Federation is the process by which 6 partly self-governing British colonies decided to form a new nation. Australia was created by peaceful means as an Act of the British Parliament—the result of much consideration and debate.
Parliamentary Education Office, 2019
The Duke of Cornwall and York opens the first federal Parliament, 9 May 1901.
This colour engraving shows the official opening of the of the first federal Parliament. The Duke of Cornwall and York, dressed in full military uniform, reads from a book. He and other dignitaries stand on a platform looking down on a great crowd. Judges, military personel, academics, women and lawyers can be seen in the crowd. Flags are drapped from the mezzanine level of the Exhibition Building.
State Library of Victoria | Parliamentary Education Office, 2019
Click on the image to read his biography.
Look for his picture in the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
Click on the image to read his biography.
Look for his portrait in the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
Click on the image to read his biography.
Look for his picture in the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
Click on the image to read his biography.
Click on the image to read her biography.
A great place to start your thinking
Find primary sources here in the National Library of Australia - including finding newspaper articles, maps, photographs, manuscripts, etc.
The Move to Federation Source Analysis (Year 6 History - Australia as a Nation) - State Library of NSW - activities to help you learn to analyse primary source material on the Federation.
The Federation of Australia - Year 6 History (National Archives of Australia) - find lots of primary source material on the Federation.
Australia's Federation (Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House) - a good place to find resources (primary & secondary), including teacher guides.
Australian Federation Full Text Database (The University of Sydney) - a great place to find primary source material on Federation, especially documents.
Federation and Federalism - from the WA government, gives a clear understanding of the levels of democracy.
Above is a selection of books available in the library. Click on the book cover to discover about the book.
Check the catalogue for other books.
BTN: Federation of Australia (ABC Education) BTN: Australia's Prime Ministers - Edmund Barton (ABC Education)
The gold rush: Teaching resources from the State Library of NSW. Includes learning activities suitable for Victorian gold rush.
Johnny Kangatong: making sense of the world The founding of British colonies and the development of a colony. Students learn about what life was like for different groups of people in the colonial period. They examine significant events and people, political and economic developments, social structures and settlement patterns.
