Research Paper no 4 Part 2 ABOUT US WHAT'S NEW SITE MAP SEARCHING ... LIBRARY RESEARCH List of papers CONTACT US HOME AUSTRALIAN CULTURE 1789-2000 By Paul Bentley October 1999 The Crown of Wattle, 1851-1900 The population increased dramatically from the 1830s. Assisted immigration schemes, unemployment, urban overcrowding and poverty in Britain, and land opportunities in Australia, encouraged free settlement to compete with transportation and, by 1850, the population stood at about 400,000. The discovery of gold increased the momentum. The rapid influx of people brought social changes. The cities became larger and more cosmopolitan. The population reached further into country areas. There were changes in education, discrimination and taste, changes in social and intellectual expectations. A wealthier population had more disposable time and money for the enjoyment of literature and entertainment. Theatre expanded rapidly and gained respectability. Between 1850 and 1900, 60 new theatres opened in the capital cities, 40 of them in Sydney and Melbourne. | |
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