History / Year 10 / Historical Skills / Historical questions and research

• TLF-IDM015809

Discover what it was like to go shopping in Australia during World War II. See how people in the 1940s had to live with restrictions on how much they could buy (rationing). Find out how rationing was an attempt to make the distribution of necessary goods, such as food and clothing, equal for everybody.

• TLF-IDM019320

The Nazis established hundreds of ghettos, mainly in Eastern Europe, to isolate the Jews from the rest of the population and to control them more effectively. In the ghettos, Jews were forced to work for the Germans as slave labourers. What was life like in these over-crowded ghettos? Many died due to harsh conditions, ...

• TLF-IDM015439

Can you imagine life before television? How different would it have been? This clip is taken from the opening moments of the first ABC television broadcast in 1956. As you watch it, see how the presenter describes the event and try to imagine the impact such first broadcasts would have had on Australians more than half ...

• TLF-IDM017394

Discover the hazards and the extreme hardships experienced by Australians fighting the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. In this ABC Open report, World War II veteran Russell Blanch recalls some of his experiences while serving in an Australian commando company in the rugged mountains and dense jungles of New Guinea.

• TLF-IDM016096

Do you think Australian governments have always acted wisely when deciding to send young Australians to wars? Does the public usually know enough to support such decisions? On 29 April 1965, Australia's prime minister, Robert Menzies, announced the decision to send Australian troops to fight in Vietnam. In this clip, filmed ...

• TLF-IDM017497

Did you know that during World War II Australians played a key role in the unsuccessful struggle to save Greece from invasion by Nazi Germany? This clip from the ABC's Victorian news reports on a ceremony in which Greek Government representatives honoured Australian veterans of that ill-fated battle fought in 1941.

• TLF-IDM015738

Can you imagine nuclear bombs being exploded in Australia, over your home? Between 1953 and 1963, the Australian Government led by Robert Menzies allowed Britain to test nuclear bombs in the open air at sites in Australia. These sites included Maralinga in South Australia. It was the land of the Maralinga Tjarutja people ...

• TLF-IDM015580

Australia has never been invaded. Nevertheless, isolated attacks on Australian soil have killed and injured hundreds of people, destroyed property, and made many people fearful of a large-scale invasion. In July 1942, Japanese aircraft attacked Townsville, Queensland, bombing the wharf and the surrounding area. This audio ...

• TLF-IDM016231

These are online resources for the topic Australia in the Vietnam War Era, including music, images and links to archival video clips from Australian Screen with teachers' notes.

• TLF-IDM017539

Does music have the power to change the world? From the 1950s rock 'n' roll to later popular music of the 60s and 70s, music encouraged teenagers to rebel against the ideas and beliefs of earlier generations and, in some instances, to change society for the better. In this clip, explore some of these changes from the perspective ...