This term has been a blast!!

Hi everyone, this term we have been learning about the 1850s Australian gold rush! In 1851 gold was discovered in Australia.Our class spent the whole term learning about what life was like in the gold rush and the Eureka Rebellion. We even went to Sovereign Hill Ballarat where the actual gold rush took place. I learned that life in the 1850s for diggers was unfair because they had to pay for a gold licence and if they were caught without one they would be tied up to a tree until they paid the bill. Also, the whole point of going for the diggers was to make their fortune, but most of them had less than 3 shillings and the licenses cost 15 shillings a month. The biggest surprise to me was that the education was vital for boys and a lot less for girls.

Most of the businesses back then were  incredibly different to the shops we have today. For example, Cobb&Co the saddlery, The Gold Office and the blacksmith are no longer in business anymore. Also, there are no more conjoined buildings anymore like The Ballarat Times newspaper shop and C.Spencer lolly shop. 

The Eureka Stockade (2 of December 1854- 3 of December 1854) was the biggest event to ever happen in the gold rush. It all started when Governor Hotham moved up the licence fee from 15 shillings to 30 shillings and James Bently, the owner of the Eureka hotel, murdered  James Scobie, a Scottish gold digger. In revenge the diggers burned the Eureka Hotel while burning their licences. The diggers were determined to fight for their rights and liberties, said the person who led the Eureka Stockade, Peter Lalor. The diggers built a wooden oval made out of wooden pikes and old fencing plus little bits of rock. Before the diggers built the Stockade, three women made a huge flag that took them three days in secret. The flag was called the Eureka Flag, which the diggers raised up showing a white southern cross. The diggers got shocked, because the troopers attacked them while they were sleeping. This means they were unprepared plus most of their weapons were theatre props. 22 diggers and 8 solders died in the brutal bloody battle, which only lasted 20 minutes.The gold rush lasted until the late 1860s

To learn all about this important part of Australian history we did lots and lots of activities! We made a diorama of ballarat where the gold rush was held. Also, we made the buildings out of shoe boxes and other materials. This was not a solo task, this was a partner task! My partner Claire and I made the cobb & co building and the stables. We had to use volume and angles to make sure it wasn’t too big. I learned how language was used in the gold rush. I also learned two new Irish words, Ga Ra Muh Uget which means ok and Ge Argh Which, which means good morning.We read some news paper articles to help us write our own newspaper front cover that was false but set in the time of the gold rush. Mine was The Catastrophe At The Cobb & Co. Before all that we wrote a letter to our gold rush school teacher about ourselves and how we got to the diggings. Something I never knew was that I could write in copperplate.

While I was at the school we learned our 16 times tables which I still remember! Back at home our class mapped Sovereign Hill, including the diggings, shops/buildings and the main road. Some PLAs I used were curiosity because I wanted to learn about the 1850s. I used refection because I asked myself what I needed to know. But the most PLA I used was resilience because I pushed through times where I did not understand what I was learning, I kept looking at the assignment  not just sitting there. 

The biggest challenge for me was my chapped lips from the cold camp, and learning new knowledge. Lastly, it was a good challenge for me to cooperate with my partner. I loved doing the diorama and working through times that were tough. Next time I will be more confident asking questions in class so I understand the task, but I loved learning how good I could be at acting as a schoolboy from the 1850s. I also learned that I love mapping.

The 1850s gold rush was so long ago and its major event, the Eureka Rebellion, lasted only a short time. Yet, we are still taking about it today.

I wonder what a schoolboy from the 1850s would think of my classroom?