Ancient Australia
The oldest continuous culture and civilisation in the world.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples / First Nations Australians
What does chronology mean?
The arrangement of events in time order.
What is the name of the traditional Country around much of Melbourne?
Kulin Nation
What is a primary source?
A source created at the time of an event or by someone who experienced it.
What happened when Aboriginal peoples and European colonists came into contact?
There was contact, exchange, conflict and significant change.
What was the name of the supercontinent that existed before the continents separated?
Pangea
What calendar is most commonly used around the world today?
Gregorian calendar
What are stories about the origins of the world, people and Country often called?
Creation stories / Creation myths.
What is a secondary source?
A source created later that uses evidence to explain or analyse the past.
What is lore?
Traditional knowledge, customs, rules and ways of living that guide a community.
Approximately how long have Aboriginal peoples lived in Australia? (That we have evidence of)
At least 65,000 years
What do BCE and CE stand for?
Before Common Era; Common Era
Complete an acknowledgement of Country.
Must include at least one feature of Country as well as the traditional custodians.
For example, We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet today, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and recognise their continuing connection to Country, culture and community.
What does COAT stand for?
Content, Origin, Audience, Tone
What is customary law?
Traditional laws and rules that guide behaviour and relationships within a community.
What evidence can archaeologists use to learn about ancient Australia? Name two examples.
Artefacts, human remains, rock art, tools, animal remains, etc.
What does c. mean when used with a historical date?
Approximately / circa
Name one way First Nations knowledge and traditions can be passed down.
Stories, meetings, Coroborees, songlines, ceremonies, art, Elders, dance, etc.
What is the difference between reliability and usefulness?
Reliability asks whether we can trust the source; usefulness asks how helpful it is for answering a historical question.
Which First Nations group had contact with John Batman around the Melbourne area?
The Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation.
Define songlines.
Songlines are traditional Aboriginal routes across Country that use songs and stories to pass on knowledge about places, culture, history and the environment.
Put these in chronological order: 500 BCE, 200 CE, 1000 BCE, 50 BCE.
1000 BCE → 500 BCE → 50 BCE → 200 CE
This concept refers to the stories, beliefs, laws and relationships that explain how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples understand their connection to Country. What is it?
The Dreaming
True or False: A primary source is always reliable. Explain your answer.
False. A primary source can be biased, incomplete or inaccurate.
Why might historians question whether Batman's agreement with the Wurundjeri genuinely represented an agreement to sell the land?
The two groups had different understandings of land, ownership and the meaning of the exchange, so the agreement may not have represented the Wurundjeri's understanding or consent. Additionally, some believe that it is unrealistic that the Wurundjeri would have been willing to trade such a large area of land for a small amount of clothing, tools and other goods. This raises questions about whether both groups understood the agreement in the same way.