History of Places

Modern History in Singapore- An Overview

2009-05-14T02:05:00.000-07:00

Singapore is one of the major tourist destinations in Southeast Asia. However, this small city state is also well known as a major financial center of Asia as well as of the world. The country has a number of tourist attractions for the visitors. whether you are a common tourist or a business person you are sure to find something o your interest in Singapore. though a small city state the history of Singapore is also very rich. If you love to know the history of the place you are visiting then you are sure to be amazed learning about the interesting and captivating history of Singapore. There are a number of well known historical accounts of this small city state. The modern history of Singapore is very eventful and inspiring. It feels great to know how a small fishing village by the sea has developed into a major tourist destination as well as financial capital of the world.

Though the history of Singapore dates back to the 11th century, the name of the island was little known to the West until the 19th century. In the year 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles arrived at Singapore as an agent of the British East India Company. In the year 1824, the British purchased Singapore Island, and by the year 1825, the city of Singapore had become a major port. Within a year of British ownership the port began to trade so heavily that its trade exceeded that of Malaya's Malacca and Penang combined. In the year1826, Singapore, Penang, and Malacca were joined as the Straits Settlements to form an outlying residency of the British East India Company. In the year 1867, the Straits Settlements were made a British Crown Colony. This was an arrangement that continued until the year 1946.

Early history of Singapore

2009-04-15T03:03:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of things that you can know about a country from its history. It is said that ine can understand a land or a country well if only he or she has a thorough understanding of the history of the country. there are so much things attached to the history of a country that it is very hard to give history a miss. The history of a nation has everything to do with the people, culture as well as custom of a country. Therefore it is very important to know about the history of a country. whether it is the country you live in or the country you are planning to visit, it pays to know about the history of the nation.

If you are planning to visit Singapore in near future, you will have a better understanding of the country once you get to know about its history. The history of Singapore dates back to the 11th century. However, the earliest written record of Singapore was a Chinese account from the third century. This account describes the island as the island of Pu Luo Chung. This itself is transliterated from the Malay name "Pulau Ujong", or "island at the end". Later the country was named Singhapura or the Lion City. In the year 1320, the Mongol Empire sent a trade mission to a place called Long Ya Men which is believed to be Keppel Harbour, at the southern part of the island. The Chinese traveler Wang Dayuan, who visited Singapore around 1330, described a small settlement called Dan Ma Xi with Malay as well as Chinese residents. The Nagarakretagama, which is a Javanese epic poem written in the year 1365, also referred to a settlement on the island called Temasek. During the recent excavations in Fort Canning some evidences are found that indicates that Singapore was an important port in the 14th century.

How Singapore Got Its Name

2009-04-14T02:29:00.000-07:00

If you are planning to visit some of the well known tourist destinations on your next holiday you can think of Singapore. the well know city state in the south eastern part of Asia is one of the most well known tourist destinations and is considered among the leading tourist destinations around the world. whether you love to be close to the nature or want to have some fun in the amusement parks or want to party hard, Singapore has it all. If you are going to Singapore on a business trip you can also take your family along. There is so much to do in Singapore they will not feel bored even if you are not there to spend much time with your family. From shopping to food, from nature to historic monuments- the city state has it all. If you are a person who is interested in history and legends you are sure to love this small country. though small in size the country has a very colorful history that is sure to captivate anyone who loves history.

Singapore has very interesting history and myths attached to it. Even the very name of Singapore is also attached to a number of myths. The name of the country was actually Singhapura which is a Sanskrit word that means the ‘Lion City in English. If you flip through the pages of the quasi-mythological Sejarah Melayu, you will come across a tale about this city. The tale is of a prince of Srivijaya, whose name was Sri Sri Buana. The prince was also known as Sang Nila Utama. The prince landed on the island in the 13th century. It is said that at that time that he saw a lion. The prince took it as an auspicious sign and named the country as Singhapura. That is how Singapore got its present name.

History of Singapore

2009-04-10T04:35:00.000-07:00

Singapore is one of the well known tourist destination of Southeast Asia. It is a small city state situated at the southernmost tip of Malayan land. Every year millions of tourists visit this amazing destination. But only a few known that the land also has an amazing history. The history of Singapore is as fascinating as the city-state itself. You are sure to find the history of Singapore very interesting. Knowing the history of Singapore will also help you to understand the city in a better way.

The present site of Singapore was known by several names in different time in history. The written record of Singapore dates back to 2nd century. At that time this small island was a small fishing village in the mouth of the Singapore River. It was also a trade port that had some influence on the trade of the country. There are many cartographic references for the city being an important trade port. In the writings of the Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolamaeus we can find mention of the place where Singapore is situated today.

In the Chinese account that dates back to third century Singapore is mentioned as the island of Pu Luo Chung as the island at the end. The mythological Sejarah Melayu has was a state of a prince of Srivijaya dynasty who landed in the island in 13th century. Here he saw a lion and founded a settlement there and named it Singapura – the Sanskrit meaning of which is Lion City.

This is an interesting account of how the small fishing village got its present name. You are sure to find the historical account of naming Singapore very interesting. Though the city state is not very large it has a wide and varied history that can be very interesting to people who are interested in history of places.

National Museum of Singapore

2009-04-07T04:39:00.000-07:00

The National Museum of Singapore is a national museum in Singapore and is the oldest museum in Singapore. Its history dates back to the year 1849 when it was started as a part of a library at Singapore Institution. After quite a few relocations, the Museum was relocated to its stable site at Stamford Road at the Museum Planning Area in the year 1887.

The museum emphasizes on the exhibits that are related to the history of Singapore. The Museum was named the National Museum of Singapore in the year 1965. For a brief period between 1993 and March 2006, this amazing museum was known as the Singapore History Museum. Later this museum reverted back to its old name. The museum also underwent a three and a half year restoration. Late the museum was reopened to public on 2^nd December in the year 2006. On 8^th December of the same year the Singapore History Gallery also opened in the museum.

This museum is a must see destination during you stay in Singapore. If you are really interested in knowing about the places in Singapore then you are sure to find this museum quite amazing. There are a wide range of exhibits in different categories in this museum. Here you can have a wonderful time seeing all these exhibits and gather updated knowledge about them.

When we first got there, we were introduced to an electronic gadget called The Companion. And it was going to be our personal "tour guide" for the day. As we walked on, there would be numbers indicated on the floor so that we can listen to the extra information on the exhibits.