Historical Essay: European and Aboriginal Interactions in Australia

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the interactions between Europeans and Aboriginal Australians from 1788 to the early twentieth century. It examines the differing contexts of exploration and urban settlement, and how these shaped the relationships between the two groups. The essay delves into key historical debates, utilizing primary sources and academic research to explore the themes of agency, colonialism, and cultural impact. It considers the ethical and social responsibilities in historical analysis, while adhering to the required formatting and referencing style. The essay considers the agency of both colonists and Indigenous people. The analysis emphasizes the importance of critically evaluating historical events and perspectives. The essay also addresses the importance of avoiding plagiarism.

Research Essay Question:
1. How did the interactions between Europeans and Aborigines differ in the different contexts of exploration
and urban settlement?
Marking Criteria
Your ability to develop your analysis in response to the question.
Your ability to answer the question in its historical context, and to highlight the debates over interpreting
the relevant theme in history.
Your work shows evidence of wide research, including the use of relevant primary documents as evidence.
Your writing shows that you are critically engaged with a range of ideas and interpretations of the
sources.
At least 12 appropriate academic,journal article sources in your bibliography(OXFORD REFERENCE
STYLE)
Your ideas are your own.
You show committment to thinking independently.
Your awareness of ethics, social responsibility and cultural diversity.
ANSWERING THE QUESTION:
Many of the questions require you to make up your own mind about key terms. ie.
what do we mean by ‘control’? What do we mean by ‘violence’? Defining these terms
will be part of your essay.
Some of the questions are quite general and you are welcome to choose a couple of
incidents, a particular time period or a geographic area on which to focus. However
your essay must be historical and deal primarily with the period we are studying in
this unit – 1788 until the early twentieth century.
‘Agency’ in the context of this unit means the capacity to make choices and/or act

according to those choices. It will be an important and useful term to use, whichever
question you are discussing. Make sure you focus not only on the agency of colonists,
but also of Indigenous people.
FORMATTING:
Make sure your essay is in 12 point font, at least 1.5 spaced and uses the Oxford
document-note referencing system PLAGIARISM:
You must not use the words or ideas of others without correct attribution. If you use
the words of others, you MUST use quote marks (not just a footnote). If you use the
ideas of others, you MUST provide a footnote.
You must not use material that you have presented for assessment in another unit.
This is treated as plagiarism and can result in you failing the essay or unit.
No Plagiarism at all