On this day, January the 26th, in the year of 1788, British ships filled with convicts arrived in Australia, beginning the British Colonization of the continent.

In 1786, the British government had told Author Phillip to direct work camps for convicts in the still vastly unexplored land. With little to get supplies and people (other than convicts) to the island, they eventually set sail.

The first couple of years of colonization in Australia was difficult, but after a while, it started to turn around, and on the thirtieth anniversary of the day, it became a holiday (Britannica) (History).

In the present day, around twenty percent of Australians can take their roots back to convicts (Migration Museum).

To read more daily facts and tidbits and about British history, see the Barron Perspectives “On this Day Archives” webpage and articles such as “On This Day – October 4th 2021 (Crimean War” and “(Zimmermann Note) On This Day – January 16th”.