in the world to allow women to vote.
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Premiers' conferences discuss federation.
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Second Convention to draft the Constitution takes place
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Meetings were discussed the draft constitution and made changes and a new draft. Queensland was the only colony that did not send people to the meetings. Because some colonies were much smaller than others, it was decided to have a parliament the way the United States did - the number of peoplefrom each state in the House of Representitives depends on how many people live in the same state, but each state has the same number of people in the Senate.
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The first Referendum for Federation occurs
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People in all the colonies except Queensland and Western Australia voted on the Constitution, but New South Whales did not agree to what was written and the vote failed.
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The second referendum for Federation occurs.
Women in Western Australia get the vote -
The premiers met to discuss the things that worried those three colonies, and changes were made to the Constitution. One change was that there would be a new capital built between Sydney and Melbourne, because both thought they should be the capital city. people in all colonies except Western Australia voted for the new Constitution, and this time it was successful.
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New Referendums are held and all the Australian colonies except WA take part and the 'yes' vote is overwhelming.
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Men in Tasmania get the vote
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A commitee took the Constitution to London to persuade the British parliament to pass a law allowing five colonies to join together to become a nation. The law was passed in May nad signed by Queen Victoria in July saying that on 1st January 1901, New South Whales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania would become in the Commonwealth of Australia.
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Meanwhile, there was a gold rush in Weestern Australia and people from all over the country went there to look for gold. The Western Australians started to change their minds about federation, and in August they voted to be part of it.
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Australia becomes a nation. The Australian Government takes control of all Australian colonial army and naval forces. Australias population reaches 3773801, but Aboriginal peoples are not included in the census. The winning design for the Australian flag is announced.
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Edmund Barton becomes Australia's first prime minister
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On the 1st of January 1901 the first Governor.
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General, Lord Hopetoun, officially declared that there were now six states forming the commonwealth of Australia. The first Parliament Was opened in Melbourne on 9th May.
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Women get the right to vote in Australian federal elections. Women in New South Whales get the vote in their state.
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Women in Tasmania get the vote. The High Court of Australia is formed. Alfred Deakin becomes second prime minister of Australia.
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The Conciliation and Arbitration Court is formed.
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Women in Queensland get the vote. Deakin becomes prime minister for the second time.
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Australia becomes responsible for British New Guinea.
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Women in Victoria get the vote. The site of the national capital is chosen. Andrew Fisher becomes prime minister.
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The Commonwealth Bank is set up.
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The Royal Australian Navy is formally established.
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Prime Minister Fisher commits Australian forces to fighting in World War 1.
