<P> It is commonly reported that the colonisation of Australia was driven by the need to address overcrowding in the British prison system , and the fact of the British losing the United States from the American Revolution ; however , it was simply not economically viable to transport convicts halfway around the world for this reason alone . Many convicts were either skilled tradesmen or farmers who had been convicted for trivial crimes and were sentenced to seven years transportation , the time required to set up the infrastructure for the new colony . Convicts were often given pardons prior to or on completion of their sentences and were allocated parcels of land to farm . </P>
<P> It is commonly reported that the colonisation of Australia was driven by the need to address overcrowding in the British prison system , and the fact of the British losing the United States from the American Revolution ; however , it was simply not economically viable to transport convicts halfway around the world for this reason alone . Many convicts were either skilled tradesmen or farmers who had been convicted for trivial crimes and were sentenced to seven years transportation , the time required to set up the infrastructure for the new colony . Convicts were often given pardons prior to or on completion of their sentences and were allocated parcels of land to farm . </P>
where did the first australian settlers come from
where did the first australian settlers come from
the British prison system
the British prison system