“ Singapore’s struggle to achieve internal self-government in the period 1945-1956 had its cost. Was it worth it? Give at least 2 reasons to support to support your stand.”



Well, I think that the cost of Singapore struggling to achieve self-government is worth it as without Singapore's people governing their own country, and having the British to govern us, we may not be what we are today.

The first example is the Anti-National Service Riots. The Chinese students were asked to contribute to the riot, to help the Chiese educated people fight with the police. The British thought that Chinese have anti-British feelings thus did not bother to hear what the Chinese have to say about the National Service thus resulting in the riots. If it was Singapore's people who governed Singapore at that time, they would care to hear what the people of Singapore have to say about the National Service and the riot would not break out resulting in so many casualties.

The second example is the Maria Hertogh Riots. The British were biased towards the Dutch and not the Malays, and the verdict was that Maria was to go back to her own country with her real parents and never return. Thus, the Malays felt that it was unfair and the riots broke out. If the British cared about other races' feelings, and the verdict is fair, the riots would not break out.

In conclusion, I think that after all the efforts the people of Singapore put in to achieve self-government was very worth it as with them leading Singapore, modern Singapore is well-developed and peaceful.

In your opinion, what could have prevented the Maria Hertogh riots in 1950? Give at least 2 suggestions.

The Maria Hertogh riots have caused many lives and casualties. Firstly, I think the judge should find out more about the Dutch's and Muslim's religion before making the verdict. Although Maria was underage when she was married, her Muslim's parent's consent was given. But according to the Dutch, her biology parent's consent was not give so the marriage could not be recognised. Thus, I think the judge should know more about the two races' religion.

Secondly, what could have prevented the riots is the judge should not be biased towards the Dutch. Although Maria's biology parents is the Dutch, but they did not take care of her and watched her grew up. It was her Muslim parents. After so many years staying together and spending so much money on Maria, there is bound to be some emotional ties. Thus, the judge should not be so selfish and let her Dutch parents take back Maria.

Did the industrial revolution affect the way people lived and worked in the 19th century for the better or worse? Explain Your Answer.

The Great Depression was a time of economic turn down, which started after the stock market crash on 29 October 1929. Thousands of investors lost large sums of money and many were wiped out, lost everything. The 'crash' led us into the Great Depression. The ensuing period ranked as the longest and worst period of high unemployment and low business activity in modern times. It began in the United States and quickly spread to Europe and every part of the world, with devastating effects in both industralized countries and those which export raw materials. International trade declined sharply, as did personal incomes, tax revenues, prices and profits.

In my opinion, I think there are both positive effects and negative consequences.

For the positive effects,
-Men assumed supervisory roles over women and received higher wages.
-Some workers opposition to proposals that a child and female labour should be abolished from certain jobs.
-Growth in material wealth.
- Railway trains and steamships were invented.
-Steam engine was discovered.

And as for the negative consequences,
-Working conditions were often unsanitary and the work is dangerous.
-Education suffered bacause of the demands of work.
-Home like suffered as women were faced with the double burden of factory work followed by domestic
chores and child care.
-Pollution of environment.

Reflection Topic 2

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM HAS DECIDED TO ERECT A STATUE INFRONT OF ITS ENTRANCE. THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN STAMFORD RAFFLES AND TAN TOCK SENG. IF YOU WERE WORKING FOR THE MUSEUM, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE ?

If i were working for the museum, i would choose Mr Tan Tock Seng as he is a role model to everyone. Although he was rich, he never neglect the poor and donated money. He built a hospital for immigrants to seek medecal help at little or no cost. He is also a philanthropist and often do charity. He even paid for the funeral expenses of people he do not know and let them have a proper burial so their body will not rot on the streets or alleys. He also did the Asia proud by being the the first Asian to be appointed Justice of the Peace and he helped in settling problems and disputes in the Chinese community.
Raffles only founded Singapore but did not really helped to developed Singapore into the way it is now. He did not made his dream into a reality.
Therefore, I will choose to erect Mr Tan Tock Seng's statue outside the National Museum's entrance.

WHO REALLY 'FOUNDED' SINGAPORE ?

Most people consider John Crawfurd to be the real founder of Singapore as he signed the treaty in August 1824 which made Singapore a British possession. In my point of view, I think that Sir Stamford Raffles is the real founder of Singapore as he is the first to reach Singapore and is popularly regarded and honoured as the 'founder and architect of Singapore'. Without him, Singapore will not have been developed till what it is today. Raffles saw that Singapore will be an ideal trading place for the British. Thus, he started a new trading settlement. He also believed that Singapore was suitable as a port with its natural advantages, for example, an excellent harbour and a good supply of drinknig water. The British reached Singapore waters on 28 January 1819. He heard the news that the Dutch were not on the island. Together with Major William Farquhar, they went to ask for permission from the Malay chief of the island, Temenggong Abdul Rahman, to grant them permission to establish a trading settlement there. According to him, only the sultan could allow the British to do so. After knowing why Temenggong Abdul Rahman was not appointed as the sultan, Raffles decided to recgonise Tengku Hussien as the Sultan and obtain his permission to start the settlement. After signing the treaty with Sultan Hussien and the Temenggong, Raffles left for bencoolen where he was appointed the Lieutenant-Governor.