Suggested level: Middle Secondary
Interdisciplinary focus: English, History & Geography
Learning outcome: Students consider the human rights implications of the Stolen Generations. This lesson links to the Level 10 History Curriculum ACDSEH106, and the Civics and Citizenship Strand ACHCS095, ACHCS096, ACHCS097, ACHCS098, ACHCS099.
Materials and resources:
Australia together: the stolen generations https://www.australianstogether.org.au/discover/australian-history/stolen-generations
Common Ground: the stolen generations https://www.commonground.org.au/learn/the-stolen-generations
Introduction: In the early 20th Century the Australian Government made laws that discriminated against the Aboriginal people. This was done under the guise of protectionism whereby Aboriginal children were separated from their parents and were forced to be educated by church and the State and sent to boarding school missions.
- Define Stolen Generations from a Historical viewpoint?
- To which part of Australia were Aboriginal children sent and why?
- What was the purpose of separating children form their parents?
- Why was the Aboriginal culture seen as inferior?
- Why wasn’t the Universal Declaration of Human Rights fully enacted for the protection of our indigenous population from its inception in 1948?
- How did land ownership disenfranchise indigenous culture?
- In what way did the Mabo legislation support Human Rights for our Indigenous population?