Primary Catalogue

National Sorry Day is held on 26 May to encourage us to reflect on the mistreatment of First Nations people in Australia. This Miniclip uses European settlement and the Stolen Generation to highlight the grief, suffering, and injustice experienced by First Nations people, and discusses the purpose of National Sorry Day. This clip also provides an overview of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. Show Less

Through the accounts of a new convict settler, we detail the challenges faced at the Sydney Cove penal settlement. He describes the difficulties of land management and extreme climate, and recognises the assistance of First Nations people to help them understand the land. Show Less

What were the conditions like aboard the First Fleet? This female convict tells the story of her transportation on the Lady Penrhyn from Newgate Prison. She details life aboard including the health issues experienced, along with the various types of crew members and convicts aboard (and their crimes). Show Less

We examine the Indigenous experience after the First Fleet’s arrival through the voice of a proud Gadigal man. He details the deadly encounters between the British and First Nations people including Pemulwuy and his brave resistance against the colonisers. Show Less

Follow a British prison guard who tells of his experience managing prisoners at Newgate Prison from which thousands of convicts were transported to Australia. He recounts Captain Cook’s voyages leading up to and including the First Fleet and how this new faraway penal colony will make his job a whole lot easier. Show Less

Ancient Rome was an openly patriarchal society that adopted and adapted Hellenic culture, including many of the Greeks’ negative attitudes towards women. This video explores life for women at all levels of society in the Roman Empire, spotlighting historical figures such as Livia Drusilla, Agrippina the Younger and Boudicca. An excellent introduction to ancient Roman society and culture for junior to middle secondary students of History. Show Less

Despite being advanced in many ways, ancient Greece gave few rights to its women. This video explores life for ancient Greek women, examining life in Athens and Sparta, spotlighting historical figures such as Aspasia and Gorgo, as well as the role of female figures in Greek mythology. An excellent introduction to ancient Greek society and culture for junior to middle secondary students of History. Show Less

The Persian Empire was renowned for its tolerance and Persian women were considered to be the equal of men. This video explores life for ancient Persian women, including ordinary working women, royal women and women of the Persian military, spotlighting historical figures such as Irdabama and Artemisia. An excellent introduction to ancient Persian society and culture for junior to middle secondary students of History. Show Less

Although women in Egypt enjoyed many freedoms under the law compared to women in many other ancient societies, most did not lead independent lives. This video explores life for ancient Egyptian women, both common and royal, spotlighting historical figures such as Merit Ptah, Sobekneferu, Hatshepsut and Cleopatra. An excellent introduction to ancient Egyptian society and culture for junior to middle secondary students of History. Show Less

Discover five things you should know about the Middle Ages: how long it lasted, medieval society, what feudalism was, the two phrases in the Middle Ages (Early Middle Ages and Late Middle Ages), what warfare was like during that time and medieval markets. Did you know that the Middle Ages lasted more than 1,000 years? Find out about medieval castles, knights and many other interesting facts! Show Less

Discover five things you should know about Prehistory - which includes the Stone Age - the earliest period in human history which starts with our first human ancestors and ends with the invention of writing. Children will learn about the characteristics of each stage in Prehistory: Palaeolithic times, Neolithic times and the Age of Metals including interesting facts about each time period. Show Less

Discover five things you should know about one of the stages of the prehistoric Stone Age - the Palaeolithic times. This video will answer questions like: When did Palaeolithic times begin? What does "palaeolithic" mean? How was fire discovered? Were palaeolithic people hunters or collectors? What is cave painting? Show Less

Discover five things you should know about one of the stages of the prehistoric Stone Age, the Neolithic Times. This video answers questions like: When did the Neolithic times begin? What does "neolithic" mean? How did agriculture and cattle raising start? How were the first villages formed? What are a hand mill, a plough or a sickle? You'll also discover how the wheel, the loom, and pottery were invented. Show Less

Discover five things you should know about the Age of Metals which we divide into the Copper Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. This video answers questions like: When did the Age of Metals begin? What did that mean for agriculture and cattle raising? What were the early settlements and houses like? In this video, we're going to learn how the first jobs and occupations, and trade emerged. We will also discover how thanks to metallurgy people were able to make jewelry, tools, hunting weapons and sculptures. Older inventions like the wheel or the sail gave rise to means of transportation like the carriage and the boat. Show Less

In 1803, a British expedition sailed around Port Phillip Bay and in 1835, a free settler colony was founded in Melbourne. This video describes conditions in the Melbourne settler colony, citing primary sources on conditions in the settlement and interactions between settlers and Indigenous people, and features commentary from academics from the Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples. An informative, curriculum-aligned video for middle secondary students of History. Show Less

In January, 1788, the First Fleet sailed into Botany Bay and the first British colony in Australia was established at Port Jackson. This video describes conditions in the Sydney penal colony, citing primary sources on the landing and conditions in the settlement, and features commentary from academics from the Gnibi College of Indigenous Australian Peoples. An informative, curriculum-aligned video for middle secondary students of History. Show Less

Between 1788 and 1868, Britain transported more than 160 000 convicts to Australia as punishment for a variety of crimes. This video explores the terrible conditions on the ships used for the journey, citing primary sources on the experiences of convicts in the First and Second Fleets as well as those of free settlers. An informative, curriculum-aligned video for middle secondary students of History. Show Less

From today's perspective, transportation seems a brutal and extreme way to punish criminals, but there were a number of factors that made it seem like a good idea in 18th century Britain. This video provides historical context about the motivations for transportation, discussing the Agricultural Revolution, crime and punishment in Britain, European imperialism and the demand for natural resources. An informative, curriculum-aligned video for middle secondary students of History. Show Less