Download or read book The Enlightenment and the Origins of European Australia written by John Gascoigne and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2002-06-07 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book surveys some of the key intellectual influences in the formation of Australian society by emphasizing the impact of the Enlightenment, with its commitment to rational inquiry and progress. The first part analyzes the political and religious background of the period from the First Fleet (1788) to the mid-nineteenth century. The second demonstrates the pervasiveness of ideas of improvement across a range of human endeavors, from agriculture to education, penal discipline and race relations. Throughout, the book highlights the extent to which developments in Australia can be compared with those in Britain and the U.S.