AlthoughBritishauthorsremainedfarmorepopularthanAustralianwriters,colonialcontributionstotheartskeptpacewiththeincreasingeconomicandsocialdevelopmentofthesixcolonies.Twowriters,CatherineHelenSpence,authorofClaraMorison(1854),andMarcusClarke,authorofFortheTermofHisNaturalLife(1874),produceddistinctivenovelsthatdealtwithlocalthemes.Australiaheldaspecialfascinationfor19thcenturyscientists,andlargenumbersofbotanists,zoologists,anthropologists,andgeologistsfoundamplematerialthereforresearch.Bythe1860s,Australianshadalsocompletedtheinitialexplorationoftheinterior,includingthedesertsintheNorthernTerritory.C8.MovementTowardFederationFederationoftheAustraliancoloniescamelateandwithoutthedisplayofnationalismthatcharacterizedsimilarmovementselsewhere.Theideaofunificationappearedasearlyas1847inproposalsbyEarlGrey,Britain'scolonialsecretary.Inthe1850sJohnDunmoreLang,aScottishPresbyterianclericinNewSouthWales,formedtheAustralianLeaguetocampaignforaunitedAustralia.Conferencesamongcolonialgovernmentsinthe1860salsoconsideredclosercooperationandunification.WiththeformationoftheDominionofCanadain1867,BritishofficialsbegantoexpectasimilareffortamongAustralians.Noplan,however,receivedseriousattention,duetotheintenserivalriesamongcolonialsocieties.Inthe1880stheprospectofEuropean-asdistinctfromBritish-colonizationofthePacifictriggeredfearsofAustralia'slackofdefense.Queensland,anticipatingGermanmoves,claimedPapuaonNewGuineain1883but,unabletosupportthisclaim,hadtourgeBritaintoruletheterritoryandtoclaimotherislands.ConcernedthattheymightnotbeabletodirectBritishpolicyintheirinterestsandawareoftheemergenceofnewpowersinEurope,theAustraliancoloniescreatedaFederalCouncilin1885,buttherefusalofNewSouthWalestoparticipatedoomedthiseffortatunification.Otherdevelopmentsduringthe1880s,however,servedtokeeptheideaofunificationalive.DebateovertheWhiteAustraliapolicydemonstratedtheneedforuniformimmigrationrules.AsmoreAustralianworkersunionized,tradeunionsbecamemorecentralized,suggestingtheattractivenessofasingleeconomicandpoliticalsystem.Unstableeconomicconditionsandoutrightdepressionby1892contributedtothedevelopmentoflaborpartiesthatcoulddefendworkerinterests.Itwasevidenttothelaboritesthatunificationwouldpermitthestandardizationoflaborlaws.用心爱心专心NewSouthWalesbeganthemovementtoreplacetheFederalCouncilin1889,whenitspremier,HenryParkes,announcedthatthecolonywouldsupportanewformoffederalism.AconferenceinSydneyin1891laidthebasisforaconstitutionalconvention,whichdidnot,however,meetuntil1897to1898.Furtherdisputesfollowed,buteventuallyallsixcoloniesapproved.TheCommonwealthofAustraliawasaccordinglyapprovedbytheBritishParliamentin1900andbecamearealityonJanuary1,1901.ThefederalconstitutionreflectedbothBritishandAmericanpractices-thatis,parliamentarygovernment,withcabinetsresponsibletoabicamerallegislature,wasestablished,butonlyspecificallydelegatedpowersweregiventothegovernment.ThenewHouseofRepresentatives,liketheBritishHouseofCommons,wasbasedonpopularrepresentation,butthenewSenate,likeitsAmericancounterpart,preservedtherepresentationofthecolonies,whichnowbecamestates.AsneitherSydneynorMelbournewasanacceptablefederalcapital,in1911theAustralianCapitalTerritorywasestablishedforanewcapital,Canberra-againbasedontheWashington,D.C.,model.D.TheCommonwealthCentraltothehistoryofAustraliainthe20thcenturyhasbeenthedevelopment...
