The Significance of the 4th of July in Australian History

[old man emu]

As the 26th January is for many Austrlians, both Non-Indigenous and Indigenous, the 4th of July is a big thing for the United States. For the US, it is a celebration of the formal declaration of the 13 Colonies' independence from the British Crown  on that day in 1776. However, the 13 Colonies actually had been independent since the signing of the Treaty of Paris on 3rd September 1783. As with all Treaties, it contained a number of Articles stating what was being agreed to. Articles included fishing rights and restoration of property and prisoners of war, and set the boundaries between British North America, later called Canada, and the United States. Only Article 1 of the treaty, which acknowledges the United States' existence as free, sovereign, and independent states, remains in force.

 

One could claim that Australia was concieved on that date, since the myth is that by granting independence to the American colonies, Britain lost a place to dump its convicts. That is not fully correct that the Americas were a dumping ground for British felons. It is commonly maintained that the vast majority of felons taken to America were political criminals, not those guilty of social crimes such as theft; for example. It is estimated that between 1718 and 1776 about 30,000 convicts were transported to at least nine of the continental colonies, whereas between 1700 and 1775 about 250,000 to 300,000 white immigrants came to mainland North America as a whole. It was noted of Virginia that "the crimes of which they were convicted were chiefly political, and the number transported for social crimes was never considerable." The colony of Georgia, by contrast, was planned specifically to take in debtors and other social criminals, "the worthy poor" in a philanthropic effort to create a rehabilitative colony where prisoners could earn a second chance at life, learning trades and working off their debts.

 

Between 1776 and 1783,  Britain could no longer transport felons to the American colonmies. Leading up to the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the British government must have been looking for new places to send felons. Expeditions examined the west coast of Africa, but they were unsuitale due to disease and their inability to support European agricultural methods. As well, the geo-political situation in Asia, the East Indies and Southwest Pacific demanded that the British get a foothold before other arising European powers snapped up what there was to snap up.

 

Based on the reports of James Cook, and the prompting by Sir Joseph Banks, the British decided that the east coast of Terra Australis would be worth an attempt to establish a colony.Under Banks's guidance, the American Loyalist James Matra, who had also travelled with Cook, produced a new plan for colonising New South Wales in 1783. Matra argued that the country was suitable for plantations of sugar, cotton and tobacco; New Zealand timber and hemp or flax could prove valuable commodities; it could form a base for Pacific trade; and it could be a suitable compensation for displaced American Loyalists. American Loyalists were those living in the 13 Colonies who did not want to break with British rule during the American Revolution.

 

It should be noted that Cook only made landfall in two places on the east coast - Botany Bay, in a Temperate climatic area and Cape York in a Tropical climatic area. The British already knew from their expeditions to tropical West Africa that such places were not suitable for colonisation by Europeans.

 

It seems to me that the Americans have forgotten the chronology of their country's evolution. Instead of celebrating the day on which a declaration of why the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as independent sovereign states no longer subject to British colonial rule, perhaps they should celebrate the signing of the Treaty of Paris on 3rd September 1783 which granted the Colonies their freedom and sovereignty.

 

Why should the 4th of July be recognised in Australia? Although I maintain it is the inaccurate date for the Americans to celebrate, they will continue to do so as part of their culture. If we accept their mistake, then we can apply that date as the date of conception of Australia without rocking the boat. 

[onetrack]

I can't agree, OME. AFAIC, the "date of conception of Australia" (as a unified nation with a common purpose) was the day of Australian Federation on 1st January 1901.

 

On that day, the six colonies, which were individual entities and populations, all operating separately under British rule, agreed to join up under a common Constitution with a common purpose.

[old man emu]

1 hour ago, onetrack said:

"date of conception of Australia" (as a unified nation with a common purpose) was the day of Australian Federation on 1st January 1901.

So true as it applies to Federation, and maybe 1st January should be our National Day. However, we simplistically say that Australia began on 26th January 1788. That was the date of conception of the first colony of several that were eventually to come together as one under a Federal Constitution. 

[nomadpete]

3 hours ago, onetrack said:

agreed to join up under a common Constitution with a common purpose.

So we became "One Nation".

 

Pauline would be chuffed.

[spacesailor]

Not quite! ,

According to some history buffs , New Zealand  was also a colony, 

They did not join us & became an independent nation .

spacesailor

[onetrack]

Spacey, Noo Zulland was part of NSW until 1841, when it decided it wanted to be a separate colony. When Federation was proposed, the Noo Zullanders actually took part in the early Federation discussions (in the early 1890's), but they soon decided they didn't want to join the Australian Federation, and wanted to proceed with independence.

[nomadpete]

17 hours ago, onetrack said:

they soon decided they didn't want to join the Australian Federation, and wanted to proceed with independence.

Was that a good thing?

[facthunter]

Hoo

 No

se.     Nev  left i

t as it came. Blodey keyboARD. .