Essay On Australian Bushrangers

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Australian Bushrangers What are Bushrangers? Bushrangers, a name given to men and women who escaped from convict settlements. Most convicts were originally from England but some had Irish heritage. These first bushrangers were known as ‘bolters’. Bushranging began soon after the British colonization of Australia in 1788. Most convicts were shot as they tried to escape into the unexplored Australian bush, but some survived. What did they do? Bushrangers did a variety of things, formed different gangs, operated in various places throughout Australia and lived in different eras. But all bushrangers would steal what they could just to live. They would mostly steal horses for transport, rob banks and stage coaches for cash and gold. They…show more content…
There are many bushrangers in Australian history with an estimated 6000 bushrangers living between 1788 and 1880. As you may know, the very famous Ned Kelly played a very big roll in the shaping of Australian bushrangers. Other bushrangers include Martin Cash, Jack Donohue, William Westwood, Frederick Ward, the Clarke brothers (Thomas and John), Henry Johnstone, Frank Gardiner, Ben Hall, Dan Morgan and of course Ned (Edward) Kelly. Not only men took to bushranging, but some women were involved too. One of these ladies was Mary-Ann Bugg, the mistress of Captain Thunderbolt, aka Frederick Ward. John Caesar John Caesar (aka Black Caesar) was born c.1763, his place of birth uncertain. He was a negro servant living in England in 1786, strong and hard working. In March that same year he was charged for theft and was sent to Botany Bay on the First Fleet. In 1789 he escaped becoming the first known bushranger. Two months later he was caught and was sent to work at Norfolk Island. He constantly escaped his imprisonment. On the third time of escaping, the government offered a reward of five gallons (22 litres) of rum for whoever captured John Caesar. He was shot in 1796 by a free settler at Liberty Plains, clost to present day

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