History semester one exam notes
Rights and freedoms
Major movements of rights and freedoms and achievement of independence by former colonies
Australian aboriginal rights – policy timeline
Policy | Definition | Impacts on indigenous Australians |
Protection (1800s-1930s) | Controlled and segregated aboriginal people for their “own good” | Forced onto missions/reserves, loss of land, children removed (stolen generations), no autonomy |
Assimilation (1930s-1960s) | Aboriginal people had to give up culture to become like “White Australians” | Forced to abandon cultural identity, lived in poverty, ongoing racism and exclusion. |
Integration (1960s-1972) | Aboriginal people could retain some culture while participating in broader society. | Ended official segregation, but racism persisted. Token recognition, limited support. |
Self determination | Aboriginal people gained the right to manage their own affairs. | Land rights recognized (e.g., Uluru 1985), ATSIC and community organizations formed. |
Reconciliation (1990s–Today) | Process to heal and unite Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. | National Sorry Day (1998), Kevin Rudd’s Apology (2008), symbolic but slow progress on justice. |
Event/case | Description | Significance |
| | |
|---|
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) | | | NAACP (1909) | | | Brown v. Board of Education (1954) | . | | Rosa Parks (1955) | | . | Martin Luther King Jr. | | | Civil Rights Act (1964) | | | Voting Rights Act (1965) | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Legalized segregation: “separate but equal”.
Fought segregation and lynching using legal action.
Ruled school segregation unconstitutional
Refused to give up bus seat.
Led non-violent protest (e.g., Selma March, “I Have a Dream”).
Banned discrimination in public and jobs.
Protected African American voting rights. |
| Legal basis for Jim Crow laws. |
Key civil rights victories, including Brown v. Board.
Overturned Plessy, sparked Civil Rights Movement.
Inspired Montgomery Bus Boycott
Became global symbol for civil rights.
Legal equality in civil rights.
Ended voter suppression in the South. |
United Nations and the UDHR
Purpose of the UN
Formed in 1945 after WWII to maintain peace, promote human rights, and encourage international cooperation.
Key organs
General assembly: All countries vote, makes recommendations.
Security Council: 15 members, 5 permanent (USA, UK, France, Russia, China), makes decisions on peace and conflict.
International Court of Justice: Resolves legal disputes between states.
Universal declaration of human rights
Drafted in 1948, led by Eleanor Roosevelt.
Australia played a key role (Dr. HV Evatt).
Includes rights like: education, freedom of speech, and equality before the law.
Influenced laws such as Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act (1975).
Cold war and Australia’s post-war conflicts
Ideological battle: USA (capitalism) vs USSR (communism), 1946–1991.
No direct war, but lots of tension: spying, propaganda, arms race.
Conflict | Years | Why Australia Got Involved | Impact |
|---|
Korean War | 1950–1953 | Stop spread of communism. | Over 17,000 Australians served. |
Vietnam War | 1962–1973 | Domino theory – fear of communism spreading. | Divided public opinion in Australia. |
East Timor | 1999 | Peacekeeping after independence. | Supported UN mission. |
20th century historical developments
Category | Developments |
|---|
Communication | Telegraph → Telephone → Radio → TV → Internet → Smartphones |
Transport | Steam engine → Cars → Planes → High-speed rail → Space travel |
Technology | Computers → Microprocessors → Internet → AI, IoT |
Global Influence | Modernization changed lifestyles, education, warfare, and global cooperation. |
Aims and methods of Australian Civil Rights activists
Aims
End racial discrimination and segregation
Gain land rights (e.g. Mabo decision, 1992)
Recognition in the Constitution (e.g. 1967 Referendum)
Justice for the Stolen Generations
Cultural preservation and equal social/economic opportunity
Methods
Method | Example | Impact |
|---|
Freedom Rides | 1965, led by Charles Perkins | Exposed racism in rural NSW, increased public awareness |
Petitions & Referendums | 1967 Referendum | Over 90% Yes vote; federal power to legislate for Indigenous Australians |
Protests & Strikes | Gurindji Strike (1966), Tent Embassy | Led to Land Rights Act (1976), political momentum |
Advocacy Groups | FCAATSI, APA | Organised campaigns, educated the public |
Media & Publicity | Newspaper (The Abo Call), interviews | Spread Indigenous voices, influenced opinion |
US vs Australia Freedom rides
Aspect | USA (1961) | Australia (1965) |
|---|
Leaders | CORE, SNCC, John Lewis, Diane Nash | Charles Perkins (SAFA) |
Purpose | Challenge segregation on interstate buses (Jim Crow laws) | Expose racial discrimination in NSW towns |
Methods | Rode buses, refused to move from segregated sections | Visited segregated towns, protested at cinemas, pools |
Reactions | Extreme violence (beatings, bus bombings) | Verbal abuse, some violence, arrests |
Outcome | Federal enforcement of desegregation by U.S. government | Public support for referendum, awareness of Aboriginal rights |
Impact | Legal changes (e.g. desegregation of bus travel) | Cultural shift; momentum for 1967 Referendum |
Challenges faced by civil rights activists
Challenge | Response |
|---|
Discrimination in public facilities | Civil disobedience (sit-ins, Freedom Rides) |
Government neglect of Indigenous welfare | National advocacy (FCAATSI, protests, petitions) |
Media bias or ignorance | Publishing own newspapers, using photos and rallies to gain coverage |
Intergenerational trauma (e.g., Stolen Generations) | National Sorry Day (1998), Kevin Rudd’s 2008 Apology |
Lack of representation | Push for constitutional change, creation of ATSIC (1990) |
Historical sources that influenced civil rights
Source | Value |
|---|
📷 Photo of Aboriginal children on referendum float (1967) | Demonstrates community engagement in political change |
🗣 Tom Calma speech (2007) | Reflects continuing inequality despite 1967 Referendum |
📰 The Abo Call newspaper (1938) | Shows early Aboriginal voices advocating change |
📜 UN Declaration on Indigenous Rights | Showcases global pressure on Australia for human rights compliance |
Connections to today
Past | Present Equivalent |
|---|
1965 Freedom Ride | 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Australia |
1967 Referendum | 2023 Voice to Parliament referendum campaign |
Stolen Generations | Ongoing efforts for reparations and cultural healing |
Media campaigns (newspapers) | Social media campaigns and online activism |
Migration experiences
Why migration was encouraged after WWII
WWII halted migration due to the threat of invasion (especially from Japan).
After the war, Australia's population was only just over 7 million.
The government believed: “Populate or Perish” — meaning Australia needed a bigger population for:
Quote by Arthur Calwell (First Federal Minister for Immigration):
"Seven million Australians cannot hold three million square miles of this earth’s surface indefinitely."
Main waves of post-war migration
Wave | Time Period | Migrant Types | Features |
|---|
1st Wave – Displaced Persons | Late 1940s | Refugees from war-torn Europe (e.g. Poland, Britain) | Assisted passage programs, welcomed under humanitarian intake agreements |
2nd Wave – Economic Migrants | 1950s–1960s | Southern Europeans (e.g. Italians, Greeks) | Came for jobs and better living conditions, signed bilateral agreements |
Examples of Change:
Italian-born Australians: Grew from 34,000 (1947) to 267,000 (1966)
Greek-born Australians: Grew from 12,000 (1947) to 140,000 (1966)
Government policies that shaped migration
1944: Australia negotiated with Britain to support large-scale migration.
1945: Establishment of Department of Immigration.
Signed agreements with many European countries to boost migration.
Assisted passage: Government paid part or full fare for selected migrants.
Impact of post-war migration
Category | Impact |
|---|
Economic | Boosted workforce and helped with post-war reconstruction |
Social | Introduced multiculturalism and diversity |
Cultural | Changed the food, language, religion, and daily life in Australia |
Political | Led to stronger migration policies, refugee conventions, and human rights focus |
Note
Studied by 4 people