FOCUS QUESTIONS

Defence
Railways
Nationalism
Racism
Tariffs
FOR AND AGAINST: Different Views on the Constitution
FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences

Defence Document 1

DeQ1 What is the first reason Parkes gives for federating the forces of the colonies?
DeQ2 Why doesn't the Federal Council have the power to direct the forces?
DeQ3 What other subject (related to defence) is a national issue calling for the attention of a federal government?

Defence Document 2

DeQ4 Why does Gillies want 'steps to be taken now' to unite forces, instead of waiting until a Federal Parliament is established?
DeQ5 Why does Gillies think that the colonies would voluntarily agree to support and fund defence enabling acts prepared by the Federal Council?

Defence Document 3

DeQ6 What does the Premier of Victoria want Britain to do?

Defence Documents 4 & 5

DeQ7 For what purpose are German people buying land in New Guinea?
DeQ8 For what reason do you think the German warships are present and how do you think the presence of the German warships makes Australians feel?

Defence Document 6

DeQ9 Why would the security of the Australasian Commonwealth be threatened if the colony of Tasmania refused to federate?

Defence Document 7

DeQ10 Why is the British Admiralty likely to oppose the creation of an Australian navy?
DeQ11 For what reasons does Australia need a navy of its own?

Defence Document 8

DeQ12 Why are there growing concerns about activity in waters surrounding Australia?
DeQ13 Why is Australia's welfare thought to be dependent on what happens in the Indian Ocean, Northern Pacific and China Sea?

Railways Document 1

RwQ1 What are the measurements of the railway gauge in each colony?
RwQ2 What do you think 'break of gauge' means?
RwQ3 Identify and explain the difficulties of having a break of gauge.
RwQ4 What is the suggested solution to the break of gauge problem?

Railways Document 2

RwQ5 Identify three reasons why broad gauge lines are superior to railway lines of standard gauge, and two supposed advantages of narrower-than-standard-gauge railway lines.
RwQ6 List the difficulties that arise because of different railway gauges.
RwQ7 What are the advantages of having a uniform gauge?
RwQ8 What would be the 'great advantage' of having a uniform gauge in wartime?

Railways Document 3

RwQ9 If Australia is to have a uniform gauge what will have to be done to all non-standard gauge railway lines?
RwQ10 Imagine you are the Honorable the Minister for Railways for one of the colonies faced with having to pay the bill for altering your railway lines to the standard gauge. Why do you think the cost of making the railway gauge uniform has to be shared by all the colonies affected?

Nationalism Document 1

NaQ1 What reasons are given for voting for Federation?
NaQ2 What sort of feelings do you think the poster is designed to excite in the reader?

Nationalism Document 2

NaQ3 According to the song what changes are going to take place in Australia?
NaQ4 'One in race, one in speech…' Who do you think the writer means by Sons of Australia and what is meant by 'a Nation'?

Nationalism Document 3

NaQ5 What is meant by 'the red, white, and blue' to which Australian men have shown their loyalty?
NaQ6 Who are 'Britons across the wide sea'?
NaQ7 This poem says that Britons across the sea link the Empire with Love's chains. What do you think 'Love's chains' means in this context?

Nationalism Document 4

NaQ8 According to this article for what reasons should the most dramatic reform originate in Australia?

Nationalism Document 5

NaQ9 According to Deakin, what is the duty of the colony of Victoria?

Nationalism Document 6

NaQ10 What evidence does this extract contain that Australia is becoming a nation?

Racism Document 1

RaQ1 What reasons are given for 'compensating' indigenous Australians?
RaQ2 What compensation is offered?
RaQ3 Imagine you are forced to leave your home and robbed of all your possessions. What compensation would you require?
RaQ4 Does the writer believe it is possible to successfully convert 'the Australian black' population to Christianity?
RaQ5 Why do you think the Christian religion and civilisation are important to the writer?

Racism Document 2

RaQ6 What is one of the most compelling reasons for separate colonies to federate according to this writer?

Racism Document 3

RaQ7 What are the looked for outcomes of Federation?
RaQ8 Who do you think the writer means by 'Australians'?
RaQ9 What do you think is meant by the term 'Australia for the Australians'?

Racism Document 4

RaQ10 What are the supposed strengths of the mixture of races in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales?

Racism Document 5

RaQ11 The English 'race' is praised as being tolerant. To what other 'races' does this tolerance extend?
RaQ12 Which races are excluded? (Base your answer on all the 'Racism' documents.)
RaQ13 What condition must 'foreigners' fulfil for them to 'earn' equal rights?

Racism Document 6

RaQ14 What is the powerful motive to federate (i.e. dissolve the 'political divisions' between colonies) Deakin describes in this document?

Racism Document 7

RaQ15 Asses the claim that race and colour do not matter based on what the document says about people from Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands.
RaQ16 Review Document 4. What double standard can you detect?

Tariffs Document 1

TaQ1 Which colony is the most in favour of free trade?
TaQ2 What are the supposed benefits of free trade to Queensland?

Tariffs Document 2

TaQ3 Judge John Warrington Rogers writes that the system of colonies imposing tariffs on one another's products is 'an absurd and mischievous system of fiscal legislation'. Why is he against tariffs?

Tariffs Document 3

TaQ4 In the opinion of this writer, what is the only way a lasting free trade could be achieved?
TaQ5 According to this document, what do the workers and producers think about Federation?
TaQ6 What is expected to be the effect on manufacturing of removing tariffs?

Tariffs Documents 4 & 5

TaQ7 Compare the following two documents. What is expected to be the effect on commerce of removing tariffs:
(i) in Victoria?
(ii) in Western Australia?

Tariffs Document 6

TaQ8 According to this document, in what ways can border duties actually be harmful to farmers?

Tariffs Document 7

TaQ9 What is expected to be the effect of free-trade on customs income?
TaQ10 What effect might a uniform tariff have on the people of New South Wales?

FOR AND AGAINST: Different Views Document 1

FeQ1 In this document Deakin tells us that many of the people working towards Federation were motivated by more than the ideal of creating a united nation. What is the main reason of the electors to support Federation?
FeQ2 What is an additional reason for the political representatives (i.e. 'the chief actors') to support Federation?
FeQ3 'The enthusiasm for union' in part, at least, influenced everyone working for Federation. Who are the people influenced more by patriotism than money or personal gain?

FOR AND AGAINST: Different Views Document 2

FeQ4 What does the Daily Telegraph advise voters to do? In your own words, explain the reasons given.

FOR AND AGAINST: Different Views Document 3

FeQ5 In this letter, Edmund Barton writes to his fellow electors to convince them to vote for Federation. What are the good points of the Draft Bill?
FeQ6 How and when does he suggest the imperfections of the Draft Bill will be solved?

FOR AND AGAINST: Different Views Document 4

FeQ7 In general, what is the writers' opinion regarding Australian Federation?
FeQ8 What are the objections to the proposed House of Representatives?
FeQ9 What are the objections to the proposed Senate?

FOR AND AGAINST: Different Views Document 5

FeQ10: Why are all States entitled to equal representation in the Senate?

FOR AND AGAINST: Different Views Document 6

FeQ11 What are the two main reforms the Tocsin wants?
FeQ12 Why would paying parliamentarians a wage that they can live on lead to stronger democracy?

FOR AND AGAINST: Different Views Document 7

FeQ13 For what reasons does this 'worker' say that Federation will make Australia more democratic?

FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences Document 1

FerQ1 For what reasons should Queensland join the union?

FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences Document 2

FerQ2 For what reasons should Queensland not join the union?

FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences Document 3

FerQ3 What are some reasons why different Queenslanders might have different opinions about Federation?

FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences Document 4

FerQ4 What are the two main reasons Hon. J. E. Richardson gives for opposing Federation?

FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences Document 5

FerQ5 According to J. Mather, why will Federation be good for Western Australian farmers?

FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences Document 6

FerQ6 According to F. C. Monger, why will Federation be bad for Western Australian farmers?

FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences Document 7

FerQ7 What benefits will Federation bring to Western Australia?

FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences Document 8

FerQ8 For what reasons did people living in different parts of Western Australia have different opinions about Federation?

FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences Document 9

FerQ9 What does Tasmania have to gain from Federation, and what will Tasmania lose if it does not enter as an original state?

FOR AND AGAINST: Regional Differences Document 10

FerQ10 What do you think is the overall opinion of this document regarding Federation from the point of view of New South Wales?