a) Study Source A.
What information does Source A reveal about the treatment of the early immigrants in Singapore in the early 19th Century? Explain your answer. (4m)
Level 1 Lifting without inference and explanation (1m)
Source A shows that the government spent nothing on schools and that poverty was unobserved by the Europeans.
Level 2 Inference supported but unexplained (2-3m)
Source A shows that though poverty, crimes and diseases were rife, the government did nothing. This suggests that the government did not care about the people.
In addition, Source A shows that though many were dying from lack of food, it was unobserved by the Europeans. This shows that they did not put in any effort to make the situation better.
Level 3 Inference supported and explained relevant to question focus (4m)
Source A shows that the British government did not spend anything on social needs though Singapore was growing faster than it could cope. This shows that the British government did not care about providing any social benefits for the people. Therefore, the immigrants were not treated well and their welfare was probably neglected.
In addition, Source A shows that though disease and poverty were rife and that many were dying, it was unobserved by the Europeans. This implies that the British government had deliberately ignored the plight of the immigrants and hence, these people were not treated as important but merely there to serve the Europeans.
b) Study Source B. How useful is Source B in showing the reasons for the coming of the immigrants to Singapore in the early 19th Century? Explain your answer. (6m)
Level 1 One sided answer. Useful or Not useful without explanations (1m)
Source B is useful in showing the pull factors which attracted the immigrants to come to Singapore.
OR
Source B is not useful in showing all the pull factors which attracted the immigrants to come to Singapore
Level 1 Two sided answer with no explanations (2m)
Both of Level 1 answers
Level 2 One sided answer. Useful or not useful with inferences unsupported (3m)
Source B is useful in showing the reasons for the coming of the immigrants. From Source B, Raffles made Singapore a free port with no custom and port dues. This implies that it was very attractive for the immigrants to come to trade.
OR
Source B is not useful in showing the reasons for the coming of the immigrants. From Source B, it did not state the other pull factors which attracted the immigrants to come like free trade and safe environment.
Level 3 One sided answer. Useful or not useful with inferences supported (4m)
Source B is useful in showing some of the reasons for the coming of the immigrants to Singapore. From Source B, Raffles made Singapore a free port free from custom and port dues, This implies that traders would probably make more profits due to this regulation and hence attracted more. Source B is therefore useful in providing some information about the pull factors which attracted the immigrants to come.
OR
Source B has its limitations. While showing that one of the pull factors was free port which attracted the immigrants to come, Source B did not provide other pull factors like the free trade policy which allowed the immigrants to trade freely in Singapore. It also did not show that Singapore was safe due to the protection of the British and hence attracted more people.
In addition, Source B did not provide any push factors. For example, in China and India, people were forced to leave their countries due to overpopulation, natural disasters and wars which caused shortage of food and lack of jobs. In addition, the source also did not provide the reasons why the Europeans came which was to set up factories and business and to make more profits. Other push factors include that of wars and corrupted governments which forced many like the Chinese and Malays to come to Singapore for a better life.
Level 3 Two sided answer. Useful and not useful with inferences unsupported (4m)
Both of Level 2 answers
Level 4 Two sided answer. Useful and not useful with inferences supported (5m)
Both of Level 3 answers inferences supported
Award 6m if answer shows clear understanding with examples that different immigrants also came due to different reasons and not just general push and pull factors
Short Answer Question
1) Explain how the contributions of the early immigrants brought about economic and social progress for Singapore in the 19th Century. (5m)
Level 1 State what the occupations of the immigrants were (1m)
The early immigrants were coolies, labourers, traders, businessmen, hawkers etc.
Level 2 Describe the occupations of the immigrants (2-3m)
2m for 2 groups of the immigrants with description of their occupations
3m for 3 groups or more of the immigrants with description of their occupations
Level 3 Explain how the occupations of the immigrants impact the economic and social progress of Singapore (4-5m)
4m for only economic or social impact
5m for BOTH economic and social impact
Many Chinese came as either unskilled labourers or as skilled workers. These immigrants were engaged in the entrepot trade of Singapore. For the unskilled labourers they provided labour services, acting as porters and carried cargoes from ships to warehouses and vice versa. Thus, they ensured that the trading activites were carried out smoothly and contributed to the growth of Singapore as a trading centre. In addition, the skilled workers provided services by acting as middlemen between the European and straits traders. Trade grew as traders were able to conduct business even with language barrier. Hence the middlemen ensured the smooth transaction of trading activities and contributed to the economic prosperity of Singapore as a trading centre.
The early Indian immigrants acted mainly as policemen and chettiars. The Indian policemen or sepoys helped to ensure law and order among the communities. They thus provided safety for traders and businessmen to conduct their businesses and attracted more trade leading to the growth of Singapore as a trading centre. In addition Indian chettiars or moneylenders provided aspiring traders with capital to set up their own business. These contributed to the growth of small scaled businesses like services which supported the economic progress of Singapore.
The British also brought in Indian prisoners to help with the construction of roads and the clearing of jungles. This enabled the infrastructure of Singapore to be developed and thus supported the smooth transaction of trade as roads provided efficiency in transportation.
The Malays were mostly engaged in providing basic necessities like foodstuff. This ensured that the other communities were sufficiently provided for and thus contributed to the overall infrastructure of the settlement and enabled Singapore to grow rapidly as a trading centre. In addition, they were also skilled boat makers and repairers. This occupation provided small boats which aid in the transportation of goods from the ships to the harbour.
The Europeans came as professionals and businessmen. They provided the necessary capital and set up factories and companies which in turn provided employment for the other communities. In addition, they also set up agency houses which acted as distribution centres for European products. This created awareness of Singapore as a distribution centre and enhanced its growth as a trading centre.
In addition, people from the various races especially the more successful businessmen were motivated by the need to help their less fortunate countrymen. Thus they came forward and provided social services like hospitals and schools. Some people like Tan Tock Seng and Syed Mohamed bin Alsagoff spent large sums of money on providing medical services and amenities like water wells for the community. They also spent money to ensure that the poor had proper burials. The establishment of the Paupers’ Hospital on Pearl’s Hill in 1844 and the Thong Chai Medical Institution in 1867 showed the social welfare and care provided by the rich businessmen for their fellow countrymen. Their acts of philanthropy made life less miserable for those less fortunate and thus helped in the social progress of Singapore.
