Penal colony

A Penal Colony is a colony used to detain prisoners and generally use them for penal labor in an economically underdeveloped part of the state's (usually colonial) territories, and on a far larger scale than the prison farm. The prison regime was always harsh, often including severe corporal punishment.

History

The British used North America as a Penal Colony through the system of indentured servants, though it is unknown if criminals were considered indentured servants or some other type of labor.

Related Topics:
British - North America - Indentured servant

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When that avenue closed in the 1780s after the American Revolution, Britain began using parts of modern day Australia as Penal Colonies. Some of these early colonies were Norfolk Island (which became the flogging hell meant to deter even the most hardened criminals- see cat o' nine tails), Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales. Advocates of Irish Home Rule or of Trade Unionism (the Tolpuddle Martyrs) often received sentences of transportation (the harsh regime started during the long shipping) to these Australian colonies.

Related Topics:
1780s - American Revolution - Norfolk Island - Cat o' nine tails - Van Diemen's Land - New South Wales - Irish - Home Rule - Trade Union - Tolpuddle Martyrs - Sentence - Transportation

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In colonial India, the Britishers had made various penal colonies. two of the most (in)famous ones are at Andaman islands and Hijli.

Related Topics:
Andaman islands - Hijli

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

France sent criminals to tropical penal colonies. Devil's Island in French Guiana received forgers and other criminals. New Caledonia in Melanesia (South Sea) received dissidents like the Communards for a time.

Related Topics:
France - Tropical - Devil's Island - French Guiana - New Caledonia - Communard

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Both Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union used Siberia as a penal colony for criminals and dissidents. Though geographically contiguous with heartland Russia, Siberia provided both remoteness and a harsh climate. The Gulag and its tsarist predecessor, the katorga system, provided slave-type labor to develop forestry, logging and mining industries, construction enterprises, as well as highways and railroads across Siberia.

Related Topics:
Russia - Soviet Union - Siberia - Dissidents - Climate - Gulag - Katorga - Forestry - Logging - Mining - Highway - Railroads

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~