Informative speech - History of Singapore
Informative speech outline
Topic: The history of Singapore
Introduction
While some people may know Singapore as a food paradise, shopping heaven or “jewel in Formula One’s crown” in Mr Bernie Ecclestone’s own words, not many people know how Singapore came about and how it has transformed to what it is today. So today, I will bring you down Singapore’s memory lane, starting with 1. Discovery; 2. Modernization & 3. Independence.
Body
To start off, I will touch on the discovery of Singapore. The city was first known as Temasek (“Sea Town”) when the first settlements were established from AD 1298-1299. During the 14th century, legend has it that Sang Nila Utama, a Prince from Palembang, was out on a hunting trip when he caught sight of an animal which he had never seen before. Taking it to be a good sign, he founded a city where the animal had been spotted, naming it “The Lion City” or Singapura, from the Sanskrit words “simha” (lion) and “pura” (city). The ancient Singapura was then ruled by five kings.
So now that you have a brief idea of the discovery, we will talk about the modernization. Modern Singapore was founded in the 19th century, thanks to politics, trade and a man known as Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. During this time, the British empire was eyeing a port of call in the region to base its merchant fleet, and to forestall any advance made by the Dutch. Singapore, already an up-and-coming trading post along the Malacca Straits, seemed ideal.
Raffles, then the Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen (now Bengkulu) in Sumatra, landed in Singapore on 29 January 1819. Recognising the immense potential of the swamp-covered island, he helped negotiate a treaty with the local rulers and established Singapore as a trading station. The city quickly grew as an entrepot trade hub, attracting immigrants from China, India, the Malay Archipelago and beyond.
There was no doubt of Singapore’s peace and prosperity then. However, these suffered a major blow during World
Topic: The history of Singapore
Introduction
While some people may know Singapore as a food paradise, shopping heaven or “jewel in Formula One’s crown” in Mr Bernie Ecclestone’s own words, not many people know how Singapore came about and how it has transformed to what it is today. So today, I will bring you down Singapore’s memory lane, starting with 1. Discovery; 2. Modernization & 3. Independence.
Body
To start off, I will touch on the discovery of Singapore. The city was first known as Temasek (“Sea Town”) when the first settlements were established from AD 1298-1299. During the 14th century, legend has it that Sang Nila Utama, a Prince from Palembang, was out on a hunting trip when he caught sight of an animal which he had never seen before. Taking it to be a good sign, he founded a city where the animal had been spotted, naming it “The Lion City” or Singapura, from the Sanskrit words “simha” (lion) and “pura” (city). The ancient Singapura was then ruled by five kings.
So now that you have a brief idea of the discovery, we will talk about the modernization. Modern Singapore was founded in the 19th century, thanks to politics, trade and a man known as Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles. During this time, the British empire was eyeing a port of call in the region to base its merchant fleet, and to forestall any advance made by the Dutch. Singapore, already an up-and-coming trading post along the Malacca Straits, seemed ideal.
Raffles, then the Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen (now Bengkulu) in Sumatra, landed in Singapore on 29 January 1819. Recognising the immense potential of the swamp-covered island, he helped negotiate a treaty with the local rulers and established Singapore as a trading station. The city quickly grew as an entrepot trade hub, attracting immigrants from China, India, the Malay Archipelago and beyond.
There was no doubt of Singapore’s peace and prosperity then. However, these suffered a major blow during World