The First Dinner Given to The Aborigines 1838, Martha Berkeley - Critical Analysis
- Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
- Critical & Creative Thinking
- History
- Humanites and Social Sciences
- Intercultural Understanding
The First Dinner Given to The Aborigines 1838, Martha Berkeley – Critical Analysis
South Australia was an unusual settlement within the British Empire. Unlike the older colonies on Australia’s eastern seaboard there were to be no convicts, and this commitment to a ‘free’ settlement was fiercely maintained. Historians are divided about the lasting impact of the absence of the ‘convict taint’ on the province’s society and culture, but an awareness of difference distinguishes South Australians to this day.
The First Dinner Given to The Aborigines 1838, Martha Berkeley - Critical Analysis
Curriculum
Year 4
HASS
AC9HS4K02 – the causes of the establishment of the first British colony in Australia in 1788
AC9HS4K03 – the experiences of individuals and groups, including military and civilian officials, and convicts involved in the establishment of the first British colony
AC9HS4K07 – the differences between “rules” and “laws”, why laws are important and how they affect the lives of people
Year 5
HASS
AC9HS5K01 – the economic, political and social causes of the establishment of British colonies in Australia after 1800
AC9HS5K02 – the impact of the development of British colonies in Australia on the lives of First Nations Australians, the colonists and convicts, and on the natural environment
AC9HS5K06 – the key values and features of Australia’s democracy, including elections, and the roles and responsibilities of elected representatives
Year 9
History
AC9HH9K01 – the causes and effects of European imperial expansion and the movement of peoples in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and the different responses to colonisation and migration
AC9HH9K02 – the key social, cultural, economic and political changes and their significance in the development of Australian society during the period
AC9HH9K04 – significant events, ideas, people, groups and movements in the development of Australian society
AC9HH9K03 – the causes and effects of European contact and extension of settlement, including their impact on the First Nations Peoples of Australia
Discussion Questions
What can we tell about the values in society at the time through this painting?
What do you think is meant by the phrase “promoting their advancement in civilisation”?
How do you think Aboriginal people would have reacted to colonists attempting to ‘promote their advancement in civilisation’ and convert them to Christianity?
Are First Nations perspectives, attitudes or opinions addressed?
How do you think colonists would have responded to resistance from their objectives?
Where to Next?
To learn more about the First Dinner Given to The Aborigines 1838 painting
Related Resources
For more education content from the History Trust of South Australia check out
The Province of South Australia – Founding Ideas and Documents