European settlement of Australia began in the late part of______ when a British penal colo

European settlement of Australia began in the late part of______ when a British penal colony was established on the east coast of the continent.

A．the 16th century

B．the 17th century

C．the 18th century

D．the 19th century

请帮忙给出正确答案和分析，谢谢！