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• Category 7: Reason for Colonisation
• Category 8: Federation
7.14 Category 1: Examples of British Heritages Omitted From the Curriculum
Following a preliminary analysis of school textbooks and other curriculum materials, it
became apparent that British heritages did not form a core component of the curriculum
during the lead up to the 1988 Bicentennial. Therefore in this category, topics have been
selected that either previously included British heritages in school curriculum (as seen
through the first era analysed for this project) and where they are no longer represented in a
significant way; or where a topic includes historical events relevant to Great Britain, but
where this representation is not evident. Although there are no specific discourses attributed
to this category, departing from the usual analysis of textbooks and curriculum documents in
this project, it is nevertheless an important aspect of the core History curriculum to identify.
In place of discourses, the following topics have been created in order to organise the
information analysed from textbooks that fit within this category: recognition of special days
and flag symbolism; distinct British heritages representations replaced with terminology of
European grouping; representations of Australia’s early colonisation period; representations
of Australia’s Federation, 1901; and representations of political leaders.
7.14.1 Recognition of special days and flag symbolism.
To begin this category, Unit 5: Special days in the Primary Social Studies sourcebook year 3
(Department of Education, 1987a) is an optional unit of work that suggests important days for
students to learn. Amongst others is Australia Day, Anzac Day, National Aborigines’ Week
(analysed in the Indigenous representations section of this chapter) and Queensland Day.
Across the special days noted, all knowledge of British heritages is mediated through the
Australian and Queensland flags, inescapable due to their construction based on the flag of
Great Britain, the Union Jack. With no other mention of British heritages, an almost ahistorical
representation of special events is presented. This is despite some of the special
days originating as a result of British heritages, such as Australia Day and Anzac Day. All
suggested student activities are related to relatively contemporary culture or flora and fauna,
apart from the flags (see, for example, Source 7.63). Consideration is taken into account that
this year 3 sourcebook contains activities aimed at school grades 1-3, so age and stage
appropriate content needs to be taught. In addition, this is also aligned with how the
curriculum has been positioned throughout the 20 th century, with history in any form not
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