Debates that shaped the nation: Resources for Federation and the Centenary of Federation

Discovering Democracy resources

The Discovering Democracy Primary Video has arguments for and against Federation in the upper primary section.

Units that focus on Federation are:

  • 'The People Make a Nation' (upper primary)
  • 'Making a Nation' (middle secondary)
  • 'What Sort of Nation?' (middle secondary)

The CD-ROM Stories of Democracy has sections that support the units 'The People Make a Nation' and 'What Sort of Nation?'.

One Destiny! The Federation Story Centenary Edition CD-ROM is an interactive CD-ROM resource for students. It tells the story of Federation in an engaging and thorough way and includes a search facility so that information about particular topics can be quickly located.

Chapter 2 of John Hirst's Discovering Democracy: A Guide to Government and Law in Australia (Curriculum Corporation, 1998) provides a succinct account of the making of the Australian nation.

Helen Irving and the Right Hon Sir Ninian Stephen have contributed responses to some frequently asked questions about the Centenary of Federation.

Books and videos

Australia's Constitution rev. edn 1998, Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Davison, Graeme, Hirst, John, Macintyre, Stuart (eds) 1998, The Oxford Companion to Australian History, Oxford University Press.

Davidson, Maryellen 1999, Federation: Then and Now, McGraw-Hill Australia, Roseville, NSW.

Dermody, Kathleen 1997, A Nation at Last: The Story of Federation, AGPS, Canberra.

Federation Films (video) 1992, Chris Long (director), National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra.

Foster, SG, Marsden, Susan and Russell, Roslyn 1998, Federation: The Guide to Records, Australian Archives.

Irving, Helen (ed.) 1999, The Centenary Companion to Australian Federation, Cambridge University Press.

Irving, Helen 1999, To Constitute a Nation: A Cultural History of Australia's Constitution, updated ed, Cambridge University Press.

The Parliament Pack: An Education Kit on the Federal Parliament for Primary and Junior Secondary School Classes 1987, AGPS, Canberra.

Parliament Pack 2: An Education Kit on the Federal Parliament for Senior Students 1988, AGPS, Canberra.

Russell, Roslyn and Chubb, Philip 1998, One Destiny!: The Federation Story, Penguin Books Australia, Ringwood, Melbourne.

Websites

Australian Commonwealth Government Entry Point

Records of the Australasian Federal Conventions of the 1890s

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