From the author of The Shortest History of Europe, acclaimed historian John Hirst, comes this fresh and stimulating approach to understanding Australia's past and present. Hirst asks and answers questions that get to the heart of Australia's history: Why did Aborigines not take up farming? How did a penal colony change peacefully into a democratic society? Why was Australia so prosperous so early? Why did the colonies federate? What effect did convict origins have on national character? Why was the postwar migration programme such a success? Why is Australia not a republic? Engaging and enjoyable, and written for the novice and the expert alike, Australian History in Seven Questions explains how we became the nation we are today.