1908: Evelyn

A girl stands confidently with her hands on her hips, dressed in a vintage white dress with lace trim over a long-sleeved beige shirt. Her long brown hair is partly pulled back, and she wears black boots. The background is plain, emphasizing her posture and attire.

Evelyn can't wait for cracker night. This year, for the first time, her father can afford to buy the family their own box of fireworks. Unfortunately, Evelyn shows the box to her disbelieving neighbour Freddie.

1900s Decade Overview

The 1900s were a time of big changes in Australia, with Federation in 1901 uniting the colonies and new laws giving women the right to vote. While social reforms like pensions and fair wages began, First Nations Australians were excluded.

1901 Federation: Australia becomes a nation; Edmund Barton is the first Prime Minister; Australian flag chosen.
1901 Immigration Restriction Act (White Australia Policy) passed, shaping identity and migration.
1902 Women gain the right to vote and stand for federal parliament (white women only).
1903 Fanny Cochrane Smith records Palawa songs, preserving cultural heritage.
1904 Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration established to settle workplace disputes.
1906 “New Protection” legislation links tariffs to fair wages and conditions.
1907 Harvester Judgement sets a “fair and reasonable wage” for supporting a family.
1908 Invalid and Old Age Pensions Act introduced; Canberra chosen as the capital; official Coat of Arms granted; Dorothea Mackellar publishes My Country; Great White Fleet visits Australia.
1909 Boy Scouts and Girl Guides introduced, shaping youth movements and civic identity.

First Nations Focus:

The First Nations focus for the 1900s is about exclusion from nationhood, denial of rights, and the strength of cultural traditions. While Federation was celebrated as unity, First Nations Australians were left out of the Constitution and denied most civic rights, including pensions and fair wages. Despite this, families kept community strong, oral stories and cultural practices alive.

Provocation Question

What does it mean for Australia to become a nation, and how did this shape people’s lives in 1908?

Clip 1: Games from India

Evelyn, her brother Edward and their friend Freddie Müller are playing an imaginary game under the tree. They are pretending to be tiger hunters in India. Miss Müller tells them about tigers and their inability to reverse down trees. Evelyn's father brings home the Mr Wong's 'No. 5' assortment of fireworks to be used on cracker night.

Tuning In

As a class, discuss the following questions:

How did books and the British Empire influence the games children played?
What sources can help us answer these questions? Think: old books, newspapers, photos, posters, speeches like Parkes’ Tenterfield Address.
What does Federation mean for Evelyn’s family and community?

Finding Out & Sorting Out

In pairs, make a list of games you play today and compare them with the imaginative games in the clip. What has changed and what has stayed the same?

Making Connections

Evelyn’s story shows how imagination, family life and national identity were shaped by Federation. As a class, discuss the following questions:

How do stories and games influence the way children see the world?
What does belonging mean for Evelyn and her family during this time of change?

Write a short reflection: “If I created an imaginary game today, what would it be and what would it say about my world?”

Clip 3: Chores and punishment

Evelyn's brother Edward taunts her with the prospect that their father will punish her for being irresponsible about the fireworks. Evelyn needs to complete her chores by five o'clock.

Tuning In

As a class, discuss the following questions:

Why were chores like polishing silver and waxing tables important for girls in the early 1900s?
What does Evelyn's brother mean when he show's her the belt?
Why was corporal punishment common in homes and schools back then?
How do these scenes show family expectations and discipline?

Finding Out & Sorting Out

In small groups, reserach what corporal punishment was and why it was common in homes and schools in the early 1900s. Then research what the rules are today about punishment at school and at home. Write a short paragraph comparing the past and present and explain which approach you think is fairer and why.

Making Connections

Make a list of the chores Evelyn does in the clip, like polishing silver or waxing tables. Then write down the chores you do at home and compare them. Which chores seem harder, and which would you prefer to do? Explain why.

Australian Curriculum Links

Explore how nationhood, reform, exclusion, and civic identity shaped Australian communities at Federation.

Year	Content Description	Inquiry Sprint Link + Student Activity Prompts	CCP Integration
Year 3	AC9HS3K02 Significance of individuals, events, places and developments in the local community	Tuning In: Pose questions about Federation celebrations. Create pictorial timelines of civic rituals. Clip link: Games from India; research Kipling and colonial imagination.	Explore civic rituals, Federation parades, and links to Empire
Year 3	AC9HS3K01 Importance of Country/Place to First Nations Australians	Finding Out: Investigate Fanny Cochrane Smith’s recordings. Collect oral histories. Clip link: Mr Wong’s Emporium; create a timeline of Chinese migration.	Compare civic nationhood with First Nations kinship and cultural resilience
Year 4	AC9HS4K01 Role of individuals, events and groups in shaping communities	Sorting Out: Analyse Evelyn’s chores and Miss Müller’s kindness. Clip link: Chores and punishment; list children’s chores then vs now.	Explore civic resilience and shared memory
Year 4	AC9HS4K02 Changes in daily life and perspectives over time	Going Further: Compare family roles and reforms (pensions, wages). Clip link: Cracker Night; research Guy Fawkes traditions; change and continuity.	Reflect on emotional and cultural continuity
Year 5	AC9HS5K02 Causes and effects of change in Australian society	Finding Out: Research women’s suffrage and the exclusion of First Nations peoples. Clip link: Mr Wong’s Emporium; discuss currency (such as bread/milk prices) then vs now.	Examine civic responsibility and recognition
Year 5	AC9HS5K01 Significance of First Nations Australians’ experiences and contributions	Making Connections: Pose questions about exclusion at Federation. Clip link: Chores and punishment; research family punishment practices and gender roles, compared to your family now.	Honour cultural resilience and historical exclusion
Year 6	AC9HS6K02 Significance of migration and cultural diversity in Australia	Making Connections: Investigate civic rituals and shared identity. Clip link: Mr Wong’s Emporium; Create a character profile of Mr Wong; Federation migrants postcard home task.	Link nationhood to cultural inclusion and belonging
Year 6	AC9HS6K01 Key historical events and developments shaping Australian society	Going Further: Pose questions about Federation and reform. Clip link: Cracker Night; write a newspaper report and a scrapbook on celebrations.	Explore Federation’s impact on civic values and community care

Explore how nationhood, reform, exclusion, and family life shape character development, resilience, and civic storytelling in 1900s Australia.

Year	Content Description	Inquiry Sprint Link + Student Activity Prompts	Thematic Integration
Year 3	AC9E3LE01 Respond to literary texts by sharing personal connections and reflections	Tuning In: Share a personal response to Federation celebrations. Write a short reflection: “What would Federation mean for my family?” Clip link: Games from India; report on Kipling and colonial imagination.	Family · Civic Identity
Year 3	AC9E3LY06 Create imaginative texts with characters and settings	Going Further: Write a short story imagining Evelyn’s dream of becoming a teacher. Clip link: Games from India; spoof/parody story about tigers.	Courage · Family
Year 4	AC9E4LE01 Analyse characters’ feelings, motivations and actions	Finding Out: Compare Evelyn’s chores with modern children’s roles. Clip link: Chores and punishment; diary entry and film tension analysis (empathy and perspectives)	Family · Responsibility
Year 4	AC9E4LY06 Create persuasive and reflective texts	Making Connections: Write a persuasive letter to Parliament for equal opportunities for girls. Clip link: Debate on punishment as communication.	Civic Identity · Reform
Year 5	AC9E5LE01 Analyse how historical and cultural contexts shape characters and events	Sorting Out: Explore exclusion at Federation. Write a journal entry from the perspective of a First Nations child in 1908.Clip link: Mr Wong’s Emporium; silent scene storyboard and camera shots.	Nationhood · Exclusion
Year 5	AC9E5LY06 Create multimodal texts using narrative and informative elements	Going Further: Create a podcast or digital slideshow about Evelyn’s community care. Include narration, images, and music. Clip link: Cracker Night; song lyrics to Waltzing Matilda.	Family · Civic Identity
Year 6	AC9E6LE01 Respond to texts shaped by historical and cultural contexts	Making Connections: Reflect on the meaning of nationhood. Write a commemorative poem or speech for a school assembly. Clip link: Cracker Night; newspaper report with quotes from Evelyn/Edward.	Nationhood · Reform · Civic Identity
Year 6	AC9E6LY06 Create texts that integrate ideas and perspectives	Taking Action: Design a class anthology of Federation stories. Clip link: Scrapbook comparing Guy Fawkes Night with modern celebrations where fireworks are used.	Memory · Courage · Community

Country/Place: Compare Evelyn’s family responsibilities and civic rituals with First Nations relationships to Country, kinship, and healing practices. Highlight how exclusion from Federation contrasted with enduring cultural continuity.

Culture: Explore storytelling, oral traditions, and resilience across communities. Investigate Fanny Cochrane Smith’s 1903 recordings of Palawa songs as a symbol of cultural pride and survival.

People: Highlight the role of Elders, families, and community leaders in shaping values, resilience, and civic responsibility—especially in the face of exclusion from nationhood and reform.

Asia and its Diversity: Use Federation-era migration debates and the White Australia Policy to explore exclusion and diversity. Compare experiences of Asian migrants and First Nations peoples.

Achievements and Contributions: Celebrate the roles of migrant and First Nations families in shaping civic life, education, and cultural traditions during the early 1900s.

Asia/Australia Connections: Reflect on how storytelling, civic rituals, and cultural memory foster belonging, intergenerational identity, and shared resilience across communities.

Additional Resources

Additional Clip: Mr Wong's Emporium

In this clip, Evelyn, Edward and Freddie try to replace the fireworks. They visit Mr Wong's emporium to buy a replacement box but and friends try to buy fireworks but face limits of money and exclusion.