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Great Britain decided to send prisoners to Australia because, quite simply, it was the best way to colonise the continent. Great Britain wished to colonise Australia for several reasons:

1. To expand the British empire, and prevent the French from gaining a foothold in the Australian continent or in that part of the Pacific.

2. To solve the problem of Britain's overcrowded prisons (a consequence of the Industrial Revolution) by establishing a new penal colony in a land which showed promise for eventually becoming self-supporting. Britain had been sending their excess prisoners to North America, but the American War of Independence put a stop to the practice. After James Cook's successful voyage which involved charting the eastern coast of Australia, New South Wales was seen as a viable proposition for a convict colony. In particular, it was endorsed by Sir Joseph Banks, the influential botanist who travelled with Cook.

3. Australia could provide commercial and political gains to Britain.

4. Due to war, Britain needed to find an alternative supply of Flax and timber as her Baltic supply was under threat. It was believed that nearby Norfolk Island would provide this.

5. Britain needed a port in the East to promote trade with China and to extend its naval and commercial power.

The first permanent settlers arrived in Australia with the First Fleet on 26 January 1788 to set up the new penal colony.

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Q: Great Britain decided to send prisoners to Australia in 1788 to serve out their sentences because?
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Why did people migrate to Australia from England in the late 19th century to the early 20th century?

Summary of what is written below: European Exploration and Prison for Prisoners Back then Britain's jails were over populated and Britain needed a new place to send all of it's prisoners. Australia was a small continent and many officials believed that Australia was the best place to keep prisoners. When the prisoners reached Australia they were set free and had to be independent and find there own food, clothes, shelter, etc. These prisoners were not big crime makers in fact most were sent to jail for small thefts. Sometimes taking a newspaper or steeling a candy from a candy shop. Some were innocent but there was no proof to prove that so they were still sent to jail. Also as European Exploration was becoming more and more popular and many Kings and Queens started investing. Explorers from the more powerful countries from all over Europe had also started to explore lands that were not yet mapped. Australia was mapped however, not much was known about it so explorers started to explore.


Why is the queen the head of Australia?

Because Australia chose not to become a republic. The queen is head of Australia in Title only.


Who is the discovery of India dedicated to?

It is dedicated to The Prisoners of Ahmednagar. (You're probably refering to this because of KBC3)


Why was Australia chosen as a place of settlement?

The British chose Australia as a place if settlement for several reasons:1. To expand the British empire, and prevent the French from gaining a foothold in the Australian continent or in that part of the Pacific.2. To solve the problem of Britain's overcrowded prisons (a consequence of the Industrial Revolution) by establishing a new penal colony in a land which showed promise for eventually becoming self-supporting. Britain had been sending their excess prisoners to North America, but the American War of Independence put a stop to the practice. Following this, the English were no longer able to transport surplus prisoners who couldn't legally be executed to North America.3. Australia could provide commercial and political gains to Britain.4. Due to war, Britain needed to find an alternative supply of Flax and timber as her Baltic supply was under threat. It was believed that nearby Norfolk Island would provide this.5. Britain needed a port in the East to promote trade with China and to extend its naval and commercial power.6. The continent had natural resources which England wanted.Colonisation was simplified for Britain, which was able to prove to the satisfaction of the judicial system that Australia was terra nullius - a land without ownership - because the English found difficulty in locating any individual(s) able to negotiate a treaty with the indigenous inhabitants.It is important to note that, although other countries had the opportunity to colonise Australia, they chose not to. Australia was first "officially" discovered by Dutch traders in the East Indies: however, they landed in the west, one of the least forgiving areas of the continent and decided that it was not worth colonising. Likewise the French, hearing of the Dutch discovery, sent an expedition to map more of the coast. This did not, however, lead to any attempts to colonise and the continent was left alone for another hundred years. Even the English pirate and explorer William Dampier, who also landed in the northwest, dismissed the continent as uninhabitable.It was not until James Cook's successful voyage which involved charting the eastern coast of Australia, that New South Wales was seen as a viable proposition for a convict colony. In particular, it was endorsed by Sir Joseph Banks, the influential botanist who travelled with Cook. Banks was one of three botanists aboard Cook's ship "The Endeavour", and he was a passionate advocate of British settlement and colonisation of the Australian continent. It was largely upon Cook's and Banks's recommendation that Australian ultimately was colonised by the British, and not by another power later.


Why did Britain have an empire?

Britain had an empire because they wanted to be the most powerful counrty!

Related questions

Great Britain could no longer send its prisoners to Australia in 1788 to serve out their sentences because?

The question is incorrect. Great Britain began to send its prisoners to Australia in 1788.However, Britain could no longer send its prisoners to America because of the American War of Independence, in which America essentially severed its ties with Britain.


How and why has Britain had such a role in governing Australia?

because we English captured Australia


Who might attack Australia and why?

Britain, because they are jealous that Australia is a better country


Why was Australia involed in ww1?

because they love Britain


Which wars did Australia become involved in because of a desire to support Britain?

Australia fought in wars with Britain because Britain OWNED Australia until after World War 2. The wars after that in which they fought together with the Brits were when they were doing United Nations military functions. They have not fought in any war because OF their desire to support Britain but because they are allies together in the United Nations.


Why did Australia support Britain in World War 1?

Because Australia was still technically part of the British Empire ( a Dominion) and was bound by an alliance that required it to participate in wars which involved its "sovereign" country( in this case Britain).


Why does Australia have a good relationship with Israel?

Because Australia has good relations with the USA and Britain.


Why was Australia involved in the battle of the Somme?

Because Australia had to help their allies which were Britain. And at that time Britain were very weak in the War against Germany so Australia helped them out.


Why does it take longer to fly from Australia to Britain than from Britain to Australia?

Because It takes longer to fly over Queensland Queenslanders are slow


Why did Australia initially get involved in World War 2?

They were and are a part of the Commonwealth.


Why did Australia need Britain when it was still new?

As you probably know, Australia was a prisoner colony. In other words: They started from zero and had to import every thing -- as every colony in its beginning. After some time, resources were discovered. As far I know, they had to import alcohol, because they were limited by regulations from Britain. If you do some further researches, you can find out, which resources Australia doesn't have, but they have most of them. Also they needed new prisoners to work on the big farms. These could also just come (in these early times) from Britain.


What were the main reasons Australia decided to help Britain in World War 1?

Because Australia was a part of the British Empire. Because Australia was a part of the British Empire