Macquarie University

The Making of Australia - MHIS109

Only by understanding the past can we understand today’s politics, culture and social environment. The Making of Australia examines two-hundred years of Australian history from colonisation to the present. It considers the ways that Australian experience has been shaped by the land, economic forces and cultural identity. The unit begins with the early European response to the land they explored and settled, and to the Indigenous population. From here we take a journey through convictism to the discovery of gold and the push to federation. In the twentieth century we look at Australians in war, Indigenous relations, immigration, sport, religion and the recent political debates over versions of our history. Students completing this unit will leave with a sound understanding of the major forces that have shaped Australia’s history; a knowledge of the key events in this history; an ability to locate and interpret historical sources; and an opportunity to reflect upon the way the present has been shaped by the past. The Making of Australia is invaluable to anyone wishing to teach history, develop historical skills or expand their knowledge of Australia’s past.