Australia · ACARA Content Descriptions
Year 9 Humanities and Social Sciences
Year 9 HASS: the making of the modern world from 1750 to 1918, alongside geography, civics, and economics. Covers the Industrial Revolution, movement of peoples, World War I, and Australia's place in the global economy.
The Industrial Revolution (1750–1914)
The transformation of economies and societies through industrialisation and its global spread.
Technological innovation and the shift from agrarian to industrial economies in Britain.
Child labour, urbanisation, and the rise of trade unions during the industrial age.
How the Industrial Revolution shaped colonial Australia through the gold rushes and pastoral expansion.
The impact of steam power and coal on the natural environment and global landscapes.
How industrialisation accelerated the movement of goods and capital between empires.
Movement of Peoples (1750–1901)
Migration, forced displacement, and the shaping of Australia through human movement.
The British colonisation of Australia and the dispossession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Transportation and free migration waves that built the foundations of modern Australia.
Racial exclusion and the implementation of the Immigration Restriction Act 1901.
The forced movement of African people and the abolitionist movements of the 18th and 19th centuries.
The history of "blackbirding" and the use of Pacific Islander labour in Australian industries.
The mass movement of people from rural areas to growing industrial cities.
Making a Nation (1750–1914)
From six colonies to one nation: Federation and the development of Australian democracy.
The political process of uniting six British colonies into the Commonwealth of Australia.
The Eureka Stockade, women's suffrage, and the struggle for political representation.
The bush myth, the Anzac legend, and the development of a distinct national character.
The legal framework of Australia and the division of powers between state and federal governments.
The contributions of Henry Parkes, Edmund Barton, and Catherine Helen Spence.
World War I (1914–1918)
The Great War and its profound impact on Australia and the international order.
Imperialism, alliances, and the spark that led to global conflict.
The Gallipoli campaign and the birth of a powerful national mythology.
The Australian experience in the trenches of France and Belgium.
The social divisions caused by the war and the debate over compulsory service.
The Treaty of Versailles, the League of Nations, and the legacy of the war dead.
The service of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Great War.
Biomes and Food Security
The role of the environment in food production and the challenges of feeding a growing population.
The distribution and characteristics of the world's major biomes.
Challenges to food security including climate change, land degradation, and water scarcity.
Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander practices for managing Country.
The impact of consumer choices and global supply chains on food security.
Vertical farming, lab-grown meat, and genetically modified organisms.
Managing Australia's scarcest resource for agriculture and the environment.
Geographies of Interconnections
How people, through their choices and actions, are connected to places throughout the world.
The movement of goods, services, and capital in a globalised economy.
The economic, social, and environmental effects of international travel.
The impact of the internet and social media on global connections.
The cultural and economic dominance of multinational corporations.
Tracing the journey of products from raw materials to consumers.
Economics, Civics and Citizenship
Australia's political system and its place in the global economy.
The roles of the Executive, Judiciary, and Legislature in a constitutional monarchy.
How Australia’s economy is linked to the performance of other nations.
The importance of the High Court in interpreting the Constitution and protecting rights.
The impact of automation and the "gig economy" on the Australian workforce.
The role of Australia in international agreements and human rights.
The legal protections for consumers and the ethics of consumption.