Unit 1: How connected was early Singapore to the region and the world?

What was the importance of John Crawfurd to Singapore?

-He was Singapore's 2nd British resident -He was trained as a doctor but transformed into a diplomat for the British government -Championed local traders' interests back in Britain

What was the importance of Sir Stamford Raffles to Singapore?

-He was the "founder" of modern Singapore -He was hired as an agent of the East India Company (EIC) -He signed a contract with the Sultan's brother to establish Singapore

Why was the Srivijaya Kingdom such an important port of call? (What caused its rise) Why was this important?

-It had a good location situated at the Southern entrance of the Straits of Melaka -Had a good port at Palembang -Able to suppress pirates with its strong navy -Served as a centre for local produces eg spices and scented wood -Collapse of Srivijaya meant that other smaller states could rise to power -Traders who were previously forced to trade with Srivijaya could trade elsewhere eg. Singapore

How was the Melaka Sultanate established?

-It was founded in 1401 by Parameswara -He escaped from a war in Majapahit (he was formerly a prince in Palembang) -When he killed Tamagi (the ruler of Singapore at the time), and the ruler of Siam (the kingdom which protected Singapore at the time) found out, he sent his warriors to Temasek to kill Parameswara, and Parameswara had to flee north to save himself -When he was taking a rest under a Melaka tree, he saw a mousedeer kick one of his hunting dogs. He was amazed by the bravery of the mousedeer and ddecided to settle there. He named the place Melaka.

How did monsoons benefit Temasek?

When the traders from the west of the Indian Ocean and the coasts of the South China Sea were unable to meet (due to the monsoons), they would seek the help from the middlemen stationed in Temasek. The middlemen acted as their agents that helped the traders to collect and exchange goods from one group of traders to another group. This allowed Temasek traders to take the opportunity to do business with them.

What significant event took place in 1819?

-Sir Stamford Raffles arrived in Singapore and established Singapore as a British trading settlement and made it an important trading centre in the region

Who was Wang Dayuan and how were his observations proven?

-A chinese trader who happened to mention Temasek as a thriving trading settlement in his accounts -His observations have been proven using archaeological evidence

The Sejarah Melayu

-Also known as "Malay Annals" -Literary work about the life of people in Singapore in the 13th and 14th centuries -Found by Sang Nila Utama

What is the Silk Road and what are its two routes?

-An overland trade route that connected China through Central Asia to the Roman Empire Eastern Mediterranean to Central Asia, Central Asia to China

What caused Singapore's decline again in the mid 17th century?

-Political changes in the region. After 1610, the Dutch decided to focus on the Sunda Striats and not the Straits of Melaka and established their main base in Asia at Batavia. The also took Melaka away from the Portugese successfully in 1641, which caused maritime traffic to shift away from Singapore by the 18th century. -Political crisis in the Johor Sultanate. After the assassination of childless Sultan Shah II in 1699, the dynasty of Sultans that claimed to be from the direct descendants of Sang Nila Utama was ended. The capital of the Johor Sultanate was then moved to Riau and Britain was developed into the main regional emporium, which caused trading activities to move away from Singapore -Competition from other regional ports. By the 18th century, many regional ports including Riau had replaced Singapore as a centre of trade that linked the Indian Ocean with the South China Sea -As many ships bypassed Singapore, the population of Singapore and the nearby coastal regions declined.

What was the role of Temasek during its control by Melaka Sultanate?

-Pretty much abandoned since Melaka was a better trading port than Temasek -Temasek served little purpose and there wasn't any seerious economic activity there

What significant events took place in 1299?

-Sang Nila Utama arrived in Temasek and changed its name to 'Singapura' -He developed a settlement (a permenant or temporary community of people who live in a particular area) on the northern bank of the Singapore river -This place was a busy port during the 14th century

Why was Singapore considered to have a favourable location?

-Shortest route between China and India -Monsoon winds -Convenient for thriving maritime routes

What caused the fall of the Srivijaya Kingdom in the 13th century?

-The kingdom had faced external threats. For example, it was invaded by the Chloe Kingdom of fouthern India, the Siamese Kingdom and Majapahit from Java -Traders enjoyed a shorter sea route when they shifted their trade activities from the Sunda Straits (where the Kingdom or Srivijaya is located) to the Straits of Melaka (at the end of Malaysia

What caused the rise of Temasek as a trading port and when was it?

-The rise of Temasek took place in the 14th century -It was due to the fall of the Srivijaya Kingdom, its role as an entrepot port (a port or centre where goods are brought for import or export, and for collection or distribution) and the advantages of the monsoon winds

What led to the rise of the Melaka Sultanate? (how did it become an important trading port)

-To attract Muslim traders, Parameswara married a Muslim princess from Sumatra and converted to Islam -Parameswara also fostered strong relations with the Ming Dynasty of China so that the navy of China would help to maintain the safety in the region. This attracted foreign traders to sail to Melaka as the safety of their goods was guaranteed -The ruler also appointed harbour masters, called Shahbandars, to oversee the needs of the merchants from all over the world. -It had a convenient location (for traders travelling between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea)

What was the role of Singapore during its control by the Johor-Riau Sultanate?

1. Temasek served as a port for goods flowing into Johor 2. Geographically more accessible by sea than Johor 3. No significant military/political value

What are the factors that led to the decline of Singapore by the 15th century?

1. The rise of Melaka (Melaka became a dominant trading centre in the region because of the reasons stated in the previous card. The popularity of Melaka had caused Singapore to lose its status. Moreover, it caused SIngapore to fall in its importance as a trading centre linking the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea as The Straits of Melaka was situated at the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, so it provided excellent shelter from the prevailing storms in the oceans for traders all over the world.) 2. Climatic and economic changes (There were severe changes in weather patterns in the 14th century, which led to droughts and famine in China. This then caused the Chinese economy to collapse, causing trading activities between China and Southeast Asia to drop. Singapore's economy could've suffered from this as well because China was one of Singapore's major sources of wealth). 3. External threats (Early Singapore faced invasions from the Kingdom of Majapahit and Atutthaya in Thailand. These threats could have caused the decline in Singapore's popularity as receiving threats from the larger powers in the region may have discouraged traders from other parts of the world to trade in Singapore)

What is the difference between overland and maritime trade and why did people make the shift from overland trade to maritime trade?

Overland trade: items of trade being transported across the land (eg. the silk road) Maritime trade: trade being carried out through sea routes (eg. the spice route) Why did maritime trade routes become so popular? -Increase in ship building technologies (safer) -Faster than overland routes (difference of months) -Bigger capacity for goods than overland routes

Who were the Europeans that arrived in Asia from the 15th century?

Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands

When was Singapore's decline as a trading port?

The 15th century and the mid 17th century

Are magazines written or pictorial sources of evidence?

Written