About the eureka stockade
Miners near Ballarat in Victoria all banded together and refused to pay for a license fee to look for gold. They said that this fee was a tax and if they should have to pay tax then they should be represented in parliament, which they were not. They built a fort called the Eureka Stockade and made their own flag which they flew there. The miners in the Eureka Stockade demanded the same chartism rights which were being developed in England. The chartism was about equal rights around voting and elections.
The miners at Eureka Stockade made five demands. These were:
The courage and sacrifice of lives of these miners at Eureka was responsible for bringing about many of the rights which we now have and take for granted. The eureka flag is still used today as a symbol of equal rights and is still used by unions in marches. Here is an example of it now:
The miners at Eureka Stockade made five demands. These were:
- A full and fair representation. (This means the right to be heard and to have their side listened to fairly.)
- Manhood suffrages. (This means every man has the right to vote whether he is rich or poor.)
- No property qualifications for members of the Legislative Council. (This means people don't have to be rich to be elected - Anyone can be elected rich or poor.)
- Payment of members.
- Short durations of parliament. (This means having elections more often, so people can vote for a new parliament if they are not happy with the old.
The courage and sacrifice of lives of these miners at Eureka was responsible for bringing about many of the rights which we now have and take for granted. The eureka flag is still used today as a symbol of equal rights and is still used by unions in marches. Here is an example of it now: