P4_Early Singapore (Before 1819)

P4 Early Singapore (Before 1819)

Historical records and Stories

Today we are learning about...

• early Singapore by looking at sources such as stories and historical records.

• For this lesson, we define "Early Singapore" as Singapore before 1819.

Multiple Select

Let's look at the first source. What is the name of this historical record in the picture?

(You may choose one or more options.)

• the Malay Annals

• History of Temasek

• Early Singapore

• Sejarah Melayu

The Sejarah Melayu

- Also known as the Malay Annals

- Historians think that it was written in the 1600s.

- It contains many stories (about the royal court of Melaka)

- Among them is the story of Sang Nila Utama.

Multiple Select

Who is Sang Nila Utama? (Select all applicable answers.)

• He is a prince of Sumatra.

• He is also known as Sri Tri Buana.

• He named our country Temasek.

• He was Singapura's first king.

Building an Emporium

- According to the Sejarah Melayu, after Sang Nila Utama passed away, his son became the king.

- Singapura indeed became a great city and attracted many traders.

Read the graphic novel "Sang Nila Utama and the Renaming of Temasek" to find out more about Sang Nila Utama.

4A Textbook (p. 4 to 9)

Fill in the Blanks

Where can you find this structure in Singapore?

Fort Canning Hill

• Sang Nila Utama built his palace on a hill.

• The hill became known as Bukit Larangan (Forbidden Hill), Government Hill or Singapore Hill.

• It is now named Fort Canning Hill.

Fort Canning Hill

• The stories of rulers living on Bukit Larangan from the Sejarah Melayu led archaeologists to search the hill for artefacts.

• The excavations led to the discovery of ancient objects such as gold jewellery and pottery - suggesting that people used to live in the area.

• We will learn more about these artefacts in our next lesson.

Fort Canning Hill

• British documents from the early 1800s suggest that rulers used to live on Fort Canning Hill.

• The document described a mud wall that started form the shore and went around the base of the hill.

• The 5-metre thick and 3-metre high wall was possibly used to protect a palace on Fort Canning Hill.

• Look at p. 12 and 13 of your textbook for an artist's impression of the mud wall.

Poll

Do you consider such collection of stories like the Sejarah Melayu as a part of Singapore's heritage?

• Yes!

• No.

The Sejarah Melayu

• They are part of Singapore’s heritage.

• The stories were passed down from earlier generations.

• They have historical and cultural values as they tell us important information about Singapore’s past.

• In 2001, Sejarah Melayu was listed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Memory of the World Register.

Quiz Time!!!

How much can you remember?

Multiple Select

Which of the following statements about the Sejarah Melayu is/are true?

• There is only one version of the Sejarah Melayu.

• It is said to be written in the 1700s.

• It is a collection of tales and anecdotes of the past.

Multiple Select

Sang Nila Utama was also known as...

• Raja Chulan

• Sri Tri Buana

• King Temasek

• Demang Lebar Daun

Multiple Select

Why did Sang Nila Utama decide to visit Temasek?

• He wanted to go hunting.

• He wanted to settle in Temasek.

• He was attracted by the bright, white shores of the island.

• He was looking for a beast that fit the description of a lion.

Fill in the Blanks

The word "Singapura" means the...

Fill in the Blanks

Bonus: The Sejarah Melayu also tells the story of a strongman who threw a large stone from ther ruler's place to the mouth of the Singapore River. What is the name of this man?

The Singapore Stone

• In the 1800s, British found a large boulder with inscriptions on it.

• It was located at the mouth of the Singapore River.

• Only a fragment remains today.

• It is on display at the National Museum of Singapore.