shane14
Very Well-Known Member
Hey all does anybody think my assignment is good? It may be a bit long but yer.... Please any comments I'm trying for a level 4. It's for S+e on the Eureka Stockade.
Hello all, if you could just gather up here I would like to tell you guys about this marvellous flag and it’s importance to many, many Australians. The flag is called the Southern Cross or the Flag of Eureka. This flag is of major importance because it represents the gold diggers in Eureka, they fought for their rights, which were;
· Every man had a right to vote.
· Secret ballot.
· Anybody could run for parliament.
· All parliament members got paid.
· Same amount of electorates.
· Mining fees to be a lot cheaper.
· Short duration of parliament.
These rights were influenced from the “Chartists” of Britain. The “Chartists” were working men who wanted democracy in the country.
Because of the un-fair treatment the diggers formed a group called the “Ballarat Reform League” on the 11th of November. The group have 12,000+ members; some of them under oath of this flag burnt their licenses (which they needed to dig) in protest against the license fee.
Later on he feud between the diggers and the trappers was getting larger and larger until the “Ballarat Reform League” decided to build a stockade on the 30th of November where they all took oath under this flag again. On the 3rd of December at early morning, when only 150 diggers were at the stockade, 270 troopers attacked the stockade. 5 soldiers and 30 diggers were shot and killed. The fight only last 15minutes.
4 Days later on the 7th of December a commission of inquiry was formed to find out the miners complaints and problems. Only 6 of their 7 demands were reached. The only one that was not reached was short duration of parliament as it was too hard to organise an election every year.
Peter Layla, the leader of the “Ballarat Reform League” was shot in the arm, he escaped the massive digger hunt from the police. He had to have his arm amputated because of infection. He was then founded and was treated by his fellow diggers as a hero. 13 Diggers were arrested at the stockade but were proven not guilty in court.
Now I would like to read out a poem. It is called “A Ballad of Eureka” It was written by Victor Daily
“Stand up, my young Australian
In the brave light of the sun
And hear how freedoms battle
Was in old days lost-and won
The blood burns in my veins, boy
Remembering Eureka
And the men of “Fifty-Four”
The tyrants of the goldfields
Would not let us live in peace
They harried us and chased us
With their horse and foot police
Each man must show his license
When they chase, by fits and starts
They tried to break our spirits
And they all most broke out hearts
The sky grew black above us
And, oh our eyes were burning
As we gazed upon our dead
On came the troopers charging
Valiant cut-throats of the crown
And wounded men and dying
Flung their useless weapons down
The bitter fight was ended
And, with cruel coward lust
They dragged our sacred banner
Through the stockades bloody dust
But, patient as the gods
Justice counts the years and waits
That banner now waves proud
Over 6 Australian States”
This poem represents the pain, the suffering and the horror these men had to go through in order to have rights. As of today all of those rights are still in place.
Cheers Shane
Hello all, if you could just gather up here I would like to tell you guys about this marvellous flag and it’s importance to many, many Australians. The flag is called the Southern Cross or the Flag of Eureka. This flag is of major importance because it represents the gold diggers in Eureka, they fought for their rights, which were;
· Every man had a right to vote.
· Secret ballot.
· Anybody could run for parliament.
· All parliament members got paid.
· Same amount of electorates.
· Mining fees to be a lot cheaper.
· Short duration of parliament.
These rights were influenced from the “Chartists” of Britain. The “Chartists” were working men who wanted democracy in the country.
Because of the un-fair treatment the diggers formed a group called the “Ballarat Reform League” on the 11th of November. The group have 12,000+ members; some of them under oath of this flag burnt their licenses (which they needed to dig) in protest against the license fee.
Later on he feud between the diggers and the trappers was getting larger and larger until the “Ballarat Reform League” decided to build a stockade on the 30th of November where they all took oath under this flag again. On the 3rd of December at early morning, when only 150 diggers were at the stockade, 270 troopers attacked the stockade. 5 soldiers and 30 diggers were shot and killed. The fight only last 15minutes.
4 Days later on the 7th of December a commission of inquiry was formed to find out the miners complaints and problems. Only 6 of their 7 demands were reached. The only one that was not reached was short duration of parliament as it was too hard to organise an election every year.
Peter Layla, the leader of the “Ballarat Reform League” was shot in the arm, he escaped the massive digger hunt from the police. He had to have his arm amputated because of infection. He was then founded and was treated by his fellow diggers as a hero. 13 Diggers were arrested at the stockade but were proven not guilty in court.
Now I would like to read out a poem. It is called “A Ballad of Eureka” It was written by Victor Daily
“Stand up, my young Australian
In the brave light of the sun
And hear how freedoms battle
Was in old days lost-and won
The blood burns in my veins, boy
Remembering Eureka
And the men of “Fifty-Four”
The tyrants of the goldfields
Would not let us live in peace
They harried us and chased us
With their horse and foot police
Each man must show his license
When they chase, by fits and starts
They tried to break our spirits
And they all most broke out hearts
The sky grew black above us
And, oh our eyes were burning
As we gazed upon our dead
On came the troopers charging
Valiant cut-throats of the crown
And wounded men and dying
Flung their useless weapons down
The bitter fight was ended
And, with cruel coward lust
They dragged our sacred banner
Through the stockades bloody dust
But, patient as the gods
Justice counts the years and waits
That banner now waves proud
Over 6 Australian States”
This poem represents the pain, the suffering and the horror these men had to go through in order to have rights. As of today all of those rights are still in place.
Cheers Shane
