history is fun

Warning!!! If you have not attempted the questions, pls scroll down to do so before looking at the answer.

This is a good practice to prepare you for tomorrow's CA.

Here you go.


1. From Source A, I can infer that the society in those days was rather lawless and the authority had little control over the people. This can be supported by the gang war which took place for several days leaving many people dead.

In addition, I can also tell that the society in those days was already involved in vices and illegal activities as Source A states that the fight was ‘over the ownership of a gambling den and an opium house.’


2. This report was made to show that secret societies were menaces of society. In the source, it is known that boys and girls were kidnapped by these secret societies.

This report was also made to reveal the difficult life of Chinese immigrants. This can be supported by the source that says that they could easily be abducted by secret societies ‘sold into slavery’ and some might even get killed if they tried to disobey their orders.

Lastly, as this is a report by a British investigator carried out for the British authority, its purpose was to show the hard lives of the Chinese immigrants and the lack of respect shown by the secret societies to the law of Singapore. By reporting the truth, it is hoped that the British authority would do something to tackle the problem of secret societies and make Singapore a safer place to stay.


3. Source C is unreliable as it says that secret societies in those days were law-abiding and existed as a source of social support for the Chinese. It says that they were ‘peace-loving’ and always ready to help their ‘countrymen in need’.

However, when I cross-reference with Source B, B states that secret societies were involved in abducting new immigrants and selling them into slavery and killing them if they did not obey their orders. Therefore, Source B disagrees with Source A.
Besides, when I cross reference Source C with Source A, A states that secret societies were fighting over the control of a gambling den and opium houses. Due to this quarrel, many people had lost died. Therefore, Source C is unreliable.

Lastly, as Source C is a statement made by the headman of Hai San to the police and his purpose was to defend himself and his secret society, what he said could not be reliable. This is because if he had confessed about all the illegal activities that they were involved in, he might be charged and sentenced. He had to lie and so hoping that the police would not have enough evidence to charge him. Therefore, Source C is unreliable.

Good luck!

Leo