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Historical Recount Writing

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Historical Recount Writing

Read the historical information, investigate how recounts work, then plan and write a clear account of events in the past.

Read the source

A fleet arrives at Warrane (Sydney Cove) On 18 January 1788, the first ships of the British fleet entered the harbour at Botany Bay. The fleet had travelled from Britain with people, supplies and animals. The bay was not a suitable place to settle, so Captain Arthur Phillip led the ships north to Port Jackson. On 26 January, the fleet reached Warrane, now called Sydney Cove. The newcomers began unloading supplies and setting up a settlement. The arrival changed life for Aboriginal peoples, including the Gadigal people, whose Country includes Warrane. This account describes events from the past; it does not tell the whole story from every point of view.

1.Which statement best describes a historical recount?

An imagined adventure set long ago
An account of real events from the past, told in time order
A set of instructions for an event that may happen

2.Find two past-tense verbs in the source. Write each verb and its present-tense form.

3.Put these events in the order they happened by numbering them 1–3: the fleet reached Warrane; the first ships entered Botany Bay; Phillip led the fleet to Port Jackson.

4.Which detail in the source gives the reader a clear time and place for the arrival?

5.The source says, “The newcomers began unloading supplies.” Is this written in first person or third person? Give a word that helped you decide.

6.A strong recount has an orientation, events in order, and a conclusion. Match each part to its job.

Orientation
Events
Conclusion

Tells what happened in time order
Introduces who, when and where
Explains how it ended or why it mattered

7.The source says, “The arrival changed life for Aboriginal peoples.” Why is this sentence a useful reminder when recounting history?

Plan your recount

Use the source to plan a recount about the fleet’s arrival. Keep your events in order and use your own sentences.

8.Write an orientation that names the event, gives its date and place, and identifies who was involved.

9.Make a three-step event plan using sequence words such as first, next and finally.

10.Write a concluding sentence that tells why this event mattered. Remember that it affected Aboriginal peoples as well as the newcomers.

11.Write a historical recount of the fleet’s arrival in 5–7 sentences. Include an orientation, events in chronological order and a conclusion. Use past tense and mostly third person.

12.Edit your recount: check that you used past-tense verbs, kept events in time order, included an ending, and used capital letters and full stops. Name one change you made or confirm that it was ready.