Important People in the Eureka Rebellion:
During the Eureka Rebellion there were people who had a big influence on what happened during and after the Eureka Stockade. These people had courage to stand up for their rights, even though it might have lead to imprisonment or death. On this page there will be some background information about what the Eureka Rebellion is and also tell you about significant people who made a big influence on the right and liberties of todays sociality which include Peter Lalor, Raffaello Carboni, the men and women how designed and made the Eureka Flag.
What is the Eureka Rebellion ?
Making of the Eureka FlagThe Eureka Flag was made in 1854 which means it will be 160 years old since it was made this year. It was made from cotton and wool, consisting of a dark blue background with a central white cross and five eight pointed stars on the ends of the cross and in the middle, depicting the Southern Cross. The flag was designed by Canadian miner Henry Ross, a member of the Ballarat Reform League. The flag was made by Anastasia Withers, Anne Duke and Anastasia Hayes.
The Southern Cross was chosen to feature on the flag because it united all the diggers from all countries. The Southern Cross is a constellation that is visible on Australian soil, but not from the Northern Hemisphere, something the British Government (who made all of Australia's laws) and the Queen couldn't see. People sailing to the goldfields from other countries also used the Southern Cross as a guide to Australia. Henry Ross and the women who made the Eureka Flag were very important and heroic people. Henry was a very strong and powerful man because he stood up for what was right, as were the women who made the flag. During the time of making of the flag, all the women had children and by doing the act of rebelling they had not just theirs lives at risk but their childrens'. This act was very brave and something their children would always remember and be proud of their mothers. |
The Eureka rebellion, often referred to as the 'Eureka Stockade', is a key event in the development of Australian democracy and Australian identity. This took place in 1854 in Ballarat. The rebellion came about because the goldfield workers, known as 'diggers', disagreed with the governments laws and regulations, in particular the mining licences. The mining licence was a simple way for the government to tax the diggers for gold mining in Ballarat. When the tension began to greaten, the miners burned their licences at Bakery Hill. Then 500 gold miners took an oath under the Southern Cross Flag and went to battle a few days after. During this time twenty-two diggers and five troops were killed.
Peter LalorPeter Lalor was born in Ireland during 1827, the son of Patrick Lalor, a wealthy man. When living in Ireland Peter attended university where he studied engineering. In 1852 he immigrated to Victoria, where he worked constructing the railway from Melbourne to Geelong. Though in 1853, he decided to try gold mining and travelled to Ballarat. Peter was strong and powerful man and was a very significant person during the Eureka Rebellion. He was elected by his fellow miners to become their heroic leader who would lead them to battle and victory. Some of the forms of rebellion against the government were the burning mining licences and the swearing of the oath under the Eureka Flag on Bakery Hill on 30 November 1854. The oath was,
‘We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other to defend our rights and liberties.' These actions led to big changes. Peter help ordinary working men and women in Australia receive the rights they deserved. If it wasn't for Peter, the rights of Australians might have come a lot later. In his later life, Peter became a respected member of the Victorian Government. Raffaello CarboniRaffaello Carboni was born in 1817 in Urbino, Italy. During 1837, he went to Rome where he was arrested for joining a illegal political movement. In 1852, like most people, he heard about the gold rush in Australia and decided to go there to try his luck. In 1854, when the diggers started to become angry about the ridiculous prices of the mining licences and decided to burnt their licences under the Eureka Flag on Bakery Hill, Raffaello joined the diggers' political group, The Ballarat Reform League. Raffaello made lots of speeches in front of his fellow miners about how he wanted the licences to be banned and how he wanted the right to vote. On the day of the battle, Raffaello did not take part in the battle but he rushed in afterwards to help the wounded. This lead to him being arrested and spent four months in jail before being found not guilty of treason by a jury in March 1855.
Raffaello was a very important and heroic man. He stood up for the miners during the time of battle, even though he was risking his own life. In 1855 he was also elected by the diggers to be part of the Ballarat Local Court as a magistrate. Raffaello also wrote a book about the Eureka Stockade which was first published in 1855 and currently sits in the Art Gallery of Ballarat. It is one of the few eyewitness accounts of the Eureka Stockade we have today. To here more about the Eureka Stockade, who the important people were involved or to see the wonderful Eureka Flag go to M.A.D.E - Museum of Australian Democracy website or visit the museum in Ballarat. Its a very wonderful experience and very educational for students and adults of all ages. Bibliography Websites:
Books:
Primary Source: Peter Lalor's Speech under the Eureka Flag
- By Gabrielle Hanley - |