1. 19th Century Childbirth

    When men and women married in the 1830s they generally assumed that children would follow promptly and regularly. 

    Historical Subject | By Margaret Anderson, History Trust of South Australia | early nineteenth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  2. Aboriginal Land Rights

    The 1834 British statute authorising the establishment of the colony of South Australia described the region as ‘waste and unoccupied’, making no mention of the Indigenous owners of the land.

    Historical Subject | By Robert Foster | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  3. Aboriginal Policy and Administration

    South Australia’s Foundation Act, passed by the British parliament in 1834, made no reference to the Aboriginal peoples who owned and occupied the land that was being annexed from the other side of the world.

    Historical Subject | By Robert Foster | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  4. Aboriginal Ration Depots

    The distribution of government rations to Aboriginal people, begun in the earliest days of European settlement, continued well into the twentieth century. 

    Historical Subject | By Robert Foster | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  5. Adelaide

    The city of Adelaide refers here to the area within the outer boundary of the parklands; that is, the ‘square mile’ of the commercial centre, plus North Adelaide, the city’s first suburb.

    Historical Place | By Peter Morton | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  6. Tennant, Mr. Andrew

    Andrew Tennant was the son of a Scottish shepherd who became a pastoralist and counted mining and the Adelaide Steamship Co. among his business investments. 

    Historical Person | By Dirk van Dissel | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  7. Angas Family

    George Fife Angas (1789–1879), described by his biographer Edwin Hodder, who was attracted to Angas’s nonconformist piety, as ‘one of the Fathers and Founders of South Australia’, helped shape South Australia’s institutions

    Historical Subject | By Carol Fort | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  8. Barr Smith Family

    Robert Barr Smith (1824–1915), the son of a Scottish clergyman and his wife Marjory, née Barr, migrated to Melbourne in 1854. Moving to Adelaide just as Thomas Elder’s brothers were leaving South Australia, he threw in his lot with Elder.

    Historical Subject | By Carol Fort | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  9. Babbage, Benjamin

    Benjamin Herschel Babbage (1815–1878), an English engineer who superintended construction of the first Port Adelaide railway line, was employed by the South Australian Government in 1851 to search for gold. He led two official expeditions (1856 and 1858) that found no gold but surveyed the Flinders Ranges and Far North and established the extent of Lakes Eyre and Torrens.

    Historical Person | By Carol Fort | early nineteenth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  10. Childhood

    The history of childhood in South Australia has been characterised by the assimilation policies practised by the state and the Christian churches throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and also changes in infant mortality, and the introduction of compulsory schooling. 

    Historical Subject | By Ian Davey | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century

  11. Closer Settlement

    Settlers believed that using land intensively maximised its value and civilised its occupants, and that holdings should be small to allow people to hold land

    Historical Subject | By Bill Gammage | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  12. Cornish

    South Australian mineral discoveries of the 1840s (especially at Kapunda and Burra in the Mid North) and extension of the farming frontier, were a magnet to the Cornish.

    Historical Subject | By Mel Davies | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  13. Distance

    Geographical position and distance have strongly shaped the European history of South Australia.

    Historical Subject | By Geoffrey Blainey | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  14. Scott, Mr. Edward

    Edward Bates Scott migrated to New South Wales in 1838 from England, he later settled in the Murray Region, establishing a cattle station, becoming a magistrate, protector of Aboriginals, and finally a superintendent of a labour prison.

    Historical Person | By Robert Foster | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  15. Eyre, Edward

    Edward John Eyre (1815–1901) was English-born and educated for a military career but decided to travel to Australia instead. Arriving in Sydney in March 1833, Eyre soon displayed his flair for self-reliant leadership and adventure.

    Historical Person | By Carol Fort | early nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  16. Exploration

    The early heroic phase of South Australia’s exploration by Europeans was plagued by difficulties.

    Historical Subject | By Philip Jones | early nineteenth century, late nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  17. Germans

    The German born community have left a strong cultural legacy in South Australia, evident in many areas today.

    Historical Subject | By Ian Harmstorf | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century

  18. Hindmarsh Square / Mukata

    Hindmarsh Square, located in the north-east of Adelaide, was one of the six squares designed by Colonel William Light in his 1837 plan of Adelaide. Originally designed as an oasis from the surrounding city, the Square would, however, see it’s size reduced and its lawns intersected by both Pulteney and Grenfell streets as transport and the city developed around it. Despite this, Hindmarsh Square continues to serve its intended purpose as an area of respite from its urban surrounding. 

    Historical Place | By Owen Hems | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  19. History and Historians

    Historians of South Australia have asked one question above all others: how is South Australia different?

    Historical Subject | By Robert Dare | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  20. Horseracing

    Reputed to be Australia’s third-largest industry, horseracing contributes to the national economy and state government revenues through direct employment and also through primary production, transport, tourism, media, entertainment and gambling.

    Historical Subject | By John Mannion | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  21. Hurtle Square / Tangkaira

    Located in the south-east of Adelaide on the Kaurna peoples land of Tandayangga (place of the Red Kangaroo Dreaming), Hurtle Square was one of the six squares designed by Colonel William Light in his 1837 plan of Adelaide. 

    Historical Place | By Owen Hems | Southeast corner | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  22. Jewish People

    Small in number over time, Adelaide’s Jews have contributed significantly to the professions, especially medicine, and are well represented in academia, industry and commerce. 

    Historical Subject | By Bruce Rosen | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  23. Menge, Johannes

    Johannes Menge, born in Steinau, Germany, was South Australia's first geologist.

    Historical Person | By Bernie O'Neil | 1790s, early nineteenth century, mid nineteenth century

  24. Kaurna People

    The original people of the Adelaide Plains are still here - and once again speaking the Kaurna language.

    Historical Subject | By Lewis Yerloburka O'Brien & Mandy Paul | Aboriginal Country pre-contact, early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  25. Letters Patent

    South Australia's founding document is once again the source of intense political and legal debate.

    Historical Subject | By Mandy Paul, History Trust of South Australia | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  26. Light Square/ Wauwi

    Originally intended as a recreational garden oasis from the surrounding city, Light Square, however, developed a reputation for prostitution, drinking and violence.

    Historical Place | By Owen Hems | Northwest corner | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

  27. Magazines

    The first South Australian magazine to focus on local content was the South Australian Magazine, first published in 1841. Other magazines published during the nineteenth century include: Illustrated Adelaide Post, Pictorial Australian, Observer Miscellany, Adelaide Punch, Lantern, and Quiz.South Australian magazines published in the twentieth century include: Pheonix, Chapbook, and Angry Penguins. ‘Street press’, free newsprint magazines, began appearing in the last decades of the twentieth century with such titles as dB and Rip It Up . 

    Historical Subject | By Anthony Laube | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, early twenty–first century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century

  28. Marriage and divorce

    Marriage and divorce rates have fluctuated according to social mores and legislative imposts. 

    Historical Subject | By Margaret Allen | early nineteenth century, early twentieth century, late nineteenth century, late twentieth century, mid nineteenth century, mid twentieth century

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