🎭 Part 1: Character Information Cards
HENRY PARKES - "The Father of Federation"
Born: 1815 in England, moved to Australia
Role: Premier of New South Wales (5 times!)
Why Federation? Wanted Australia to be strong and united
Famous Speech: Tenterfield Oration (1889) - called for all colonies to join together
Key Quote: "The time has come for a great national government for all Australia!"
Viewpoint: Believed Federation would make Australia safer and more powerful
EDMUND BARTON - Australia's First Prime Minister
Born: 1849 in Sydney, New South Wales
Role: Lawyer and politician who helped write the Constitution
Why Federation?: Wanted fair laws for all Australians
Achievement: Became Australia's first Prime Minister in 1901
Key Quote: "For a nation for a continent, and a continent for a nation!"
Viewpoint: Federation would create one strong Australian nation
ALFRED DEAKIN - The Skilled Negotiator
Born: 1856 in Melbourne, Victoria
Role: Victorian politician and excellent public speaker
Why Federation?: Wanted to protect Australian workers and industry
Achievement: Helped convince people to vote 'Yes' for Federation
Key Quote: "Federation will protect Australian jobs and make us prosperous!"
Viewpoint: Federation would help Australian businesses grow and succeed
🎭 Part 2: More Character Cards
GEORGE REID - "Yes-No Reid"
Born: 1845 in Scotland, moved to Australia as a child
Role: Premier of New South Wales
Why the nickname?: Changed his mind about Federation many times!
Concern: Worried that smaller states would lose power
Key Quote: "I will vote Yes, but I have serious concerns about this plan."
Viewpoint: Federation was necessary but needed to be fair to all states
JOHN QUICK - The Constitutional Expert
Born: 1852 in Cornwall, England, moved to Australia
Role: Lawyer who understood how governments work
Special skill: Studied how other countries joined together (like America)
Achievement: Helped write Australia's Constitution (our rule book)
Key Quote: "We must learn from other countries to build the best system for Australia."
Viewpoint: Federation needed careful planning and good laws
🎯 Part 3: Role-Play Preparation
1. Choose your character and complete this information:
My character is: _________________________________
My character's main reason for Federation: _________________________________
My character's biggest concern: _________________________________
2. Use these sentence starters for your role-play:
• "I believe Federation is important because..."
• "My main concern about joining the colonies is..."
• "I disagree with [other character] because..."
• "The people of my colony need..."
• "If we don't have Federation, then..."
3. Quick character checklist - tick when ready:
I know my character's name and background
I understand why my character supported or worried about Federation
I can use my character's key quote
I'm ready to debate respectfully with other characters
