Name(s):​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Class:

Sec 1 History
Chpt 2 Lesson 2 - The Founding of Singapore

(I) Singapore is claimed by the British!

a)​ On 28 Jan 1819, Raffles arrived in the waters of Singapore and after two days
decided to set up a port on the island.

You may refer to the following places for information:

-​ Textbook p. 50-51

Why was Singapore suitable as a trading port? (3 reasons)

1) Singapore had a natural sheltered harbour

2) Singapore had a good supply of drinking water

3) Its location at the southern tip of the Straits of Melaka meant that Singapore
could be the halfway port between India and China
b)​ On 6th Feb 1819, Raffles signed a treaty with Sultan Hussein. Find out about the
terms of the Treaty and fill in the blanks.

You may refer to the following places for information:

-​ Textbook p. 56-57
-​ And the following Source:

Source A: An entry on the HistorySG portal entitled Singapore Treaty is signed - 6th
Feb 1819:

On 6 February 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles, Temenggong Abdul Rahman and Sultan
Hussein Shah of Johor signed a treaty that gave the British East India Company (EIC)
the right to set up a trading post in Singapore. In exchange, Sultan Hussein received
a yearly sum of 5,000 Spanish dollars while the Temenggong received 3,000 Spanish
dollars. It was also on this day that the British flag was formally hoisted on Singapore,
marking the birth of Singapore as a British settlement. Raffles left Singapore the
following day, leaving Major William Farquhar to assume the role of Resident and
Commandant in Singapore while Francis Bernard, Farquhar’s son-in-law, was
appointed Master Attendant.

Treaty Terms Answer

1. Permission The EIC was granted permission to set up a

trading port in Singapore
What was the East India Company
granted permission to set up in
Singapore?

2. Payment The Sultan was promised 5000 Spanish dollars.

While the Temenggong was promised 3000
How much were Sultan Hussein Spanish dollars annually
Shah and Temenggong Abdul
Rahman promised every year by
the British?

3. Protection The Sultan had to promise not to sign any other

treaty with Europeans & Americans
The British promised to protect the
Sultan and Temenggong. What did
the Sultan have to promise in
return for British protection?
(II) The Colonial Powers React!

After finding out that Raffles had established a trading centre in Singapore, BOTH the
Dutch and the British were upset at Raffles!

Suggest possible reasons why both governments were upset at him. (refer to Textbook
p. 58)

Reasons for Dutch anger at Raffles Reason for British anger at Raffles

1.​ The Dutch were angry at Raffles 1.​ The British were angry at Raffles
because Raffles had given the because he had affected the
British a valuable post in relationship between the British
Singapore and this trading post & the Dutch. The latter had
posed a threat to the Dutch threatened to go to war with the
monopoly over the spice trade British.
2.​ The Dutch were also angry with 2.​ They were also angry at Raffles
Raffles, as he should not have because he was not supposed to
been able to sign a treaty to set make any political
up a British trade post in Singapore arrangements. He was an
because it was under the employee of EIC, not a
Johor-Riau Sultanate, influenced government official.
by the Dutch.
(III) The Tension is Diffused...

As a means of diffusing tensions between the two powers, an Anglo-Dutch Treaty of

1824 was signed to restore relationships between the two parties.

Suggest three possible reasons why the Dutch and the British decided to sign such a
treaty. (refer to Textbook p. 58)

1) War was expensive. Resources and manpower would have to be routed to

Southeast Asia.

2) War would affect trade and profits. The colonial powers valued money above
conflict.

3) A treaty would be a good way to settle other outstanding disputes.

Find out what the important terms of the Treaty were!
(IV) Terms of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty

You may refer to the following source for information:

-​ Textbook p. 58-59
-​ And the following Source:

Source B: An entry on the HistorySG portal entitled Signing of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty
(Treaty of London) of 1824 - 17th Mar 1824.

The signing of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty between Great Britain and the Netherlands in
London on 17 March 1824 was primarily a settlement of a long period of territorial and
trade disputes between the two countries in Southeast Asia. The treaty redefined the
spheres of influence of these two colonial powers in the region, eventually leading to
the formation of British Malaya and the Dutch East Indies.

Anglo-Dutch rivalries in Southeast Asia had resulted in frequent clashes and verbal
disputes between Great Britain and the Netherlands since the 17th century. The
intention of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, also known as the Treaty of London, was
to settle these conflicts once and for all. The treaty had three provisions: territorial,
commercial, and financial. Under the territorial clauses, the Netherlands ceded all its
factories in India to Britain, withdrew all objections to the British occupation of
Singapore, and ceded Melaka (Malacca) and all its dependencies to Britain. In return,
Britain ceded Benkulen (Bencoolen) and all its possessions in Sumatra to the
Netherlands. In addition, neither party could sign any treaty with any ruler or state in
the other’s sphere of influence The above clauses effectively brought Malaya and
Singapore under the control of the British, while most of what is today Indonesia came
under Dutch rule.

The commercial provisions of the agreement confirmed the Dutch monopoly over the
spice trade of Maluku (the Moluccas or the Spice Islands) but not of the trade of the
Malay Archipelago. The Dutch agreed not to discriminate unfairly against British trade,
as well as forgo any existing monopoly treaties they had in the Malayan peninsula.
Both countries also agreed to allow free communication between the locals of the
different ports belonging to their respective spheres of influence, and cooperate in the
suppression of piracy. The financial provisions settled all outstanding claims between
the British and the Dutch, in which the latter agreed to pay 100,000 pounds sterling to
the British.
Guiding Questions Dutch Joint Agreement British

1. Territories The Netherlands ceded Neither party could sign Britain ceded Benkulen
all its factories in India to any treaty with any ruler (Bencoolen) and all its
Britain, withdrew all or state in the other’s possessions in Sumatra to
What were some objections to the British sphere of influence the Netherlands.
examples of occupation of Singapore,
and ceded Melaka
territories that were (Malacca) and all its Malaya and Singapore under
exchanged between dependencies to Britain the control of the British
the British and the
most of what is today
Dutch? Indonesia came under
Dutch rule

2. Business Confirmed the Dutch Both countries also

monopoly over the spice agreed to allow free
(Commercial) trade of Maluku (the communication between
Agreements Moluccas or the Spice the locals of the different
Islands) but not of the ports belonging to their
trade of the Malay respective spheres of
What were some of Archipelago. The Dutch influence, and cooperate
the agreements agreed not to discriminate in the suppression of
between the British unfairly against British piracy.
trade, as well as forgo
and the Dutch on how any existing monopoly
they should conduct treaties they had in the
Malayan peninsula.
business in SEA?

3. Other Terms Agreed to pay 100,000 Settled all outstanding

pounds sterling to the claims between the
(Financial) British British and the Dutch,

The British and the

Dutch agreed on
other terms. Find out
what they are.
(V) British Takeover of Singapore

Now that the British controlled the areas above the Straits of Malacca, a revised treaty
was negotiated in Singapore with the Sultan and Temenggong. Find out about the terms
of the Treaty and fill in the blanks.

You may refer to the following places for information:

-​ Textbook pg 60
-​ And the following Source:

Source C: An excerpt from the entry on the HistorySG portal entitled Treaty of
Friendship and Alliance is signed - 2nd Aug 1824:

[The second British resident John Crawfurd] began negotiations for the cessation of
Singapore from the Malay chiefs in May 1824. He applied pressure on the Sultan and
the Temenggong by threatening to cease their stipend, a move that was aggravated
by the chiefs’ mounting debts. To sweeten the deal, Crawfurd promised to cancel the
chiefs’ debts, continue their allowance for life and pay them an additional lump sum of
20,000 Spanish dollars each upon acceptance of the treaty ceding Singapore to the
British. The chiefs finally relented after resisting and forgoing their allowance for three
months. They gave their assent to the Treaty of Friendship and Alliance, which was
signed on 2 August 1824, officially ceding Singapore and the adjacent islands and
waters within 10 geographical miles (about 18.6 km) in perpetuity to the British East
India Company.

Treaty of Friendship and Alliance, 2 August 1824

Treaty Terms Answer

1. Permission officially ceding Singapore and the adjacent islands and waters
within 10 geographical miles (about 18.6 km) in perpetuity to the
British East India Company
What was the updated territorial
arrangement?

2. Financial Benefits promised to cancel the chiefs’ debts, continue their allowance
for life and pay them an additional lump sum of 20,000 Spanish
dollars each upon acceptance of the treaty ceding Singapore to
the British
What benefits did the Sultan and
Temenggong receive from the
British?