John Macarthur? on Australia
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Contents Stories from Australia’s history 4 Captain Bligh and the Rum Rebellion 5 The big picture 6 Key people 8 10 Viewpoints 16 Trouble in New South Wales 18 GRAPHIC PAGES! What happened next? 24 TheRebellion effects in of the the Corps Rum Rebellion 26 What do you think? 28 Find out more 30 Glossary 31 Index The arrest32 of Governor Bligh by the New South Wales Corps was the When a word is printed in boldresult, click on it of a desperate power to find its meaning. struggle between the military and the government. It was the ON THE GRAPHIC PAGES, TEXT WITH THIS COLOUREDonly BACKGROUND time COMES in Australian FROM A HISTORICALhistory SOURCE. that the government was overthrown by the military. Captain Bligh and Stories from Australia’s history the Rum Rebellion The story of modern Australia starts on 26 January 1788. On that day, Captain Arthur Phillip arrived at Sydney Cove from England In the early evening of 26 January 1808, Major George Johnston with the convict ships of the First Fleet. The new settlement marched 300 armed soldiers of the New South Wales Corps up Bridge brought disaster to Australia’s Indigenous peoples because the Street, Sydney, towards Government House. They were on their way to newcomers took their land. This event marks the beginning of arrest Governor Bligh and take control of the colony. Settlers lined the Australia as we know it today. street and cheered the troops because they disliked the tough and demanding governor. Bligh’s great enemy, a former Corps captain n 1790, a military unit called the New South Wales Corps was sent to named John Macarthur, marched with the troops. Macarthur and the Iguard the new colony against invasion or attack. The colony was run by Corps had overthrown the legal government of the colony and seized a governor, and the members of the Corps were supposed to answer to him. power for themselves. However, they quickly gained power and stopped taking orders. Soon, they were controlling all trade in the colony, and taking the best land for themselves. In he arrest of Governor Bligh by the New South Wales Corps was the result of a 1806 a new governor, William Bligh, was sent to take back control of the colony. The arrest of Tdesperate power struggle between the military and the government. It was the The conflict that followed between Bligh and the New South Wales Corps is only time in Australian history that the government was overthrown by the military. known as the ‘Rum Rebellion’. It is one of the key events in Australia’s history. Governor Bligh Thisby is the story of the people, the ideas and the events that led to the Rum Rebellion, the New South Walesand how it changed Australia forever. Australian soldiers, such as the Australian This painting shows how the soldiers of the New South Wales Corps Armed resistanceCorps was the result Federation Guard, are loyal to the prime Rebellion: were cheered as they marched to arrest Governor Bligh. minister, but early governors such as Bligh against a government. of a desperate power were not shown the same loyalty. What does it mean? struggle between the military and the government. It was the only time in Australian history that the government was overthrown by the military. a desperate power 4 struggle between the 5 Macmillan Digital Library: Storiesmilitary from Australia’s History Set 3 © andMacmillan Publishers the Australia 2012 goverment ISBN 978 1 4202 9387 6 Macmillan Digital Library: Stories from Australia’s History Set 3 © Macmillan Publishers Australia 2012 ISBN 978 1 4202 9387 6 The big picture Power struggles The New South Wales Corps had a duty to obey the governor and After Governor Phillip left, governors support the government. However, most of the soldiers were rough John Hunter (1795–1800) and Philip and untrained, and their officers were poor leaders, loyal only to Gidley King (1800–1806) tried to break the power of the Corps. They each other. Governor Arthur Phillip kept tight control over them, passed laws taxing rum and limiting but after he left in 1792, the Corps began to do as they liked. They the amount of alcohol the officers granted themselves land and convicts to work it, and took control could import. By 1800, rich Sydney of all the trade in the colony. merchants such as Robert Campbell began to take business away from Governor Bligh (below) was determined to Buying and selling goods the Corps officers. The power was achieve what former governors Hunter (left) and shifting. When Governor Bligh came King (right) had not been able to do – control The officers of the New South Wales Corps were paid by the British government. to New South Wales in 1806 he the Corps and restore power to the government. They used their British pounds to buy food and other goods from merchants was determined to defeat the Corps. visiting Sydney. Nobody else in Sydney had any money – the settlers did all their However, the men of the Corps buying and selling by swapping and bartering goods. By the 1790s, Corps The arrest of would not give up their power officers were buying whole cargoes, then selling the goods to the settlers at Governor Bligh withoutby a fight. much higher prices. Without money, the settlers could not buy supplies direct from the merchant ships. They had to buy goods from the Corps officers and paythe New South Wales whatever they demanded. Prices became very high, and poor settlers suffered. Corps was the resultEyewitness words Almost all the ships that visited the colony brought rum, and soon settlers were also making it themselves. Rum quickly became the most popular form of of a desperate powerI am not here for my payment in the colony. Workers were often paid in rum, and the colony was full struggle between❝ease theor comfort but to do of drunken men and women. Corps officers made a lot of money from the rum justice and relieve the poor trade – so much so that they were nicknamed the ‘Rum Corps’. Before long, they military and the were the richest and most powerful people in the colony. settlers, who must be the government. supportIt was of the country and the only timeare in honester (more honest) In the early 1800s, almost all supplies in the colony were shipped in from overseas, men than those who wish so trading ships were important to the survival of the colony. Australian history that the governmentto keep them under. Letter from Governor William Bligh❞ was overthrownto Joseph Banks, by around 1806 the military. a desperate power 6 struggle between the 7 Macmillan Digital Library: Storiesmilitary from Australia’s History Set 3 © andMacmillan Publishers the Australia 2012 goverment ISBN 978 1 4202 9387 6 Macmillan Digital Library: Stories from Australia’s History Set 3 © Macmillan Publishers Australia 2012 ISBN 978 1 4202 9387 6 Key people Three people played key roles in the rebellion. Major George Johnston Born: 1764 in Annandale, Scotland Role: Commander of the New South Wales Corps and leader of the rebellion William Bligh Age at the time of the rebellion: 43 Died: 1823 Appearance: Tall, lean, handsome, thick Born: 9 September 1754 in the port of white hair, kindly expression Plymouth, England John Macarthur Character: Popular, friendly, sensible and Role: Governor of New South Wales good-natured but easily led by others. Age at the time of the rebellion Born: 1767 near Plymouth, England Comments: Johnston was a highly (1808): 53 The arrest of Role: The mastermind behind the respected officer until the rebellion. Died: 1817 Governor Blighrebellion by However, he allowed himself to be heavily Appearance: Short, stocky, round face, influenced by Macarthur and turned out to Age at the time of the rebellion: 41 pale skin, bright blue eyes, thinning hair the New South Wales be a weak leader. Died: 1834 Character: Courageous, stubborn and Corps was the result proud, with a terrible temper. Bligh liked Appearance: Average height, thin, praise but was a poor judge of others. He hid of a desperate brownpower hair, narrow face, steely brown eyes self-doubt beneath a strict and formal mask. struggle betweenCharacter: the Clever, cold, proud and Comments: Bligh was a brilliant seaman determined, a loner with a fierce, who showed great courage in battle. He military andslow-burning the will to get his way, which was not violent, but his wild temper, poor made him many enemies. judgement and proud manner turned men government. Comments:It was Macarthur was a former against him. Bligh suffered two rebellions, the only timeofficer in of the Corps who had become including the famous mutiny on the ship extremely wealthy. He was brilliant Bounty in 1789, during which he was thrown Australian businessmanhistory and grazier who did a lot off his ship and set adrift in an open boat. to make the colony a success. Macarthur He survived through brilliant seamanship, that the governmentowned land and trading ships and had sailing 6700 kilometres to Timor. Bligh was was overthrowna great deal of power.by However, he a terrible choice of governor of New South mutiny: an uprising against constantly picked fights with others and Wales during the struggles with the Corps, a person or people in power the military.plotted against his enemies. An ideas man, and only made things worse. What does it mean? he could fire up an angry crowd but could not inspire loyalty. a desperate power 8 struggle between the 9 Macmillan Digital Library: Storiesmilitary from Australia’s History Set 3 © andMacmillan Publishers the Australia 2012 goverment ISBN 978 1 4202 9387 6 Macmillan Digital Library: Stories from Australia’s History Set 3 © Macmillan Publishers Australia 2012 ISBN 978 1 4202 9387 6 Trouble in New Governor Bligh got to work.