Chapter 3: Reasons for coming to SG before WWII

Nota:

• Contributed to the diversity of the society.

1. Europeans
   1. Include British colonisers
2. Chinese
   1. Mostly from Southern provinces
3. Indians
   1. Mostly Tamils, Punjabis, Sikhs and Gujeratis
4. Arabs
   1. Mostly from Hadhramaut
5. Malays
   1. Javanese
   2. Bugis
   3. Baweanese

Nota:

• Factors that repel people away from their current circumstance / country of residence

1. Poverty and Starvation
   1. Natural Disasters
      1. E.g. India - Droughts and later famine
         1. 4 occurrences of severe famines within one century
   2. Overpopulation
      1. E.g. Java - overpopulation led to harsh farming
         1. E.g. China - lack of farmland to sustain
2. Unrest and Instability
   1. War, Rebellions, Civil Strife
      1. E.g. Java War 1825 - 1830
      2. E.g. China Taiping Rebellion 1850 - 1864
         1. E.g. China Boxer Rebellion 1898 - 1901
            1. E.g. China Civil War 1930s
      3. E.g. Indian Rebellion 1857

Nota:

• Factors that attracted people to come to Singapore

1. Economic gains
   1. Trade and business investment
      1. Straits Chinese, Bugis, Arab traders
   2. Job opportunities
2. Greater stability due to lack of natural disasters
3. Religious pilgrimages e.g. the haj