Backbencher

Lecture 4, entitled "Settlement: Convicts & Pilgrims", discussed the origins of settlement in colonial Australia and New Zealand. One of Australia's notorieties is that it was founded by convicts. Even though it wasn't completely founded by convicts, the transportation of convicts out of Britain to Australia helped shape the foundations of the current society. Around 1840's transportation was halted due to the fact that Australia began to lose its view as a criminal wasteland and began to be seen for its potential as a money making jackpot.

Colonization in New Zealand began with a little more order than in Australia. Land was bought or negotiated for from the Maori to start civilization. Then a man by the name of Wakefield came up with a scheme to start an ideal settlement in New Zealand. The scheme was basically a planned class system that recruited good, well-behaved families from Britain to come over to New Zealand and own land. This scheme didn't work that great because new lands such as the Americas offered better opportunities for landowners, however the concept of this perfect society may have carried onward to present times in creating the view that many New Zealanders have of being an ideal country. Eventually pastoralists offered the most lucrative business, and Wakefield's scheme met its demise.

I was really interested in the discussion of how the Aussies and New Zealanders view their origins. Dr. Isern discussed how many Australians are actually very proud to have convict blood in their ancestry, whereas New Zealanders would be much more proud to have come from a religious pilgrim. The Australian viewpoint didn't surprise me since Aussies and Kiwis are generally thrill seeking badasses, but I was a little surprised that New Zealanders don't follow suit in embracing their criminal origins.