History Sbq Skills

HISTORY NOTES YEAR 2 2011 @ DHS
Pre 1819 Singapore (Myths, Legends, Singapura)
Traditional views on Pre 1819 Singapore History * Small fishing village * Raffles came, Singapore was inhabited by a few hundred Malays and Orang Laut * Before 1819, Singapore History was non-existent and unimportant

1. Can historians use myths and legends of a country as evidence? 2. How do historians use archaeological evidence historical records to write history of a place? 3. What was Singapore really like before the arrival of the Europeans? * What are your views about myths? Why or why not?
Reliability of a source 1. Source can be unreliable 2. Facts can be more reliable than opinions 3. Valid opinions can be reliable
FACTS A specific statement, events and happenings that can be easily proved and checked.
OPINION A person’s belief or view of what has happened (include words which conveys thoughts and feelings) 1. Valid opinion- supported by facts 2. Invalid opinion- not supported by facts and cannot be checked for accuracy
BIAS can be found in most historical sources (varying degrees and for different reasons) * Means that it favors one side and gives one particular of view of an event * Biased source still can be useful to historians
Intentional BIAS * Deliberately distorted or falsified * Achieved through telling lies * Missing out facts * Using extreme language
Limited access to information
Purpose behind a source * There’s always a reason
Beliefs or feelings of the producer of the source * Objected to opinions * May caused by prejudiced against a race

Official documents
Painting
Diary entries
Photograph
Primary sources
(Created by people with specific goals or strong personal opinion)
TO DETECT BIAS * Author/ creator * Timeframe and state of mind * Content * Audience * Purpose * Choice of words (emphasis in details)
DEFINE RELIABILITY * Characteristics that the same or similar results can be obtained through repeated experiments
RELIABILITY OF A SOURCE * How much can we believe or trust somebody * How accurate or dependable something or somebody is
UNRELIABLE SOURCE * Contains factual errors & exaggerations & distortions * Was written long after the event it describes * Inconsistent with similar source * Shows bias * Was produced for a particular purpose which might affect its reliability
RELIABLE SOURCE * Consistency of author’s account of the truth and the truth is verifiable * Is supported by other sources and contextual knowledge

Colonialism Explorers lived in prehistoric times and search for new sources of food and shelter
Southeast Asia is the group of states lying between India and China which is common in: * Racial Make up * Language * Culture * Religion * Geographical proximity * Rice producing (fishing community)
DEFINE COLONIALISM * A system which a state claims sovereignty over territory and people outside its own boundaries, often to facilitate economic domination over their resources, labor and often markets. This term also refers to a set of beliefs used to legitimized or promote this system especially the belief that the values of the colonizer are superior to those of the colonized.
ECONOMIC TRADE * Spice trade (great source of wealth for the Europeans) Those people who gained control over the spice trade could be assured of great profits and power * China trade Produce silk and porcelain
China trade was dominated by the Dutch in 17th and 18th century then the British in the 19th century
China was also seen as a market for European goods
[Britain exported textiles and opium to China and imported Chinese Tea, silk and porcelain]
Control over Southeast Asia would provide convenient stopovers for European traders.
IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN EUROPE * New products = the need for new markets and raw materials * Risk of new businesses * British and Dutch desire to colonize Southeast Asia stemmed from desire to secure markets & raw materials & investment opportunities
*lead to rivalry between European powers
POLITICIAL STRATEGIC: power and rivalries
Stemmed from mercantilism and nation pride
(“my gain is your loss” and “more territories=more power and prestige)
To get the maximum benefits a country had to ensure that their competitors did not get the same opportunities
SOCIAL RELIGION/ EDUCATION/ GENERAL WELFARE * Based in the belief that the non-European people were childlike and uncivilized * (social Darwinism)
METHODS OF COLONIALISM * Wars against rivals * Signing treaties with local chiefs * Interfering with local politics to extend colonial influence * Conquests of territories
EFFECTS OF COLONIALISM * Positive
Economic development * Agricultural improvement * Teak industries in Burma * Tin and rubber industries in Malaya * Singapore’s rise as a center for entrepot trade * Communication and transportation systems
Social development * Improvement in the education and welfare of people in Southeast Asia such as Health services
Political development * Rise and spread of nationalism to fight for independence
LEADS TO: * Western ideas of democracy * Rise of educated middleclass * Impact of WW1 * Nationalist movements in other Asia countries

* Negative
Economic Exploitation * Brought hardships to the people at Indonesia * led to suffering and famine
Social
* Decline and dilution of local traditions and culture in some places * Rise of plural societies
Political
* Violence and unrest
COLONIALISM
* Europeans came in increasing numbers to East to trade * Europeans created colonies all over the world * By the end of 19th century, nearly all of the world were colonized by the Europeans * Colonialism thus is a very important concept in history * Without colonialism, modern Singapore might not have existed at all.
FOUNDING OF MODERN SINGAPORE
Colonialism
* What were the reasons for colonialism? * What were the positive and negative effects which colonialism brought to the indigenous people?
Dutch in Southeast Asia * Early 1900s, the Dutch controlled most of the Archipelago trade because they occupied many areas in the Archipelago including Melaka and Java * Other traders could not trade at other places except Batavian Java * Dutch enforced a trade monopoly in the region
The British traders * Worked in trading company called East India Company (EIC) * Carried out trade with India and China * Had 2 trading settlements at Penang and Bencoolen * The Dutch monopoly would affect the British trade.
FOUNDING OF SINGAPORE * Why did the British need a new trading settlement? * Why Singapore was chosen? * How did founders contribute to the settling up of a trading settlement in Singapore?
Raffles and the founding of Singapore * In 1818, Raffles was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Bencoolen and saw how the Dutch were spreading their monopoly of trade to more areas in the Malay Archipelago * Raffles realized that Penang and Bencoolen were not ideal parts as they were relatively far from the main trading areas. * He saw the need for a trading settlement that could compete with the Dutch.
DEFINE MONOPOLY a total control of trade activities within a region or country or area.
Establishing a British settlement in Singapore * Signing of the 1819 treaty with Tengku Hussein
PROBLEM: Singapore belonged to the Johor- Riau Sultanate * Anglo- Dutch treaty in 1824
PROBLEM: Dutch protested against the British settlement in Singapore

WHY WAS SINGAPORE CHOOSEN? 1. Strategic geographical location * Singapore was on the main trading route between India and China, and hence it could be used to protect British ships sailing along this route. * It was located at the Southern tip of the straits of Melaka which was near the main trading area of the Archipelago. 2. Excellent port * Its harbor has deep water * It can protect ships from strong monsoon winds 3. Not occupied by the Dutch * Dutch had control of Melaka and Bencoolen but not Singapore * This meant that British could set up a trading center there * Raffles had been instructed by his superiors not to antagonize the Dutch. British were not willing to go to war with the Dutch over the matter.
Problems the British faced in settling up a new trading settlement in Singapore * Sultan Abdul Rahman was under Dutch influence * Sultan Abdul Rahman would never sign a treaty with the British * The British would not be allowed to set up a trading base in Singapore. * The British would not be allowed to break up Dutch monopoly of trade in Southeast Asia.
How did the British manage to outsmart the Dutch in settling a trading base in Singapore? * Raffles found an opportunity in succession dispute in the Johore sultanate * Raffles took advantage of the dispute knowing that the eldest son must be the rightful successor to a ruler. * Raffles recognized Tengku Hussein (the eldest son) as the rightful sultan of Johore.
How did Raffles make use of the succession dispute? * Raffles found out that when the old sultan of Johor died, his younger son, Abdul Rahman was made the sultan instead of his elder son, Tengku Hussein, who was away in Pahang. * By Malay custom, the eldest son should have succeeded the throne. * Raffles decided to recognize the elder son Tengku Hussein as the rightful sultan of Johor.
Treaty of 6 Feb 1819 between the British and Sultan Hussein of Johor * Treaty is an agreement between 2 government to resolve a conflict * 6 Feb 1819, on official ceremony was held in which Raffles recognized Tengku Hussein as the sultan of Johor. * Sultan Hussein and the Temengong signed a treaty with the British.
Terms of Treaty of 6 Feb 1819 * British was allowed to set up a trading settlement in Singapore * Sultan Hussein receive $5,000 a year from the British * Temengong receive $3,000 a year

FOUNDER OF SINGAPORE
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (1781-1826) * 1781 born on board the ship at sea off Jamaica * Mostly self-educated, joined the EIC at the age of 14. * 1805, assistant secretary to the governor of Penang * 1816 he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Bencoolen, Sumatra * 1819 he established a settlement in Singapore to extend the British influence in southeast Asia
William Farquhar (1770-1839) * Joined the EIC as a cadet in 1970 * Served Malacca for 27 years * Took a Malay wife and was known locally as the Raja of Malacca * Was asked to assist Raffles in establishing a trading post south of the Malacca straits and a new settlement * First Resident(term for a leader) and Commandant of Singapore in 1819
What did Farquhar do for Singapore? * Attracted settlers and traders onto the island * Dealt with the disorders on the island by setting up a small police force * Rid the island of its pests
John Crawfurd (August 13, 1783- May 11, 1808) * Scottish physician and colonial administrator and author * Appointed as the second resident of Singapore after Raffles’ removal of Farquhar * During a period of rapid population growth, he administered it firmly and with fairness until 1826 * He negotiated a treaty with the Malay rulers and finalized it on 2 August 1824,, which ceded Singapore infill sovereignty and property to the EIC.

IMPACTS OF IMMIGRANTS
History from below
Contributions to growth * People’s history/ history from below is a type of historical narrative. * It attempts to account for historical events from the perspective of common people rather than political * Until recently, history was often regarded as solely a matter of what the powerful, the famous, the wealthy thought and did (history from above) * What ordinary people felt and what they tried to accomplish was regarded insignificant not even worth regarding as part of history.
History from below seeks to take as its subjects (ordinary people) and concentrate on their experiences and perspectives.
Contrasting itself with the stereotype of traditional political history and its focus on the actions of ‘great man’.
WHO’s the founder of Singapore?
Can we also consider the early immigrants our founder?

SBQ skill (tone, purpose) must cross reference
Provenance- things to note:
-identify an author’s background and relationships with the person/ event(s) he is describing can help to cast light on the author’s biasness and purpose & the source’s reliability.
Motive and propaganda purpose (4 “As”)
Author who is the speaker/ writer/ cartoonist etc.?
Action what is the source trying to do?
Audience Target audience
Achievement intended outcome (support them, accept their viewpoint / oppose other country, make them support etc.)
-purpose is the end result that the author wishes to achieve through the message (it is the IMPACT the message will have on someone else) Analysis of how the reliability of a source might be affected by the audience at which it is directed (it is the idea of audience)
LOOKING at utility * Analyze the individual item to find out its utility value against given requirements * Check specific aspects in the item against other sources/contextual knowledge to identify limitations and to establish its utility. * Reach a conclusion on the degree of its usefulness and its possible impact, based on a reasoned consideration of your findings. * Study content of source to decide if it helps you to understand what is asked of the question * Study the content again and check what the source does not tell you about the issue you are asked (identify gaps in info) * Check specific aspects in the given source against other sources/ contextual knowledge to identify limitations and to establish its utility
Important to refer to other sources and use contextual knowledge to explain how the source is limited in its usefulness