Sir Stamford Raffles Founded Singapore
The arrival of one man , Stamford Raffles , changed everything
Singapore gained full independence in 1965 and it has come a long way. The island was once known as Temasek and was settled back in the mists of time by Sri Tri Buana , who established Singapura and he named it Lion City , after he sighted a lion in the region.
His descendants ruled Lion City for five generations until the last ruler was forced to flee when the Javanese attacked. By the 19th century , seafarers who roamed the region created a few settlements on the island , and some enterprising Chinese migrants established plantations.
The arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles changed everything. To counter the Dutch trading monopolies in the East , Raffles signed an agreement with the Sultan of Johor , Malaysia. This allowed the British to establish a trading port in Singapore. This marked the beginning of Singapore’s modern era. Sir Stamford Raffles turned the island into a thriving trading post between the East and the West.
Within three years of Raffles’ landing in 1819 , the population numbered more than 10,000 , of which 60 percent were Malays. By 1860 , at the first census , the population exceeded 80,000 and was mostly Chinese. Other migrants included Tamils , Ceylonese , Javanese as well as Europeans. The foundations were setup for Singapore’s remarkable growth.
After Raffles , Singapore prospered for many years under the British. In 1928 , however , rubber and tin prices collapsed and thousands lost their jobs in the Great Depression. Although considered impregnable by the Allies during the Second World War , Singapore was quickly overrun by the Japanese in 1942.
After peace in 1945 , Singaporeans began planning for independence. The British granted Singapore self-governance in 1959. An attempt in 1963 to merge with Malaysia failed due to the regional tensions the alliance created.
Eventually in 1965 Singapore became an independent nation. Strong leadership led Singapore to become a safe , clean , successful little country with a big reputation.
Hope you enjoyed reading this post about Sir Stamford Raffles.
Source from http://hellosingapore.info
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