The Rising of a Nation
The six colonies had closer relationships with Britain than with each other when they gained self⁃government.Their economies developed along paths and the sense of regional difference was strong.However，they all shared the English language and culture.By the end of the 19th century，there were more than three million people in Australia.The colonies expanded and，gradually，the empty spaces between the different colonies were also settled.People from different colonies began to move about the continent without regard to colonial boundaries.In addition，developments in transportation and communication such as the building of railroads and the use of telegraphs promoted inter⁃colonial contact.People began to think about unification as a means to remove barriers between the colonies.
Problems caused by an economic depression at the end of the 19th century further promoted the move toward unification.The Labor Party，formed to protect workers’interests during the depression，became an important political force in all of the colonies.It pushed reform policies such as minimum wages and working hours through colonial legislatures.The Labor Party believed that unification would help to standardize labor laws throughout the colonies.Large banks and businesses also favored unification because they wanted free trade between the colonies and standardized ways of doing business.
Meanwhile，the rise of new military powers such as Germany and Japan caused the colonies to worry about their defense.Many people believed that they could not depend solely on Britain to protect their interests，especially after the U.K.government signed the Anglo⁃Japanese Treaty.All of these factors caused the colonies seriously consider unification.
In 1897，a constitutional convention was held which adopted the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia.The Constitution was ratified by all colonies in 1900 and was enacted by the British Parliament.A royal proclamation set January 1，1901 as the date for the establishment of the federal Commonwealth of Australia under the British Crown.
The federal government established according to the new Constitution included a bicameral legislative Parliament with a Senate and a House of Representatives，a Prime Minister who would be the leader of the majority party in Parliament，and an appointed governor⁃general who represented the British monarch.The six colonies became six states and each sent six members to the Senate.The seats in the House of Representatives were divided among the states according to their respective populations.The governor⁃General had the power to call or prorogue both houses，to dissolve the House of Representatives and to call an election.All British subjects，including women after 1902，who had lived in Australia for more than six months had the right to vote.
The Australian nation came into being on January 1，1901 when the first Commonwealth government of Australia was sworn into office.Parliament was declared open on May 9 the same year，and the High Court of Australia came into being in September 1903.
The new country adopted a White Australia policy which excluded the aborigines from citizenship although they had lived in the country for thousands of years.The aborigines also were not protected by law.Their population dropped from more than 600，000 before Europeans arrived to about 67，000 at the beginning of the 20th century.Asians were not welcomed either;the first Parliament passed the Immigration Restriction Bill in 1901 which barred future Asian immigration.Laws were also passed to prohibit the employment of colored people.
The nation experienced rapid economic growth in the first 15 years of its existence.At the beginning of the 20th century，sheep ranching，agriculture，and mining were the main industries of the new country.Gold mining developed so rapidly that Australia soon became the leading producer of gold in the world.Industry also grew rapidly and attracted many new immigrants from England.The population expanded from about 3.7 million in 1901 to around 5 million by 1914.As a result，cities grew up quickly and urbanization became the norm.Rural areas also developed rapidly，as rising wool prices on international market stimulated sheep ranching and the use of refrigeration technology greatly expanded the market for Australia’s meat and dairy products.Wheat cultivation also grew quickly because of the improvement of the soil and the development of a new type of wheat which better fit Australia’s weather and land.
In international affairs，Australia did not have an independent foreign policy during this period.It joined the British in various imperialist wars and depended on Britain for its own defense.The Australian government paid a certain amount of money each year to the British Royal Navy in return for its defense of Australia.After 1905，however，Australia began to develop its own defense force because of concerns over the rising military power of Germany and Japan.Parliament passed the Defense Act of 1909，authorizing the government to establish its own military force and to implement compulsory military training among citizens in peacetime.In 1911，the Royal Australian Navy was established and the Royal Military College of Australia opened.
The federal government of Australia was further strengthened by various other parliamentary acts passed in the early 1900s.Canberra was chosen as the seat of the new capital in 1908.The Coinage Act of 1909 provided for the creation of Australia’s own coins to replace British money.In 1911，the Commonwealth Bank Bill authorized the federal government to issue a single currency for all the states and a Commonwealth Bank was established to compete with private banks.In 1913，the federal government nationalized the mail service and issued the first Australian postage stamps.Parliament also passed various acts during this period to provide for the public welfare.By the time of World WarⅠ，the federal government of Australia was firmly established.