Year 6 History lesson plans

- Explain what Federation is and when it happened. - Describe reasons for and against Federation. - Identify key people and steps in the Federation process. Success criteria: - I can explain the meaning of Federation. - I can give two reasons the colonies decided to federate. - I can name Australia's first Prime Minister.

- A map of Australia showing state borders - Paper and pencils - Coins or counters (for a tariff role-play)

Introduce today's words: - Federation: The joining of the six colonies to form one nation, the Commonwealth of Australia, on 1 January 1901. - Constitution: The set of rules for how Australia is governed. - referendum: A vote by the people to approve or reject a change to the Constitution. - Commonwealth: The name for the national government and nation of Australia. - tariff: A tax on goods brought in from another place. Ask your child what they already know about federation: becoming a nation.

Before 1901, Australia was six separate British colonies. Each had its own government, laws, army, postage stamps and even different railway track widths. People crossing from one colony to another had to pay tariffs on goods. Many people thought the colonies would be stronger together. Reasons included free trade between colonies, a shared defence force, a growing sense of national identity among people born in Australia, and a shared immigration policy. Some arguments for Federation reflected racist attitudes of the time, especially the wish to restrict non-European immigration. Not everyone agreed. Some smaller colonies feared being dominated by New South Wales and Victoria, and some people worried about losing income from tariffs. Delegates from the colonies met at conventions during the 1890s to write a Constitution. Voters in the colonies then approved it in referendums between 1898 and 1900. Most First Nations people and many women could not vote in these referendums. The British Parliament passed the Constitution Act in 1900. On 1 January 1901, the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed in Centennial Park, Sydney. The colonies became states. Edmund Barton became the first Prime Minister. Sir Henry Parkes is often called the 'Father of Federation' for his early campaigning, although he died in 1896 before it was achieved. The first federal Parliament met in Melbourne in May 1901; Parliament moved to Canberra in 1927. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were not included in writing the Constitution. Their lives were largely left to the states, and they were excluded from being counted in the national population until changes made by the 1967 referendum.

Reasons for Federation Explain how Federation helped trade. Step 1: Before 1901, colonies charged tariffs on goods from other colonies. Step 2: After Federation, trade between states became free of these taxes. Step 3: This made it cheaper and easier to sell goods across Australia. Answer: Federation removed tariffs between the colonies, allowing free trade across Australia. Federation timeline Order these: first Parliament meets (1901), referendums (1898–1900), Parliament moves to Canberra (1927), Federation (1 January 1901). Step 1: Referendums came first: 1898–1900. Step 2: Federation: 1 January 1901. Step 3: First Parliament: May 1901. Step 4: Move to Canberra: 1927. Answer: Referendums → Federation → first Parliament → Parliament moves to Canberra.

1. On what date did Federation take place? (a) 26 January 1788 (b) 1 January 1901 (c) 25 April 1915 (d) 27 May 1967 2. Who was Australia's first Prime Minister? (a) Henry Parkes (b) Robert Menzies (c) Edmund Barton (d) Arthur Phillip 3. What is a tariff? (a) A tax on goods brought in from another place (b) A type of boat (c) A vote (d) A colonial flag 4. Where did the first federal Parliament meet? (a) Canberra (b) Sydney (c) Adelaide (d) Melbourne

5. Which was a reason some people opposed Federation? (a) Smaller colonies feared being dominated by larger ones (b) They wanted more railway gauges (c) They wanted higher taxes on bread (d) They disliked the Southern Cross 6. How many colonies joined to form the Commonwealth of Australia? 7. The set of rules for how Australia is governed is called the ____. 8. In what year did federal Parliament move to Canberra?

- Can you explain the meaning of Federation? - Can you give two reasons the colonies decided to federate? - Can you name Australia's first Prime Minister? - What was the trickiest part today?

1. 1 January 1901 — The Commonwealth of Australia began on 1 January 1901. 2. Edmund Barton — Edmund Barton was the first Prime Minister. 3. A tax on goods brought in from another place — Tariffs are taxes on imported goods. 4. Melbourne — Parliament met in Melbourne until it moved to Canberra in 1927. 5. Smaller colonies feared being dominated by larger ones — Smaller colonies worried NSW and Victoria would dominate. 6. 6 — Six colonies became six states. 7. Constitution — The Constitution sets out how Australia is governed. 8. 1927 — Parliament moved to Canberra in 1927.

Recap the success criteria together. Watch for these common misconceptions: - Some think Australia became fully independent of Britain in 1901. Federation created a nation within the British Empire; independence developed gradually over the following decades. - Learners may think everyone voted on Federation. Most women (outside South Australia and, from 1899, Western Australia) and most First Nations people could not vote in the referendums.

- Make a newspaper front page announcing Federation on 1 January 1901. - Hold a family debate: 'Should the colonies federate?' - Find out about the different railway gauges and why they were a problem.

- Revisit federation: becoming a nation tomorrow with two or three quick questions from memory. - Try the online practice check for this topic and look at any questions that need another go.

- Link Federation to the present: look at how responsibilities are shared between the federal and state governments. - Discuss honestly that some motivations for Federation, such as restricting immigration, were based on racism, and how attitudes have changed. - If you visit Canberra, the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House and Parliament House offer programs for families.