Australian Federation Teaching Resources
Teaching about Australian Federation just got easier! Explore printable worksheets, digital activities, games and more teacher resources created to help you bring this era of Australian history to life in your primary classroom.
Created by teachers for teachers like you, each resource is aligned with the Australian HASS curriculum — including version 9 — and each resource has been through a thorough review process completed by an expert teacher on the Teach Starter team. Download resources made with your lesson plans and your students in mind.
Is this your first year teaching about federation? Or maybe you're just looking for some handy helpers to build your lesson plans? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a helpful definition of federation that you can share with your students, as well as important historical figures and a look at the timeline of Australian federation!
What Is Federation? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Do you need a starting point for your Australian Federation lessons? Here's a definition we use with our students to explain what federation means:
Federation was a process of unifying six British colonies into one nation, known as the Commonwealth of Australia. This occurred when the members of the British Parliament passed legislation known as the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900. This legislation legally allowed the colonies to self-govern as a nation.
When Was Australia Federated?
The British legislation that paved the way for federation was approved on 5 July 1900, but Australia would not be federated for almost five more months.
The Australian Federation officially went into effect on 1 January 1901. On that day, Earl of Hopetoun, Australia’s first governor-general, publicly proclaimed the Commonwealth of Australia at a ceremony at Centennial Park in Sydney.
Edmund Barton was appointed as caretaker prime minister when the nation was federated, and he was later elected to the job in March 1901.
5 Important Figures of Australian Federation
Do you need a cheat sheet on the important figures of Australian Federation to share with your class? Let's dive in!
1. Sir Henry Parkes
Sir Henry Parkes is often known as the Father of Federation because he played a crucial role in organising the Australasian Federation Convention in 1891, where the concept of Federation was discussed in detail.
Parkes may be best known for his speech, the 'Tenterfield Oration' which he gave in 1889, calling for a national Australasian government and the unification of the Australian colonies into a single nation.
2. Sir Edmund Barton
The first prime minister of Australia, Sir Edmund Barton was also a lawyer and politician who played a central role in drafting the Australian Constitution. Barton was also a delegate to the various Federation Conventions.
3. Alfred Deakin
The second prime minister of Australia, Alfred Deakin also played a major role in helping to draft the Australian Constitution.
4. Catherine Helen Spence
Catherine Helen Spence was a suffragette during the era of the Federation. Her fight to earn the right to vote for women contributed to South Australia becoming one of the first places in the world to grant women the right to vote and stand for election in 1894.
5. Sir Samuel Griffith
Another man who worked to help write the Constitution, Sir Samuel Griffith served as the the inaugural chief justice of the High Court of Australia after the Federation.
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Australia Becomes a Nation Banner
Australia Becomes a Nation banner.
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Colonisation to Federation – Australian History Timeline
A 4 page timeline to display in the classroom when learning about the history of Australia.
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Australia Federates PowerPoint
A 27 slide editable PowerPoint template to use in the classroom when learning about Australian Federation.
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Tenterfield Oration - Fact Sheet and Comprehension
A fact sheet and comprehension task to use when learning about The Tenterfield Oration.
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Australian Federation - History Word Wall Vocabulary
90 Australian Federation related vocabulary cards.
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Key Figures in Australian Federation Fact Sheets
A set of six fact sheets to use in the classroom for investigating key figures in Australian Federation.
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20th Century Social Conditions in Australia Fact Sheets
A set of six fact sheets to use in the classroom for exploring social conditions in 20th Century Australia.
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The Australian Constitution - Fact Sheet
A fact sheet to use in the classroom for exploring the Australian Constitution
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Australia Becomes a Nation - Assessment
An assessment to demonstrate an understanding of Australian Federation.
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Federation Sorting Activity
A hands-on sorting activity to use when introducing the arguments around Australian Federation.
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Support and Opposition For Federation - Fact Sheet
A fact sheet to use in the classroom for exploring Australian Federation.
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Famous Australian Federators - Venn Diagram
A Venn Diagram to use in the classroom when exploring significant people who contributed to Australian Federation.
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Pros and Cons of Becoming a Federation Poster
A poster displaying the pros and cons of Australia becoming a federation.
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Australia Becomes a Nation Unit Plan
This Australian History unit covers a range of concepts relating to the establishment of the Australian colonies, Australian Federation and the Australian Constitution.
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The Six Colonies of Australia
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the establishment of the six colonies of Australia.
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Famous Federators
A 60 minute lesson in which students will identify influential people who contributed to Australian Federation.
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Australia Moves to Federate
A 60 minute lesson in which students will form a perspective on the benefits of Australian Federation.
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Assessment - Australia Becomes a Nation
An assessment task in which students will demonstrate an understanding of Australia's colonisation and Federation.
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The Impact of Federation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
A 60 minute lesson in which students will investigate the impact of Australian Federation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
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Events That Led to Australian Federation
A 60 minute lesson in which students will examine significant events that led to Australian Federation.
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The Establishment of Australia's Colonies
A 60 minute lesson in which students will explore the unique characteristics and history of the six colonies of Australia.