Founding of modern Singapore - wikipedia Founding of modern Singapore Part of a series on the History of Singapore Early history ( pre-1819 ) Srivijaya 650 -- 1377 Temasek c. 14th century Kingdom of Singapura 1299 -- 1398 Malacca Sultanate 1400 -- 1511 Johor Sultanate 1528 - 1819 British colonial era ( 1819 -- 1942 ) Founding 1819 -- 26 Straits Settlements 1826 -- 67 Crown colony 1867 -- 1942 Japanese Occupation ( 1942 -- 45 ) Battle of Singapore 1942 Sook Ching 1942 Post-war period ( 1945 -- 62 ) First Legislative Council 1948 -- 51 Maria Hertogh riots 1950 Second Legislative Council 1951 -- 55 Anti-National Service Riots 1954 Internal self - government ( 1955 -- 63 ) Hock Lee bus riots 1955 Merger with Malaysia ( 1963 -- 65 ) Singaporean referendum 1962 Operation Coldstore 1963 Race riots in Singapore 1964 MacDonald House bombing 1965 Republic of Singapore ( 1965 -- present ) ASEAN Declaration ( ASEAN ) 1967 1969 race riots of Singapore 1969 Singaporean haze crisis 1972 -- present Laju incident Operation Spectrum East Asian financial crisis Embassies attack plot SARS outbreak Little India riot 2013 By topic Timeline Riots Singapore portal The establishment of a British trading post in Singapore in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles led to its founding as a British colony in 1824. This event has generally been understood to mark the founding of colonial Singapore, a break from its status as a port in ancient times during the Srivijaya and Majapahit eras, and later, as part of Melaka and Johor. Contents 1 Pre-colonial Singapore 2 Raffles ' landing and arrival 3 Singapore Treaty 4 Early growth ( 1819 -- 1826 ) 4.1 Treaty of Friendship and Alliance 5 Straits Settlements 6 References Precolonial Singapore Main article : Early history of Singapore A significant port and settlement, known as Temasek, later renamed Singapura, existed on the island of Singapore in the 14th century. Vietnamese records indicate possible diplomatic relationship between Temasek and Vietnam in the 13th century, and Chinese documents describe settlements there in the 14th century. It was likely a vassal state of both the Majapahit Empire and the Siamese at different times in the 14th century. Around the end of the 14th century, its ruler Parameswara was attacked by either the Majapahit or the Siamese, forcing him to move on to Melaka where he founded the Sultanate of Malacca, Archaeological evidence suggests that the main settlement on Fort Canning was abandoned around this time, although a small - scale trading settlement continued in Singapore for some time afterwards. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the Malay archipelago was gradually taken over by the European colonial powers, beginning with the Portuguese conquest of Malacca Sultanate in 1511. In 1613, the Portuguese burnt down a trading settlement at the mouth of the Singapore River, after which Singapore lapsed into insignificance in the history of the region for two hundred years. The early dominance of the Portuguese was challenged during the 17th century by the Dutch, who came to control most of the region 's ports. The Dutch established a monopoly over trade within the archipelago, particularly in spices, then the region 's most important product. Other colonial powers, including the British, were limited to a relatively minor presence in that period. Raffles ' landing and arrival In 1818, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles was appointed Lieutenant Governor of the British colony at Bencoolen. Raffles believed that the British should find a way to challenge the dominance of the Dutch in the area. The trade route between China and British India passed through the Malacca Strait, and with the growing trade with China, that route would become increasingly important. However, the Dutch had tight control over the trade in the region and intended to enforce the exclusive rights of its company ships to trade, and that trade should be conducted at its entrepot Batavia. British trading ships were heavily taxed at Dutch ports, stifling British trade in the region. Raffles reasoned that the way to challenge the Dutch was to establish a new port in the region. Existing British ports were not in a strategic enough position to becoming major trading centres. Penang was too far north of the southern narrow part of Straits of Malacca controlled by the Dutch, whereas Bencoolen faced the Indian Ocean near the Sunda Strait, a much less important area as it is too far away from the main trading route. Many other possible sites were either controlled by the Dutch, or had other problems. In 1818, Raffles managed to convince Lord Hastings, the then governor - general of India and his superior in the British East India Company, to fund an expedition to establish a new British base in the region, but with the proviso that it should not antagonise the Dutch. Raffles then searched for several weeks. He found several islands that seemed promising, but were either already occupied by the Dutch, or lacked a suitable harbor. Eventually Raffles settled on the island of Singapore, because of its position at the southern tip of the Malay peninsula, near the Straits of Malacca, and possessed an excellent natural harbor, fresh water supplies, and timber for repairing ships. Most importantly, it was unoccupied by the Dutch. Raffles ' expedition arrived in Singapore on 29 January 1819 ( although they landed on Saint John 's Island the previous day ). He found a Malay settlement at the mouth of the Singapore River, headed by a Temenggong ( governor ) for the Sultan of Joho. The Temenggong had originally moved to Singapore from Johor in 1811 with a group of Malays, and when Raffles arrived, there were an estimated 150 people governed by the Temenggong, mostly of them Malays, with around 30 Chinese. Although the island was nominally ruled by Johor, the political situation was precarious for the Sultan of Johor at the time. The incumbent Sultan of Johor, Tengku Abdul Rahman, was controlled by the Dutch and the Bugis, and would never agree to a British base in Singapore. However, Abdul Rahman was Sultan only because his older brother, Tengku Hussein, also known as Tengku Long, had been away in Pahang getting married when their father died. Hussein was then living in exile in the Riau Islands. Singapore Treaty With the Temenggong 's help, Raffles smuggled Tengku Hussein to Singapore. He offered to recognize Hussein as the rightful Sultan of Johor, and provide him with a yearly payment ; in return, Hussein would grant the British East India Company the right to establish a trading post on Singapore. In the agreement, Sultan Husain would receive a yearly sum of 5,000 Spanish dollars, with the Temenggong receiving a yearly sum of 3,000 Spanish dollars. This agreement was ratified with a formal treaty signed on 6 February 1819. Early growth ( 1819 -- 1826 ) Raffles returned to British Bencoolen ( Sumatra ) the day after the signing of the treaty, leaving Major William Farquhar as the Resident and Commandant of the new settlement, supported initially consisted of some artillery and a single regiment of Indian soldiers. Establishing a trading port from scratch was in itself a daunting prospect, but Farquhar 's administration was, in addition, practically unfunded, as Raffles did not wish his superiors to view Singapore as a liability. In addition, it was forbidden from earning revenue by imposing port duties, Raffles having decided from the outset that Singapore would be a free port. In spite of these difficulties, the new colony rapidly proved to be a spectacular success. As news of the free port spread across the archipelago, Bugis, Peranakan Chinese, and Arab traders flocked to the island, seeking to circumvent the Dutch trading restrictions. During the first year of operation, $400,000 ( Spanish dollars ) worth of trade passed through Singapore. It has been estimate that when Raffles arrived in 1819, the total population of the whole of Singapore was around a thousand, mostly of various local tribes. By 1821, the island 's population had increased to around five thousand, and the trade volume was $8 million. By 1825, the population had passed the ten thousand mark, with a trade volume of $22 million. ( By comparison, the trade volume for the long - established port of Penang was $8.5 million during the same year. ) Raffles returned to Singapore in 1822. Although Farquhar had successfully led the settlement through its difficult early years, Raffles was critical of many of the decisions he had made. For instance, in order to generate much - needed revenue for the government, Farquhar had resorted to selling licenses for gambling and the sale of opium, which Raffles saw as social evils. Raffles was also appalled by the slave trade tolerated by Farquhar. Raffles arranged for the dismissal of Farquhar, who was replaced by John Crawfurd. Raffles took over the administration himself, and set about drafting a set of new policies for the settlement. Raffles banned slavery, closed all gambling dens, prohibited the carrying of weapons, and imposed heavy taxation to discourage what he considered vices such as drunkenness and opium smoking. Raffles, dismayed at the disarray of the colony, also arranged to organise Singapore into functional and ethnic subdivisions under the drafted Raffles Plan of Singapore. Today, the remnants of this organisation can be found in the ethnic neighbourhoods. Treaty of Friendship and Alliance Further agreements of the Malay chiefs would gradually erode their influence and control over Singapore. In December 1822, the Malay chiefs ' claim to Singapore 's revenue was changed to a monthly payment. On 7 June 1823, Raffles arranged for another agreement with the Sultan and Temenggong to buy out their judicial power and rights to the lands except for the areas reserved for the Sultan and Temenggong. They would gave up their rights to numerous functions on the island, including the collection of port taxes, in return for lifelong monthly payments of $1500 and $800 respectively. This agreement brought the island squarely under British law, with the proviso that it would take into account Malay customs, traditions and religious practices, `` where they shall not be contrary to reason, justice or humanity. '' A further treaty, the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance, was arranged by the second Resident John Crawfurd with the Malay chiefs and signed on 2 August 1824 to replace the Singapore Treaty. Singapore, including its nearby islands, was officially fully ceded to the East India Company, and in return, the chiefs would have their debts cancelled and receive an allowance for life, with each given an additional lump sum of 20,000 Spanish dollars. After installing John Crawfurd, an efficient and frugal administrator, as the new governor, Raffles departed for Britain in October 1823. He would never return to Singapore. Most of his personal possessions were lost after his ship, the Fame, caught fire and sank, and he died only a few years later, in 1826, at the age of 44. Straits settlements Main article : Singapore in the Straits Settlements The status of Singapore as a British possession was cemented by the Anglo - Dutch Treaty of 1824, which carved up the Malay archipelago between the two colonial powers. The area north of the Straits of Malacca, including Penang, Malacca, and Singapore, was designated as the British sphere of influence, while the area south of the Straits was assigned to the Dutch. This division had far - reaching consequences for the region : modern - day Malaysia and Singapore correspond to the British area established in the treaty, and modern - day Indonesia to the Dutch. In 1826, Singapore was grouped together with Penang and Malacca into a single administrative unit, the Straits Settlements, under the British East India Company. References Jump up ^ Trocki, C. ( 1990 ). Opium and empire : Chinese society in Colonial Singapore, 1800 - 1910 /. Ithaca, N.Y. : : Cornell University Press. ^ Jump up to : John N. Miksic ( 15 November 2013 ). Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300 -- 1800. NUS Press. ISBN 978 - 9971695743. Jump up ^ Paul Wheatley ( 1961 ). The Golden Khersonese : Studies in the Historical Geography of the Malay Peninsula before A.D. 1500. Kuala Lumpur : University of Malaya Press. pp. 82 -- 85. OCLC 504030596. ^ Jump up to : C.M. Turnbull ( 30 October 2009 ). A History of Modern Singapore, 1819 - 2005. NUS Press. ISBN 978 - 9971694302. Jump up ^ `` Singapore - Precolonial Era ''. U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved 18 June 2006. Jump up ^ Nor - Afidah Abd Rahman. `` The China Trade ''. Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Singapore -- Founding and Early Years ''. U.S. Library of Congress. Retrieved 18 July 2006. Jump up ^ Jean E. Abshire ( 21 March 2011 ). The History of Singapore. Greenwood. pp. 37 -- 38. ISBN 978 - 0313377426. Jump up ^ `` Raffles ' landing in Singapore ''. Singapore Infopedia. Retrieved 6 July 2012. Jump up ^ Saw Swee - Hock ( 30 June 2012 ). The Population of Singapore ( 3rd ed. ). ISEAS Publishing. pp. 7 -- 8. ISBN 978 - 9814380980. Jump up ^ Turnbull, C.M. ( 1981 ). A short history of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei ( Asian ed. ). Singapore : Graham Brash. p. 97. ISBN 9971947064. OCLC 10483808. ^ Jump up to : `` The 1819 Singapore Treaty ''. Singapore Infopedia. National Library Board. Jump up ^ Jenny Ng ( 7 February 1997 ). `` 1819 - The February Documents ''. Ministry of Defence ( Singapore ). Archived from the original on 6 September 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2006. Jump up ^ `` Milestones in Singapore 's Legal History ''. Supreme Court, Singapore. Retrieved 18 July 2006. Jump up ^ Lily Zubaidah Rahim. Singapore in the Malay World : Building and Breaching Regional Bridges. Taylor & Francis. p. 24. ISBN 9781134013975. CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter ( link ) Jump up ^ Carl A. Trocki ( 30 November 2007 ). Prince of Pirates : The Temenggongs and the Development of Johor and Singapore, 1784 - 1885 ( 2nd Revised ed. ). NUS Press. p. 66. ISBN 978 - 9971693763. Jump up ^ `` Treaty of Friendship and Alliance is signed ''. HistorySG. National Library Board. Jump up ^ Bastin, John. `` Malayan Portraits : John Crawfurd '', in Malaya, vol. 3 ( December 1954 ), pp. 697 - 698. Jump up ^ JCM Khoo ; CG Kwa ; LY Khoo ( 1998 ). `` The Death of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles ( 1781 -- 1826 ) ''. Singapore Medical Journal. Archived from the original on 3 September 2006. Retrieved 18 July 2006. ^ Jump up to : `` Signing of the Anglo - Dutch Treaty ( Treaty of London ) of 1824 ''. HistorySG. Singapore Government. Retrieved 4 February 2018. hide Singapore articles History Early history ( pre -- 1819 ) Founding of modern Singapore ( 1819 -- 1826 ) Straits Settlements ( 1826 -- 1942 ) Japanese occupation ( 1942 -- 1945 ) British Military Administration ( 1945 -- 1946 ) Post-war Singapore ( 1946 -- 1955 ) Self - governance of Singapore ( 1955 -- 1962 ) Merger with Malaysia ( 1962 -- 1965 ) Republic of Singapore ( 1965 -- present ) Geography Beaches Conservation Environmental issues Geology Islands Parks Reservoirs Rivers Urban planning Urban renewal Waterways Wildlife Politics Administrative divisions Constitution Elections Foreign relations Government Cabinet Prime Minister Human rights Law Chief Justice Military Parliament Police Political parties President Economy Economy Statistics Agriculture Aviation Monetary Authority China -- Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Dollar ( currency ) Energy Labour Proposed developments Singapore Exchange Telecommunications Tourism Transport Society Communitarianism Caning Crime Women Education Demographics Eat Frozen Pork Five Cs Health Long hair in Singapore National Courtesy Campaign National Day Parade No U-turn syndrome OB marker Population planning Public housing Public holidays Religion Smoking Social fund Water supply and sanitation Culture Architecture Cinema Cuisine Languages Literature Media Music Sports Wushu in Singapore Symbols Anthem Coat of arms Flag Flower Lion head Merlion Pledge Outline Index Bibliography Portal Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Founding_of_modern_Singapore&oldid=845019895 '' Categories : History of Singapore City founding 1810s in British Malaya 1820s in British Malaya 1819 establishments in British Malaya Hidden categories : All articles with dead external links Articles with dead external links from April 2017 CS1 maint : Uses authors parameter Use dmy dates from February 2018 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Languages Русский 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 8 June 2018, at 19 : 30. 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Question: why did raffles establish a settlement in singapore
Answer: to challenge the dominance of the Dutch in the area