Australian Federation and Constitution Worksheet

Which of these was a key reason why the Australian colonies decided to federate and become one country?

• To create more individual armies for each colony.

• To make trade harder by adding more taxes between colonies.

• To unite their defence forces against potential attacks and remove trade barriers.

• To have completely different laws in every town across Australia.

Who is often called 'The Father of Federation' because of his important speech that encouraged colonies to unite?

• Edmund Barton

• Henry Parkes

• Vida Goldstein

• Catherine Helen Spence

What significant right did many Australian women gain with the Commonwealth Franchise Act of 1902?

• The right to own land but not to vote.

• The right to work only in certain jobs.

• The right to vote in federal elections and stand for federal parliament.

• The right to choose their own Prime Minister directly.

Which two sections of the original Australian Constitution specifically disadvantaged Indigenous Australians?

• Sections 1 and 2

• Sections 51 (xxvi) and 127

• Sections 3 and 4

• Sections 100 and 101

What was the main purpose of the Tenterfield Oration given by Henry Parkes in 1889?

• To announce the first Australian cricket team.

• To celebrate the end of a long drought.

• To strongly encourage the Australian colonies to consider federating.

• To declare a new gold rush in New South Wales.

When designing your 'Nation's Game' constitution, why is an 'Inclusivity Clause' considered CRITICAL?

• It makes the constitution longer and more impressive.

• It guarantees that disabled players are included and treated fairly, contrasting with historical exclusions.

• It allows only the most skilled players to join the federation.

• It decides the colours of the team jerseys.

Before 1901, how was the land that is now Australia primarily organised?

• As a single, unified country with one government.

• As six separate colonies, almost like individual countries.

• As a collection of independent Aboriginal nations with no overarching system.

• As part of the United States of America.

What is a 'referendum' in the context of Australian Federation?

• A secret meeting where politicians decide on new laws.

• A type of election for the Prime Minister.

• When people in each colony got to vote 'yes' or 'no' to Federation.

• A large party to celebrate the new year.

Federation could help solve the problem of inconsistent laws between separate colonies by:

• creating a unified set of laws for all colonies

• allowing each colony to keep its own laws without change

• encouraging colonies to ignore legal differences

• making laws less important in daily life

Which of these is a mandatory section you would include in your 'Nation's Game' Constitution?

• A list of every player's favourite colour.

• Article III: Rules of the Game, stating how the official rules can be changed.

• A detailed history of all past games ever played.

• The exact location of every player's home.