Singapore Short History

A Brief History of Singapore

Written Chinese and Indian descriptions of Singapore date back to the 3rd century, but the island was actually settled by Western Civilization in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles, who established a trading post in order to extend the British influence in Southeast Asia. In 1824 the island became a British possession. In 1826 Singapore joined Penang and Malacca to form the Straits Settlements, but by that time it was already the most important trading center in the area. In 1867 the Straits Settlements became a Crown Colony. Chinese settlers expanded the population throughout the 19th century and Singapore’s population is now 76% Chinese. Japan invaded the island in 1942, but British rule was restored when the war ended in 1945. In 1946 Singapore became a separate Crown Colony and in 1959 the People’s Action Party won the first self-government election and has been in power ever since. The UK stills has strong educational, economic and political ties with country which has helped this small island become the international powerhouse it is today. In 1963 Singapore and Sarawak and Sabah formed what is now called Malaysia.