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The Sydney Wars

Conflict in the Early Colony, 1788-1817
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( 86 ratings, 13 reviews)
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The Sydney Wars by Dr Stephen Gapps dives into the first years of British settlement in Sydney, focusing on the conflict between European settlers and the Indigenous Australian communities. It provides a detailed account of the resistance faced by the settlers and the subsequent military engagements. The book offers a fresh perspective on these turbulent times, exploring the repercussions of these early confrontations in shaping Australia's history.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in a detailed exploration of early Australian colonial history, particularly focusing on the conflicts and interactions between British settlers and Indigenous peoples in the Sydney region. It offers a nuanced perspective on the historical clashes and the complex dynamics of this frontier conflict, bringing light to a less-explored part of Australia's past.

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*Winner of the Les Carolyn Literary Prize* *Longlisted for the 2019 CHASS Australia Book Prize*

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Winner of the Les Carlyon Literary Prize

Longlisted for the 2019 CHASS Australia Book Prize

The Sydney Wars tells the history of military engagements between Europeans and Aboriginal Australians, described as 'this constant sort of war' by one early colonist, around the greater Sydney region.

Telling the story of the first years of colonial Sydney in a new and original way, this provocative book is the first detailed account of the warfare that occurred across the Sydney region from the arrival of a British expedition in 1788 to the last recorded conflict in the area in 1817. The Sydney Wars sheds new light on how British and Aboriginal forces developed military tactics and how the violence played out.

Analysing the paramilitary roles of settlers and convicts and the militia defensive systems that were deployed, it shows that white settlers lived in fear, while Indigenous people fought back as their land and resources were taken away. Stephen Gapps details the violent conflict that formed part of a long period of colonial strategic efforts to secure the Sydney basin and, in time, the rest of the continent.

'A powerful and cogent contribution to one of the most contentious aspects of Australian history: the war between British settlers and the First Nations. The fine detailed research will mean that we will have to radically reassess our understanding of the history of the first thirty years of settlement.' - Henry Reynolds

'Historian Stephen Gapps' new book details the first 30 years of European-Aboriginal interaction in the Sydney basin... Gapps' assiduous use of original sourcesβ€”gazettes, letters and personal accountsβ€”makes for a compelling story and an even more important history.' - The Saturday Paper

'Historian Stephen Gapps has written an extraordinarily detailed study of contemporary sources from Sydney between the years 1788 and 1817.' - Aboriginal Art Directory

The Sydney Wars is a valuable contribution to the way we understand both the history of the early years of British settlement in Sydney and the way we consider Australian origins.' - Dictionary of Sydney

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Sydney Wars by Dr Stephen Gapps is hailed as a significant work that challenges existing narratives surrounding the early years of British settlement in Australia. The book offers detailed research that prompts a reconsideration of the interactions and conflicts between British settlers and First Nations peoples, shedding light on a contentious and often overlooked aspect of Australian history.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781742232140

Publisher: NewSouth Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 01 May 2018

Country: Australia

Imprint: NewSouth Publishing

Audience: General / adult, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 25.0mm

Width: 149.0mm

Height: 231.0mm

Weight: 447g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Dr Stephen Gapps is a Sydney-based historian with research interests in public history and early colonial Sydney. He has written extensively on historical re-enactments, military history and the commemoration of the past. In 2011 he won a NSW Premier’s History Award for Cabrogal to Fairfield: A history of a multicultural community. Stephen is currently a curator at the Australian National Maritime Museum. In 2017 he was awarded the NSW State Library Merewether Fellowship.

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