Federation Character Cards

Name:

Date:

Australian Federation historical figures illustration

🎭 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

Federation Character Cards

Federation Character Cards

🎭 Part 1: Character Information Cards

🎭 Part 2: More Character Cards

🎯 Part 3: Role-Play Preparation

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