...Ned Kelly is Australia's most infamous bushranger. Throughout the years, that time has passed and culture has changed, our fascination with Ned Kelly's story abides. Through his trademark iron helmet and armour, he has managed to hold our attention. Ned Kelly's story has been argued and re-told over and over again, but the question still remains, is he a hero or a villain? For some, Ned Kelly is known as a hero, as he stood up for his beliefs and what he believed was right. He was a victim of fraudulent police and forced to become an outlaw. The people saw him as Australia's equivalent to Robin Hood, as he was known to bring back the money he stole to the poor. This earned Ned Kelly the title of ‘The People's Hero', as most of the poor despised the police and knew them as selfish and corrupt. He brought justice to the use of black trackers and the Felons Apprehension Act and was seen in a new light by many upon reading The Jerilderie Letter that explains the reasons and circumstances that lead to his actions, such as his hatred towards the police after his sister was assaulted by Constable Fitzpatrick, who had also jailed his mother for apparently hitting him over the head with a shovel....
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...history. Whilst some people prefer to see the outbreak as a simple criminal incident between an outlaw and the police, most historians view it as a broader sociological phenomenon, involving conflict between a larger rural community and the colonial authorities. An important issue for historians has been to understand the underlying causes of this criminal outbreak, whether it was mainly due to personal, ethnic or socio-economic factors. This essay will critically examine each of these explanations and argue that the actions of the Kellys and their supporters, and the reactions of the police can best be understood in terms of broad socio-economic developments in rural Victoria at the time. In his article, Ned Kelly's Sympathisers, Doug Morrissey suggests that Kelly's Irish heritage was largely responsible for the Kelly outbreak 1. To support his claim, he points to the intense emotional relationships in the Quinn/Kelly clan and the high percentage of Irish sympathisers among Ned's supporters 2. Ned Kelly was clearly imbued with a sense of his Irish heritage, but the evidence does not suggest that this was a major contributing factor in the outbreak. Public sympathy, it seemed, crossed social and ethnic barriers 3 and was quite widespread, especially after the Euroa National Bank robbery, where the efficiency, lack of violence and manner of the gang were well noted 4. Furthermore, Ned once stated that he considered himself an Australian rather than an Irishman, and his lifestyle...
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...Ned Kelly: Hero or Villain Is Edward ‘Ned’ Kelly a hero, or a villain? What are the definitions of a hero and a villain? Hero: (pl. heroes) noun 1. A person, typically a man, who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Villain: noun 1. (Fem. Villainess) (In a film, novel, or play) a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot. 2. A criminal 3. The person or thing responsible for specified problems, harm, or damage. Terrorism: noun 1. The unofficial or unauthorised use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims. There are many different stories out there about what really happened with Ned Kelly. All of them have different views. No one will really be able to know what actually happened, because we weren’t there to experience it and know what really happened. Some say that Ned was the one that shot Constable Fitzpatrick in the wrist, and others say that his mother is the one that shot Fitzpatrick and nursed him back to health before Fitzpatrick left their house. Edward ‘Ned’ Kelly was born in June 1855 at Beveridge, Victoria. He was the first son born to John ‘Red’ Kelly and Ellen Quinn Kelly. He had 7 other siblings: Dan Kelly, Kate Kelly, Margaret Kelly Skillion, James Kelly, Mary Jane Kelly, Anne Kelly Gunn and Grace Kelly. The Kelly family moved from Beveridge, Victoria to Avenel, Victoria in 1864. Ned and his siblings started their schooling at Avenel. One day in 1865, Ned saved...
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