A Guide to the Founding of Singapore

Here’s a concise guide to the founding of Singapore, tracing its origins from a modest trading post to a thriving modern city-state.

Early History and Pre-Founding Context

Before its formal founding, Singapore was a small island known as Temasek, mentioned in Malay and Chinese records as early as the 14th century. It was part of regional trade networks, loosely tied to empires like Srivijaya and later the Majapahit. By the 17th and 18th centuries, it had faded into obscurity, sparsely populated by fishermen and Orang Laut (sea nomads), with little political or economic significance. The island was nominally under the Johor Sultanate, but its strategic location at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula—near the Malacca Strait—made it ripe for rediscovery.

The Arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles (1819)

Singapore’s modern founding began on January 29, 1819, when Sir Stamford Raffles, an agent of the British East India Company (EIC), landed on the island. Raffles, then Lieutenant-Governor of Bencoolen (in Sumatra), sought a new British trading post to counter Dutch dominance in Southeast Asia and secure the lucrative trade routes between China and India. He saw Singapore’s potential as a free port with its deep natural harbor and central position.

On February 6, 1819, Raffles negotiated a treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor and the Temenggong (a local chief), establishing a British trading settlement. The agreement allowed the EIC to set up a factory (trading post) in exchange for annual payments to the Sultan and Temenggong. This move was controversial—Raffles acted without full authorization from his superiors, and the Dutch, who controlled much of the region, protested. However, Britain later formalized the arrangement through diplomatic negotiations, including the 1824 Anglo-Dutch Treaty, which ceded Singapore to British control.

Early Development (1819–1826)

Raffles spent little time in Singapore himself—only a few months across three visits—but his vision shaped its early trajectory. He declared Singapore a free port, abolishing tariffs to attract merchants, and laid out a town plan dividing the island into ethnic and functional zones (e.g., commercial areas, a Chinese kampong, and an administrative center). William Farquhar, the first Resident, oversaw initial growth, though he clashed with Raffles over practical governance, including tolerating gambling and slavery to fund the settlement.

By 1824, Singapore’s population had grown from a few hundred to over 10,000, including Malays, Chinese, Indians, and Europeans, drawn by trade opportunities. The island became part of the Straits Settlements in 1826, alongside Penang and Malacca, under direct British administration.

Key Milestones in the Founding Era

1819: Raffles lands and signs the treaty, marking Singapore’s founding as a British outpost.

1824: The Anglo-Dutch Treaty confirms British sovereignty, ending Dutch claims.

1826: Singapore joins the Straits Settlements, cementing its colonial status.

1830s onward: Rapid growth as a trade hub, fueled by its free-port status and the opening of the Suez Canal (1869), which amplified its global connectivity.

Legacy of the Founding

Singapore’s founding was less about conquest and more about strategic opportunism. Raffles’ foresight—leveraging geography and free trade—transformed a backwater into a bustling entrepôt. By the mid-19th century, it was a cornerstone of Britain’s Asian empire, setting the stage for its evolution into an independent nation in 1965.

This guide captures the essentials: a blend of historical obscurity, colonial ambition, and economic pragmatism that gave rise to modern Singapore.