At the end of class, you should be able to Describe ways Australia is unique. Describe each state in a few words. Name a few major events in the history of Australia and tell how they impacted the country. Describe the aborigines. What happened to them when the Europeans arrived? Explain how the British have influenced the Australians? And how this has changed since 1970s. Explain how Australia’s climate affects people’s lives.

“Land Down Under ”

6 th largest country Smallest, flattest, driest continent Low population density Diverse flora and fauna 80% found nowhere else Exotic species threaten native species Southern Cross ages/2005/03/09/ html

Perth capital of Western Australia, huge, deserts, -few people, isolated Adelaide - Urban rim – wet, cool, fertile land, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra Tasmania – land bridge, mountainous forested, 200,000 people Queensland – wet, Sunshine coast, beaches, Great Barrier Reef 1,250 miles Tropical North – hot, tropical in north, dry further south, cyclones Outback – harsh wilderness, arid, plateaus and plains, sheep and cattle stations, wool production

Aborigines James Cook 1770 Prison colony, 160,000 convicts sent from Gold Rush Independence 1901

Aborigines Land bridge 50,000 years ago Nomadic hunters and gatherers 250 languages Deep respect for nature and land Killed by European diseases and weapons Few material possessions Rich oral tradition Humans have the responsibility for taking care of the earth

British Influences Flag English British or Irish ancestry 10,000 British immigrants / year “White Australia” immigration policy s ¼ Australians are immigrants, 90,000 immigrants a year, about ½ from Africa and Asia

Under an Ozone Hole World’s highest rate of skin cancer Ozone – a gas that makes up the second layer of Earth’s atmosphere 6 miles above the surface. Protects the earth from Ultraviolet rays that harmful to plants and animals. Loss of ozone is caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) “Slip, slop, slap” – shirt, sunscreen, hat “No hat – play in the shade” rules at schools

Do you know these things??? How is Australia unique? Describe each state in a few words. Name a few major events in the history of Australia. Describe the aborigines. What happened to them when the Europeans arrived? How have the British influenced the Australians? How has this changed since 1970s? How does Australia’s climate affect people’s lives?