Income tax and welfare in Australia, then and now

SubjectHistory YearYear 9 CurriculumAC v8.4 Time60

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Introduction

Students explore continuity and change in relation to tax collection and the provision of welfare since Federation. They consider the historical significance of the Commonwealth’s introduction of income tax during World War I, including its relationship to the welfare system Australia currently enjoys. Students write an evidenced-based explanation and a bibliography. 

Australian Curriculum or Syllabus

Achievement standard

By the end of Year 9, students refer to key events and the actions of individuals and groups to explain patterns of change and continuity over time. They analyse the causes and effects of events and developments and make judgments about their importance. They explain the motives and actions of people at the time. Students explain the significance of these events and developments over the short and long term. They explain different interpretations of the past.

Students sequence events and developments within a chronological framework, with reference to periods of time and their duration. When researching, students develop different kinds of questions to frame a historical inquiry. They interpret, process, analyse and organise information from a range of primary and secondary sources and use it as evidence to answer inquiry questions. Students examine sources to compare different points of view. When evaluating these sources, they analyse origin and purpose, and draw conclusions about their usefulness. They develop their own interpretations about the past. Students develop texts, particularly explanations and discussions, incorporating historical interpretations. In developing these texts and organising and presenting their conclusions, they use historical terms and concepts, evidence identified in sources, and they reference these sources.

Content descriptions

Historical Knowledge and Understanding

The impact of World War I, with a particular emphasis on Australia including the changing role of women (ACDSEH096).

Historical Skills

Process and synthesise information from a range of sources for use as evidence in an historical argument (ACHHS170).

Develop texts, particularly descriptions and discussions that use evidence from a range of sources that are referenced (ACHHS174).

Select and use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written) and digital technologies (ACHHS175).

Teacher resources

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Visualiser

Writing paragraphs in History

Student learning resources

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Sources

Tax and welfare on the home front - Sources

 
Worksheet

Sources recording table

 
How to

Writing a bibliography in History

 
Model

Bibliography example for History

 
How to

Writing paragraphs in History

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Suggested activity sequence

This sequence is intended as a framework to be modified and adapted by teachers to suit the needs of a class group.

Part A: Exploring continuity and change

  1. Use a grouping strategy to organise students into groups of 4.
  2. Groups read source Q and identify the:
    • impact of World War 1 on the role of tax revenue collection in Australia
    • extent to which income tax has changed or remained the same since World War I.
  3. Groups read source R and compare welfare payments that now exist with those that existed in World War I. Ask:
    • What differences exist?
    • What has changed in relation to Australia’s provision of welfare since World War I?
  4. Think-pair-share: What is the historical significance of the introduction of Commonwealth income taxes in Australia during World War I?

Part B: Writing an evidence-based historical explanation

  1. Students develop a bibliography based on the sources in Tax and welfare on the home front. To do this, they will need:
  2. Explicitly teach how paragraphs are structured using the Writing paragraphs in History – Visualiser and/or refer students to Writing paragraphs in History – Model.
  3. Students write 1-2 paragraphs explaining the historical significance of the introduction of income tax in 1915.

Useful prior learning