Life in the first colony
Describe the experiences of individuals and groups involved in establishing the first British colony at Sydney Cove, including Governor Arthur Phillip and other officials, marines, and male and female convicts
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National Geographic Kids · Practice link — not the full lesson
History
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History supports Life in the first colony. An adult previews and guides; this is a learning page, not a scored quiz.
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Public National Geographic Kids page. An anonymous GET on 2026-11-12 returned HTTP 200 with no login or payment prompt for this URL. Opening the link does not save practice or assess mastery. An adult should preview and guide the learner.
National Geographic Kids. “History.” External page; Gakuva does not copy, host, embed, or redistribute materials.
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Check understanding
- Describe the First Fleet's voyage (11 ships, reaching Botany Bay in January 1788 and then moving to Sydney Cove, where the colony was established on 26 January) from the point of view of a convict, a marine or an official
- Use a primary source extract (e.g. from the journals of marine officer Watkin Tench) to describe hardships such as food shortages in the early years
- Compare the experiences of a female convict and a marine officer in the colony
“Can your child imagine life on the First Fleet and in early Sydney for a convict or a marine — the long voyage, hunger and hard work?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- History
- Domain
- Modern History
- Age range
- Ages 9–10
Standards