Chapter 3: Why did People Come to Colonial Singapore Before World War Two? Flashcards
What were the travelling conditions on board some ships coming to colonial Singapore before World War Two like? or What might the conditions have been like for the people on board the ships travelling to colonial Singapore before World War Two?
For the workers, many of them travelled in the lowest class of accommodation below the deck, in the hull of the ship. The conditions were bad because: 1. The people were packed like cattle. 2. Sanitary conditions were poor. 3. Toilet and bathing facilities were hardly adequate / enough. 4. The deck passengers did not even have a bed. They brought with them an old mat and laid close to each other. 5. Food was of poor quality. 6. Due to cramped living conditions and factors 1-5 above, diseases were rampant. Many people would fall sick by the end of the journey.
Were the workers, i.e. the deck passengers well-treated?
No. They were not treated like human beings.
Where were some of the people travelling to Colonial Singapore (i.e. immigrants) before World War Two from?
South East Asia, Europe, Arabia, India, Malay Archipelago, China.
Define “immigrants”.
People who move into a country to work or live there.
What were some of the possible reasons why early immigrants decided to come to Singapore on ships in the 19th and the early 20th centuries (i.e. before World War Two) despite the difficult conditions on board?
- Push factors such as: a. Poverty and starvation caused by overpopulation and natural disasters (e.g. famines and epidemics in Java) thus leading the people to look for a better life elsewhere; b. Unrest and instability (e.g. wars in Java, rebellions, wars, clan wars, civil wars and lawlessness in China, wars and rebellions in India); 2. Pull Factors such as: a. Better trade and business opportunities b. Better job prospects
What was the most popular mode of transport for the workers who travelled to colonial Singapore before World War Two?
Ship Transport
What class of accommodation were these workers in?
The lowest class of accommodation below the deck, in the hull of the ship.
Why were the workers who travelled in the lowest class of accommodation not treated like human beings?
- The people were packed like cattle. 2. Sanitary conditions were poor. 3. Toilet and bathing facilities were hardly adequate / enough. 4. The deck passengers did not even have a bed. They brought with them an old mat and laid close to each other. 5. Food was of poor quality. Due to cramped living conditions and factors 1-5 above, diseases were rampant. Many people would fall sick by the end of the journey.
Despite such / very difficult travelling conditions, did the people still choose to migrate / move to / emigrate to Singapore?
Yes.
What happened to the population of Singapore as a consequence / result of this migration in the 19th and early 20th centuries?
The population of the island grew very quickly.
What was the population in Singapore estimated to be when Raffles first arrived?
Around 500 people was estimated to be living on the island when Raffles first arrived.
What was the population estimated to be by 1901?
The population was estimated to have grown to more than 223,500, i.e. it had increased by more than 40 times in less than 100 years.
