Citizenship Australian History and People 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Indigenous people were the first to settle in Australia?
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (Correct answer)
- Melanesian peoples
- Polynesian peoples
- Malay peoples
Correct answer: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the original inhabitants of Australia, with a continuous culture spanning at least 50,000 years.
Question 2: What was the name of the fleet that brought the first European settlers to Australia in 1788?
- The Second Fleet
- The First Fleet (Correct answer)
- The Endeavour Fleet
- The Convict Fleet
Correct answer: The First Fleet
The First Fleet, commanded by Captain Arthur Phillip, arrived at Botany Bay in January 1788 and established the first European settlement.
Question 3: In which year did the Australian colonies federate to become the Commonwealth of Australia?
- 1788
- 1851
- 1901 (Correct answer)
- 1927
Correct answer: 1901
On 1 January 1901, the six colonies federated to form the Commonwealth of Australia, creating a new nation.
Question 4: Who was the first Prime Minister of Australia?
- Alfred Deakin
- Robert Menzies
- Edmund Barton (Correct answer)
- John Curtin
Correct answer: Edmund Barton
Sir Edmund Barton became Australia's first Prime Minister when the Commonwealth was proclaimed on 1 January 1901.
Question 5: The 1967 referendum changed the Australian Constitution to allow the Commonwealth to make laws for which group?
- Women
- Migrants
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (Correct answer)
- Non-English speakers
Correct answer: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
The 1967 referendum gave the Commonwealth power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and include them in the national census.
Question 6: What was the 'White Australia Policy'?
- A policy encouraging European immigration and restricting non-European immigration (Correct answer)
- A policy for building white-painted government buildings
- A policy supporting wool exports to Britain
- A land ownership policy for farmers
Correct answer: A policy encouraging European immigration and restricting non-European immigration
The White Australia Policy restricted non-European immigration and was gradually dismantled from the 1940s, formally ending in the 1970s.
Question 7: Which Australian Prime Minister was lost at sea in 1967?
- John Gorton
- Harold Holt (Correct answer)
- William McMahon
- Arthur Calwell
Correct answer: Harold Holt
Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach in Victoria on 17 December 1967 and was never found.
Citizenship Australian History and People 2
Which Indigenous people were the first to settle in Australia?