The Impacts of English Colonial Terrorism and Genocide in Australia (Essay Example)

Imagine, a foreign and more powerful group takes over your area. They speak a completely different language. They have different sets of beliefs. They have opposed attitudes and higher-level weapons. The Aboriginal Australians were forced to accept the changes made by the British colonists. The dispossession of the land, the loss of food and water sources, and exposure to new diseases occurred in 1750 to 1901 which had many extreme impacts on the Indigenous.

The Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders lived on their land for thousands of years. Their land was taken over by the British colonists causing many, serious changes to their lifestyle. As can be reflected in source A, “The land itself was now disfigured and desecrated, studded with huts, crossed by tracks and fences, eaten thin by strange animals, dirted and spoiled, and guarded from its owners by irresistible and terrifying weapons.” The way the land was being destroyed, and the superior weapons being used by the British resulted in death and destruction. The Indigenous could not believe the way the British used and destroyed the land. British farming methods, such as the use of wire fences, limited the open range and the freedom of the Indigenous, starting many fights over the land. When sheep and rabbits were introduced, this devastated the Indigenous. It only took roughly 50 years for these rabbits to expanse beyond the complete continent. The rabbits destroyed the land which led to soil erosion. The Indigenous used their spears to try and frighten the British, but the British had guns which scared the Indigenous away. As a result, the Indigenous tried to frighten the British away in order to protect their land, however the Indigenous soon realised the powerful weapons and strength the British had. The introduced sheep and rabbits caused soil erosion. The use of wire fences limited the open range and the freedom of the Indigenous. The Indigenous were forced to flee the area causing them to become displaced. 

The Indigenous lived by the side of the foreshores of the harbour, they went fishing and hunting in the waters, and gathered food from the nearby bushes. When the British arrived, the Indigenous made sure they managed food and water sources to ensure continuity of food and water supply. As can be reflected in source B, “When the British cleared the land for agriculture, housing and industry, the loss of traditional Aboriginal food sources was complete.” Previous to the British arrival, the Indigenous had to relocate to different locations in order to hunt and harvest food that was accessible. When the British arrived, food and fresh water became abundant, however, the Indigenous managed their crucial resources. In various areas, carvings on trees that were thousands of years old led the way to water sources that were tough to find. A second water source was water droplets on vegetation. Large leaves were formed into bowl shapes and left out overnight for water collection. The Indigenous methods included fire, taboos, grain collecting and storage, fish and eel traps and planting to ensure continuity of food supply. Ultimately, the Indigenous food and water became abundant but the Indigenous managed their resources with many different methods which helped ensure continuity of food and water supply.

A major impact on the Aboriginal population was the beginning of new diseases. The most instant outcome of colonisation was the outbreak of epidemic diseases inclusive of smallpox, measles and influenza, which spread ahead of the numerous Indigenous communities. As can be reflected in source C, “From April to May 1789 an outbreak of smallpox devastated Aboriginal clans around the New South Wales colony.” Somewhere between 50 and 70 percent of the Indigenous population in the area of Sydney died in under two years of the British arrival. The Indigenous had not once encountered smallpox and had no immunity against the disease. Smallpox quickly spread across communities as far away as the Murray and Darling River areas. Several Indigenous men, women and children died from the diseases to which they had no immunity. The diseases mainly affected the elderly, pregnant women and children under five. In conclusion, the introduction of diseases had a devastating and ongoing impact on the Aboriginal Australians, causing many deaths within two years of the British arrival. They had never experienced these diseases and had no immunity against them.

In the final analysis, there were several impacts of convicts and free settlers on Aboriginal Australians during 1750 to 1901. The Aboriginal Australians had no choice but to amend their lifestyle, in order to cooperate with the new changes that the British brought to Australia. The Aborigines eventually lost their freedom and land, causing them to become displaced. Food and water became abundant, however they managed to keep the ongoing supply. The introduced diseases devastated the Aborigines causing many deaths to which they had no immunity.