Question

During the early decades of British settlement Australia was considered a

Answer 1

During the early decades of British settlement Australia was considered a "A) penal colony," since the British needed a place to "unload" the large number of criminals that were plaguing society. 

Answer 2

During the early decades of British settlement, Australia was considered a penal colony. The refers to the fact that most of the country's early inhabitants were prisoners who had been sentenced to many years of hard labor in the colony, so the answer choice would be, A).