The National Archives Learning Curve | British Empire | Rise of the British Empire | Australia | Source 6

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	Painting from 1799 by Thomas Gosse showing the arrival of British colonists in Australia in 1788 (The British Museum/Heritage-Images)


	Study this source carefully. Different parts of the source will contain clues about why the British became empire builders in Australia. As you study the source, ask yourself:

	What new things have the colonists brought with them to Australia? What are the colonists doing with the wild animals? What does this picture suggest about relations between the colonists and the Aborigines? What clues does this source provide about why the British became empire builders in Australia?


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