How far do you agree that the need to set up a Common Market was the most important reason to a merger between Singapore and Malaya?
I agree to a certain extent. A Common Market allow Singapore's goods to be sold in Malaya without tariffs and could create industries and jobs.

The PAP government felt that a merger with Malaya would bring about rapid economic growth. With this merger, Singapore hoped that a Common Market would be set up to support Singapore's new industries. With this, goods can be bought and sold freely without being taxed. This would increase trade, expand industries and create more jobs.

But that is not the important reasons for merger. The PAP government wanted freedom from British rule so the best way is the merger. Tunku also wanted to solve communist problems as PAP was defeated in April 1961. He was concerned that the split would weaken the moderates within the PAP and allow the radicals to gain control of the party. Thus leads to forming a communist government in Singapore and use it as a base to spread communism in Malaya. In order to prevent that, Tunku agreed to merger.

In conclusion, i agree to a certain extent that setting up a Common Market was the reasons for merger as there are many other important reasons as well.

Singapore struggle to achieve internal self-government in the period 1945-1959 had its costs. Was it worth it? Give at least two reasons to support your answer.
I think it was worth it because they managed to gain internal self-government in year 1959, although the riot causes many death, injuries and damaged because of the riots. It made the British recognise the needs of workers and students and also to let the British government know that the communists are doing so to gain internal self-government for Singapore even with 4 people killed and 31 injured for the Hock Lee Bus Riot and 13 people died and more than 100 injured for the Students' Riot. David Marshall failed to gain internal self-government for Singapore in 1956 because the British government sees that David Marshall's government could not protect British interests and prevent Singapore from falling into the Communist hands in the Hock Lee Bus Riot during the first Merdaka talk. But, Lim Yew Hock gained internal self-government for Singapore in the second Merdeka talk in 1957 after the Students Riot in 1956 where he had the police to arrest almost all the union leaders to stop all communist activities. These actions done by him pleased the British government as it shows the success in suppressing the strikes and riots. Therefore, it gained trust from the British government to let Singapore have internal self-government.In conclusion, it is worth it as Singapore gained internal self-government form the British government through contributions done by the leaders of Singapore.

In your opinion, what could have prevented the Maria Hertogh riots in 1950? Give at least 2 suggestions.
Firstly, the judge should not put Maria in a convent as she already had a religion. This is disrespectful to her religion and thus many Malay protest it and started the riot.
Secondly, the judge should have given a fair judgment to the Dutch and the Malays respectively and if not, should have given a explaination why he made that judgment or else the Malays thought that he was in favour with Dutch.
Lastly, they should not allow those reporters to enter the convent to take some photos as it is like insult to her religions.
So if the judge analyse the problems and given a fair judgment, the riot could have been prevented.

Did the Industrial Revolution affect the way people lived and worked in the 19th century for the better or the worse? Explain your answer

In my opinion, the Industrial Revolution affected the way people lived and worked in the 19th century for the better.During the 18th century,people could only produce enough cloth for oneself but however, during 19th century, the invention of the spinning machine greatly changed the ways goods were produce and it shortened the production time.Secondly, the invention of the steam-engine causes railway trains and steamship to be invented soon after the discovery of the steam-engine.This help people travel a longer distances and to reach a place in a shorter time. However,the building of this machines needs raw material and they began to look East for raw materials and one place they turned to was Asia.Singapore was the most visited port during that time as it was because the Europeans obtained the raw material and needed markets to sell them and therefore,Singapore had a growth in its trade.Singapore also became a port-of-call as ships stopped to refuel and obtain food supplies.So, i concluded that it affected the people for the better.

The national museum has decided to erect a statue in front of its entrance. They have to choose between Stamford Raffles and Tan Tock Seng. If you were working for the museum, who would you choose ? and why?

I would choose to erect a statue of Tan Tock Seng because there are already two statues of Raffles. Tan Tock Seng had contributed by giving medical help for poor people for little or no cost at all. He also uses his own money to pay for the funeral expenses of unclaimed bodies that die in the streets and verandahs. By doing so, he supplied 1,032 coffins.Tan Tock Seng helps in settling problems and disputes in the Chinese community as he was appointed the leader of Chinese community with the title of Kapitan of the Hokkien clan. Even after his death, his descendants like Tan Kim Ching, Tan Teck Guan and Tan Chay Yan continued his legacy in helping the poor Chinese and each of them became leaders if the Chinese community.So I would choose to erect a statue of Tan Tock Seng in front of the National Mueseum entrance instead of Sir Stamford Raffles's .

Who really "founded" Singapore?

This question was really difficult as there were a lot of answers to that and all have evidence to support their answer. Up to now, many people recgonised Sir Stamford Raffles as the "founder" of Singapore. He set up a trading port and built up lots of building like school, shopping centres, etc. Some thinks that it was William Farqhuar as he took charge of Singapore because Raffles went back to his own country. But to me, neither both of them were the "founder" of Singapore.
In my opinion, I think that it was Sang Nila Utama that was the founder of Singapore as he was the one who gave the name Singapura or "Lion City" to this little island. He went hunting a fine day and was caught in a storm. But when he threw the crown into the sea, the storm subsided and he saw an island nearby. He saw a stange creature that looked like a lion and so he gave the island a name, which was "Lion City" or Singapura. Then he declared himself the ruler of this island which perhaps, he was the first ruler of Singapura.