Human Rights & UN
What year was the United Nations founded?
1945
What was the goal of the assimilation policy?
Erase Aboriginal culture by forcing First Nations people to be 'absorbed' into white society.
Which group and specific person led the 1965 Australian Freedom Ride?
Charles Perkins and Student Action For Aborigines (SAFA)
Who was Martin Luther King Jr.?
A civil rights leader who advocated for nonviolent protest and gave the “I Have a Dream” speech.
What is a primary and secondary source? Provide one example of each
A source created at the time of the event (e.g., diary, photo, speech). A source created after the event (e.g., book, article, movie).
Define human rights.
Human rights are basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person.
What does the term “Stolen Generations” refer to?
Aboriginal children forcibly taken from their families by governments and church missions.
What were the main goals of the Freedom Ride in Australia and two methods they used to achieve this?
To expose and protest against racism and segregation faced by Aboriginal people in country towns using non-violent protests, surveys, and sit-ins.
What were the Jim Crow laws?
Laws that enforced racial segregation in the southern United States.
What is a limitation of using a film as a historical source?
It might be biased, fictionalised, or dramatized for entertainment, not always accurate.
List 3 rights outlined in the UDHR.
The right to life, liberty and security of person, education, freedom, religion, fair wages, be treated equally before the law, voting, fair trial, seek asylum.
Describe Protectionism and give one impact.
The protection policy was a government policy that controlled many parts of Aboriginal people’s lives. It said the government should “protect” Aboriginal people, but it actually meant they were placed on missions or reserves and had very few rights.
Impact: children taken away, loss of culture, not allowed to make their own decisions.
Describe the impact of the Freedom Rides on two specific towns.
Moree – desegregated the swimming pools & Walgett – lifted exclusion from RSL club.
What happened with the Little Rock Nine in 1957?
Nine Black students were blocked from entering a white high school in Arkansas; the U.S. President had to send federal troops to protect them.
Why is it helpful to use more than one type of source when studying an event?
Different sources give different perspectives, which helps build a fuller, more accurate understanding.
Why was the United Nations created?
To maintain international peace and security, promote human rights, and encourage cooperation between countries. Prevent another world war from happening again.
What was the purpose of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report?
To investigate and document the experiences of the Stolen Generations.
How did the Freedom Ride help change public opinion in Australia?
It brought national media attention to racism in rural towns and sparked public support for Aboriginal rights.
What were the Freedom Rides in the U.S. and what did they protest?
Protests where activists rode interstate buses to challenge segregation in terminals and on buses.
What is a limitation of using a government report as a source?
It may present only the official point of view and leave out voices of affected people.
Which Australian played a major role in creating the UDHR, and what was his impact?
Dr Herbert V. Evatt - stood up for the rights of smaller nations to have a say in global decisions.
Explain how government policies affected Aboriginal identity.
Policies like protection and assimilation attempted to erase Aboriginal culture, language and connection to Country, leading to long-term social and emotional impacts.
Evaluate the impact of the Freedom Ride on the 1967 Referendum.
The Ride raised awareness about inequality, contributed to growing support for Aboriginal rights, and helped build momentum for the successful 1967 Referendum which changed the Constitution.
Explain how Martin Luther King Jr.’s methods of protest influenced civil rights campaigns around the world, including Australia.
His use of nonviolent protest inspired Aboriginal activists, like Charles Perkins, to organise peaceful protests such as the 1965 Australian Freedom Ride.
You are given two sources: a 1965 newspaper article and a 1997 interview with Charles Perkins. How useful are these sources for an historian studying the Freedom Rides?
The newspaper shows how the event was seen at the time (contemporary reaction), while the interview gives reflection and insight from a key participant. Both are useful but in different ways.