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The First Fleet

By James McDonell

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What was the First Fleet???

The First Fleet was a group of 11 ships and about 1,400 people who established the first European settlements in Botany Bay and Sydney. On May 13th, 1787, a group of over 1,400 people in 11 ships set

sail from Portsmouth, England.

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Why did they set sail on the First Fleet???

The First Fleet, consisting of 11 vessels, was the largest single contingent of ships to sail into the Pacific Ocean. Its purpose was to find a convict settlement on the east coast of Australia, at Botany Bay.

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How long was the voyage?

It took 252 days to get

to Australia and unfortunately

there were around 48

deaths.

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What was it like in the ships?

Conditions on the voyage were difficult for everyone aboard. The ships were very crowded, and food and water were strictly rationed. The trip was especially hard for the convicts, however. A week into the voyage, Captain Phillip ordered that the convicts be released from their chains.

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When did they arrive and what happened?

They weren't greeted nicely because the Indigenous people saw Captain Cook and his white skin. The Indigenous people had dark skin and had never seen someone with white skin. They thought he was a spirit so they started to throw rocks at him.

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How many deaths were there?

Sadly about 20,000 Indigenous people died that day because Captain Cook and his men had guns, while the Indigenous had spears.

If you live in Australia today chickens

will be there because Captain Cook

brought chickens to Australia.

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Thanks for listening!!!