AMKSS Chpt 4 (sec 1 hist)

A NG M O K IO S ECONDARY S CHOOL S ECONDARY 1 E XPRESS /N ORMAL A CADEMIC H ISTORY C HAPTER 4 – S INGAPORE ’ S D EVELOPMENT AS A P ORT C ITY (M IGRANT CONTRIBUTIONS ) Name: _____________________________ ( ) Class: _______ Date: __________ By the end of these chapters, you should know: □ Why did migrants come to Singapore from 1819 to 1942 □ How migrants contributed to Singapore’s development into a port city Why did migrants come to Singapore from 1819 to 1942? Push Factors (‘Bad’ things at home) Unfavourable conditions/reasons that make people want to leave their homes Pull Factors (‘Good’ things in Singapore) Favourable conditions/reasons that attract people to want to go to Singapore 1. Overpopulation in China • China’s population nearly doubled between 1650 and 1800, but there was not enough farmland to produce food to feed the population . 2. Lawlessness in China • People lived in fear and suffered from damages due to frequent fighting among clans o Clan Wars were common between Chinese organisations with members who share the same surname or dialect group 3. Natural Disasters in India • Droughts caused many deaths as people suffered from famine and starvation o Great Famine 1876-1878: 10 million deaths 4. Unrest & Instability in India • Indian rebels who participated in the 1857 Indian Revolution were arrested and sent to other British colonies Singapore as convict labour , so they could not stir trouble in India again 1. Singapore’s Free Port Status • Traders can earn larger profits when they trade in Singapore because they do not need to pay taxes 2. Singapore’s Free Immigration Policy • Migrants can come and go as they pleased , without having to pay taxes for any immigration paperwork 3. Presence of better jobs in Singapore • Many jobs were available as the British needed to develop roads, bridges, and other infrastructure in Singapore • Migrants received higher wages for the jobs in Singapore compared to what they received at home 4. Presence of trade & business opportunities in Singapore • Singapore had a good location that served as a convenient meeting point for traders from around the world, as they stopped to replenish their fuel and supplies Page | 1

Developments in | Education | in Singapore between 1819 and 1942 … British Contributions … • Before 1867, education was left in the hands of those who were concerned, and the British paid little attention. o The British did not set up many government schools ▪ British provided free primary schooling in Malay language ▪ British established a few Tamil-language schools ▪ Little attention was given to English-language education ▪ No schools catered to the Chinese population o Most schools were set up by Christian missionary groups and European traders ▪ Schools decided on their own how they taught and what they would teach. • Since 1867, British government provided education to meet the needs of the colonial administration o Grants were given to schools to promote English so that people could contribute as English-speaking clerks in the government and companies o Education that did not support trade and government administration was left on its own ▪ There was a lack of quality education that catered to the needs of the population Migrant Contributions • English Missionary Maria Dyer set up the Chinese Girls’ School (St Margaret’s School) as one of the earliest school for girls in 1842. o There were few education opportunities for girls before 1900s as schools largely catered to boys • Chinese trader Gan Eng Seng set up the Anglo-Chinese Free School (Gan Eng Seng School) as the only school that taught both English and Chinese in 1885. o In other Chinese schools, teachers often taught Chinese literature and abacus using dialects such as Hokkien, Cantonese and Teochew. • Syed Mohamed bin Alsagoff founded the Alsagoff Arab School (Madrasah Alsagoff Al Arabiah) in 1912 where students were taught Islamic Knowledge, as well as Arabic, English and Malay • A group of businessmen led by Tan Kah Kee set up the Chinese High School (Hwa Chong Institution) as the first Chinese secondary school for boys in 1919. • The Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan established Chong Hock Girls’ School (Chongfu School) as a school for girls in 1915

Page | 2 Developments in | Healthcare | in Singapore between 1819 and 1942 … British Contributions … • Before 1867, there was a high death rate in Singapore. o No medical services was provided for the public ▪ Sick soldiers were taken care of by 1-2 government doctors in the Military Hospital ▪ Only Europeans and rich Asians could afford to find European doctors ▪ Poor Asians cannot afford proper medical treatment and many did not trust Western medicine o Diseases spread easily ▪ Many poor migrants lived in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions • Workers squeezed in shophouses in Chinatown as it is easy to find jobs there • Living quarters were poorly-ventilated and unsanitary, allowing highly contagious diseases such as Tuberculosis and Cholera to spread easily ▪ There was no proper treatment or burial for the poor • Many of the sick would lay on the road, with sores on their bodies and too weak to move • When they died, their bodies were left on the road • Since 1867, British government took action to improve public health o British provided healthcare for the public by setting up a new General Hospital (Singapore General Hospital) in 1882 o The Public Health Department was set up in 1887 ▪ Reduced spread of diseases by improving living conditions in Chinatown ▪ Replaced night-soil bucket system with modern water-carriage sewerage systems Migrant Contributions

• Chinese trader Gan Eng Seng led the establishment of Thong Chai Medical Institution in 1867 to provide free treatment and free medicine to poor people of all races • Chinese businessman Tan Tock Seng set up the Chinese Pauper Hospital in 1844, using land donated by Arab merchant Syed Omar Aljunied, to provide healthcare for the poor • Other successful businessmen also donated money to provide medical services and amenities, such as: o Ensuring proper burial for the poor after they passed away o Building water wells for the community Page | 3