Significant individuals: Governor Macquarie
Through an examination of the life of Governor Macquarie, students learn about what life was like for different groups of people in the colonial period.
NSW Syllabus for the Australian Curriculum History K-10
HT3-1 describes and explains the significance of people, groups, places and events to the development of Australia
HT3-2 describes and explains different experiences of people living in Australia over time
HT3-5 applies a variety of skills of historical inquiry and communication
The role that a significant individual or group played in shaping a colony; for example, explorers, farmers, entrepreneurs, artists, writers, humanitarians, religious and political leaders, and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. (ACHHK097)
In this unit of work the term ‘Indigenous’ is used to refer to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Comprehension: chronology, terms and concepts
- use historical terms and concepts (ACHHS099, ACHHS118)
Analysis and use of sources
- locate information related to inquiry questions in a range of sources (ACHHS102, ACHHS121)
- compare information from a range of sources (ACHHS103, ACHHS122)
Perspectives and interpretations
- identify points of view in the past and present (ACHHS104, ACHHS123)
Research
- identify and pose questions to inform an historical inquiry (ACHHS100, ACHHS119)
- identify and locate a range of relevant sources to support an historical inquiry (ACHHS101, ACHHS120)
Explanation and communication
- develop texts, particularly narratives and descriptions, which incorporate source materials (ACHHS105, ACHHS124)
- use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies(ACHHS106, ACHHS125)
Cause and effect: events, decisions or developments in the past that produce later actions results or effects
Significance: the importance of an event, development or individual/group
Learning across the curriculum
- Literacy
- Creative and critical thinking
- Civics and citizenship
What do we know about the lives of people in Australia’s colonial past and how do we know?
What were the significant events and who were the significant people that shaped Australian colonies?
Student Activities
Significant people: Governor Macquarie
Use sources from the Library to find out about the supporters and opponents of Governor Macquarie.
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Background notes for teachers
In 2010 The State Library of NSW presented the exhibition The Governor: Lachlan Macquarie, 1810 to 1821 to commemorate the bicentenary of the beginning of Macquarie’s governorship of the colony. The exhibition featured extraordinary original items from the Library’s collection including Macquarie’s journals, maps, watercolours, an authentic portrait of the Governor, his travelling trunk and other personal items. Additional items were loaned by Historic Houses Trust of NSW and the Powerhouse Museum. The exhibition looked at exploration and expansion in the colony during the Macquarie era, which included a series of landmark tours by Macquarie and the establishment of many new settlements, including Liverpool and Port Macquarie.