History of Singapore Flashcards
What did Raffles do for early Singapore?
- Devised plans to turn SG into a free port
- Raffles’ Town Plan
- Law and order: instituted a local magistrate
- Established The Singapore Institution and the Singapore Library
What did William Farquhar do?
Developed Singapore by dealing with pests and crime
What did Crawford do?
Realized Raffles’ vision
- increase in population, trade and revenue
- abolished port fees
- legalized and regulated gambling
- introduced licenses for pawnbrokers and for the manufacture and sale of gunpowder
- used convict labor to build roads and bridges
- street lighting
- managed troops
- allotted land for religious buildings
Who were the early settlers and what did they contribute?
British: Government officials and merchants
Malay: Traders of local produce
Chinese: Traders, merchants & plantation owners (cash crops like rubber, pepper), tailors, barbers, carpenters and other skilled trades
Indian: Money change, milkman, policeman
Why did Singapore’s trade flourish?
- geography
- free port
- free trade
- good trading services (shipping, banking, insurance)
- safety (combat pirates)
How was Singapore governed from 1826 to 1867 under the East India Company?
- Singapore, Melaka and Penang made up the Straits Settlements.
- Straits Settlements were run by a governor in Singapore
- Governor reports to the governor-general in India
Why did the British government assume direct rule over Singapore?
- Singapore grew beyond the capabilities of a company to look after
- India had also became under British rule in 1858
What were the changes with becoming a Crown Colony?
- British government was more willing than the East India Company to spend resources to build and develop Singapore
- The police force was strengthened but it had little connections with the Chinese since it lacked Chinese members
- The Chinese Protectorate was established and got various Chinese secret societies, coolie houses and prostitution houses to register
- Education: set up schools for different races
- Medical care: set up hospitals and a medical college
How were Singaporeans treated during the Japanese Occupation?
- Malays were sent to build the death railway
- Indians were given the choice to join the Indian National Army (INA) and fight against Britain in India
- Chinese were most severely punished because of the support they gave to China to resist the Japanese forces when Japan attacked China in 1937
- Kempeitai and informers helped to enforce law and order
- Schools were taught in Japanese
- Sook Ching Massacre targeted possible rebels but did not bother properly investigating, killing indiscriminately and mercilessly
What were the post war problems Singapore faced?
- Shortage of food, water and electricity
- Shortage of houses, unhygienic living conditions
- Education problem, insufficient schools and teachers
- Spread of communism
What were the issues negotiated between Singapore and Malaya?
- Common market
- The Borneo Loan
- Constitution (seats in return for control over labor policy and education policies)
- Citizenship (cannot vote but can run for elections in the other’s country)
- Malay rights
What led to the separation of Malaysia and Singapore?
Race
- Racial riots
- LKY’s push for Malaysian Malaysia, racial equality meaning no special rights for Malays
Economic rivalry
- KL delayed common market
- SG reduced loan in retaliation
- KL wanted more money from SG
- closing of Bank of China
Political
- The Alliance (Malaysia) did not win any seats at the 1963 Singapore GE
- PAP won 1 seat in the 1964 Federal Election
What are the social and political issues we faced at the start of our independence?
- Housing
- Nation & Community Building
- Corruption
- Utilities
- Education
- Transportation
