Penal Colonies in Australia Quiz

When was the penal colony of New South Wales established in Australia?

• 1820

• 1776

• 1788

• 1800

What type of work were skilled convicts like carpenters and blacksmiths assigned to in the penal colonies?

• Building roads and bridges

• Domestic service

• Farming

• Gathering seashells

What was the purpose of the parti-colored uniform introduced for convicts in the early 1800s?

• To honor the Aboriginal people

• To show solidarity among the convicts

• To distinguish the innocent from convicts

• To provide warmth in the cold climate

What were some of the punishments for unruly prisoners in the penal colonies?

• Promotion to a higher position

• A ticket of leave and a pardon

• Solitary confinement, heavy ankle irons, and flogging

• Free passage back to England

What was the estimated number of convicts transported by the British government to various penal colonies in Australia from 1788 to 1868?

• 150,000

• 200,000

• 50,000

• 100,000

What was the punishment for women convicts in the penal colonies?

• Having their head shaved

• Solitary confinement

• All of the above

What was the purpose of the broad arrows on the convict clothing?

• To indicate the length of the sentence

• To indicate the type of crime committed

• To show that the clothing was government property

• To identify the convict's family

What was the main deterrent for convict escapees in the Australian wilderness?

• All of the above

• Starvation

• The Aboriginal people

What determined whether a convict was allowed to stay in Australia or travel anywhere in the world after obtaining a pardon?

• The type of pardon received

• The type of crime committed

• The length of the sentence

• The behavior of the convict

What percentage of the convict population in the penal colonies were women?

• 10%

• 20%

• 5%

• 15%