Between 1788 and 1900, the Aboriginal population of Australia declined by 90% due to the introduction of European diseases and loss of land and resources during British colonization. Diseases like smallpox, measles and influenza spread rapidly among Aboriginal communities and killed many people. As settlers took fertile lands, Aboriginal people lost access to their traditional lands and means of hunting and gathering food. Already weakened by disease, the loss of resources further threatened Aboriginal survival, forcing them to either resist European encroachment and risk violence, or become dependent on settlers.

1. The effect of British
colonization on
Aboriginal people of
Australia

2. Between 1788 and 1900, the
Aboriginal population of
Australia was reduced by
90%

3. Introduction
of new
diseases
loss of people
through direct
fighting with
loss of
European
settlers.
land

5. Diseases Cont….
• The most immediate consequence of
British settlement was the appearance of
European diseases.
Chickenpox
Smallpox
Influenza
Measles
• As these diseases were infectious, they
spread very quickly and killed many
people. In large Aboriginal communities,
the diseases spread even more quickly.

6. • Another consequence of British settlement
was the reduction of access to land and
water resources.
• The settlers took the view that Aboriginal
people, with a nomadic lifestyle, could easily
be driven away from their lands.
• By the 1870s all the fertile areas of Australia
had been taken from Aboriginal people and
given to the white settlers.

7. • The loss of land and other essential
resources such as food and water posed
great danger to Aboriginal people who were
left with no place to live and nowhere to
hunt food.
• Already weakened by the new diseases
spread by the new settlers, Aboriginal
people had dramatically reduced chances for
survival.

8. Two Choices for • Aboriginal people had
the Aborigines two choices, they could
resist or learn to live like
the newcomers
• The resistance by
Aboriginal people often
led to killings or massacres
• The Aborigines who did
not resist became very
dependent on European
settlers