Early Singapore: Temasek & Historical Chronology

• Early Singapore's connection to the region and the world is explored.

Chronology

• Chronology arranges past events by their occurrence order
• Historians utilize timelines to arrange events chronologically.

Historical Time Divisions

• Historians divide history into periods or blocks to reference different times.
• Stone Age: Approximately 500,000 to 3300 BC.
• Bronze Age: Approximately 3300 to 1300 BC.
• Iron Age: Approximately 1300 to 900 BC.

Era Designations

• BCE stands for Before Common Era, previously known as BC or Before Christ
• CE stands for Common Era, previously known as AD or Anno Domini

Time Measurement

• A year serves as a primary time measurement unit for historians
• 10 years is a decade
• 100 years is a century
• 1000 years is a millennium

Chronology Importance

• Provides context for historical events
• Helps understand event interconnections
• Aids in understanding idea development

Early Singapore (Temasek) as a Trading Center in the 1300s

• Early Singapore, known as Temasek, became an important trading center in the 1300s

Geographical Advantages

• Singapore's location along the Straits of Melaka (SOM) waterway was key
• SOM was the quickest route for ships sailing from China to India and beyond
• Temasek served as an entrepôt for trade exchange between the Middle East, China, and India
• Seasonal monsoon winds benefited Singapore's location
• Southness monsoons: June to September, transported India to Temasek traders
• NE monsoons: December to March, transported India to temasek traders

Impact of Geographical Advantages on Temasek

• Being the shortest route allowed traders to bring supplies like food and water more cheaply
• Reduced risk of pirate attacks and accidents due to shorter trips
• Its geographical location made Temasek an important trading center due to its convenience for traders traveling along the Straits of Melaka
• Traders from China and India could trade through middlemen in Temasek instead of meeting each other
• Middlemen collected goods from one group of traders and exchanged them with another group of traders
• Temasek's geographical location made it convenient for traders to await monsoon wind changes to continue journeys

Fall of Srivijaya

• Srivijaya was a powerful maritime kingdom with Palembang as its port in Southeast Asia
• Srivijaya began to decline from the 11th century onwards due to external threats

Invasions Against Srivijaya

• The Chola Kingdom of Southern India
• The Siamese Kingdom (present-day Thailand)
• Majapahit, based in Java

Impact of Srivijaya's Fall on Temasek

• Palembang's fall led to its decline as a port, and Temasek benefitted
• Trade shifted northward to other areas like Singapore
• Temasek benefited from trade between China and Southeast Asia
• Temasek became an important trading center
• The fall of Srivijaya allowed Temasek to grow in popularity as a port

Decline of Singapore by the 15th Century

• The Melaka Sultanate grew in importance and became a dominant trading center
• Melaka offered a convenient location for traders traveling between the Indian and South China Sea
• Melaka provided a safe harbor for long voyages
• Singapore was overshadowed by Melaka and ceased to serve its previous role as a center of trade
• Singapore declined as an important trading center by the 15th century

European Interest in Singapore Before 1819

• Examination of European interest in Singapore before 1819

Explore the historical chronology used to understand the early connections of Singapore (Temasek) to the wider region and world. Learn about historical time divisions such as the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age. Understand the importance of chronology including timelines and dating systems like BCE and CE.