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By Barbara A. West
Taking a principally chronological technique, a quick heritage of Australia seems to be at social, cultural, financial, and political traits within the country's lengthy background, laying off gentle on its distinct and intricate identification. starting with the peopling of the continent approximately 60,000 years in the past, the quantity examines the early heritage and tradition of the Aboriginals. It maintains with the 1st documented sighting of the landmass by means of a eu within the seventeenth century, by means of a dialogue of the colonial interval within the 18th and nineteenth centuries. From the Federation of 1901 to the Liberal executive of John Howard (1998 to 2007) and the exertions govt of John Rudd (2007 present), this new booklet explores Australia's courting to the British Crown, nationwide safeguard and schooling coverage, the position of recreation and environmental matters, Aboriginal rights, women's heritage, and homosexual rights
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Example text
Unlike most agricultural societies, which are at great risk of famine because most calories are consumed from just one grain, such as corn, rice, or wheat, or from a single starch such as sago, potatoes, or cassava, food collectors have access to a wide array of foods. There is very little risk inherent in food collecting because when there is a shortage of one food, a variety of others is usually available, and there is always the possibility for migration to new, more resourcerich areas. In general, then, we can conclude that life in pre-LGM Sahul was of a very small scale.
Many theories have been put forward to explain both the prevalence of Pama-Nyungan throughout the continent, despite its relatively young age, estimated at about 5,000 years (O’Grady and Hale 2004, 91), and the great diversity of the nonPama-Nyungan languages. Some of these theories include the separation of these two groups in antiquity and subsequent differentiation over time; others posit that an incoming migratory group introduced dingoes, new stone tool technology, and Pama-Nyungan languages several thousand years ago (Mulvaney and Kamminga 1999, 73–74).
The small size of the pre-LGM middens found in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea indicates that the people who created them must have migrated often, from daily to seasonally, depending on locale and season. This kind of migration pattern is generally indicative of very low populations and population densities; relative equality between all adults, where the only distinctions are age and sex; no craft specialization or division of labor aside from those based on age and sex; no formal political or leadership roles; no concept of private property; a highly varied diet; and minimal risk of starvation.