Some of the oldest traditions in Australia are from Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Their ancestors have occupied Australia for between 40,000 and 60,000 years. The Aboriginal Australians have a belief system based on the Dreaming, sometimes called Dreamtime, which refers to a time when ancestral spirits created land and culture and to the knowledge that define individual and community responsibilities and identity. War and compromise between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians has been a basis of much art and literature in Australia. Ancient Aboriginal creative styles and inventions such as the boomerang, the didgeridoo, and Indigenous Australian music have become a …show more content…
Sydney was originally used by the British as a place of exile for their prisoners. This left the foundations for Australia's democratic institutions and rule of law. Australia was introduced to the traditions of English literature, Western art and music, and Judeo-Christian ethics. The British Empire eventually expanded across the continent and established six new colonies. The colonies were originally penal colonies. South Australia was established as a free colony that had no convicts. Interaction between the Australians and the British varied from pleasantness to conflict. The diseases brought by the Europeans were devastating to populations and culture of Australia. Smallpox, measles, influenza and other diseases infected many