NAN HUA HIGH SCHOOL

2016 COMMON TEST 1

Subject

History

Paper

2174

Level

Secondary Three Express

Date

09 March 2016

Duration

45 minutes

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Write your name, class and index number in the spaces provided on the writing paper.
Write your answers on the writing paper provided.
Do not use staples, paper clips, glue or correction fluid/tape.
Answer all questions.

INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

The number of marks is given in brackets [ ] at the end of each question or part question.
The total mark for this paper is 20.

This paper consists of 4 printed pages.

Page 1 of 4

Section A: Source-Based Case Study

Question 1 is compulsory for all candidates
Study the background information and the sources carefully, and then answer all the
questions.
You may use any of the sources to help you answer the questions, in addition to
those sources you are told to use. In answering the questions you should use your
knowledge of the topic to help you interpret and evaluate the sources.

(a)

Study Source A
What does the source tell you about Birchs inability to work with the
Malay Sultan and chiefs? Explain your answer.
[5]

(b)

Study Sources B and C

How similar are the sources in explaining why the Malay chiefs
opposed the British Residential system? Explain your answer.

[7]

This paper consists of 4 printed pages.

Page 2 of 4

How far was Birch responsible for causing the Perak Revolt in 1875?
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Read this carefully. It may help you to answer some of the questions.
James Birch was appointed the first British Resident of Perak in 1874. In 1875, he
was murdered by Maharajah Lela, a Malay chief from Pasir Salak. This led to the
subsequent revolt of the Malays against British rule in Perak. Many historians
believed that it was Birchs attitude and arrogant actions that caused the Malay
chiefs to turn against the British. Others believed that the Perak revolt was caused
by a lack of clear understanding among the Malay chiefs of the terms of the Pangkor
Treaty. How far was Birch responsible for causing the Perak revolt?

Source A:

Sir Frank Swettenhams account of his experiences working with Birch

in Perak. Swettenham later became the Resident-General of the
Federated Malay States. He was in Perak when Birch was killed.

Soon after Mr Birch was appointed as Resident of Perak, I paid several visits to
Perak to help him in interviews with the Sultan and other important people. He did
not speak or understand the Malay language. While his ability and administration
were great, the Malays were not the sort of people he was used to dealing with. He
had great enthusiasm, but this did not make up for his faults. From the first, he used
all his influence to free victims of debt-slavery, [which was a customary practice of
the Malays]. But this, together with efforts to stop the collection of duties (taxes) and
fines, made him very unpopular.

Source B:

A letter from the Malay Chiefs in Perak addressed to Haji Ali, a Malay
chief who was present during the signing of the Pangkor Treaty.

We inquire about our friends [Birch] having got kuasa (written authority) over this
country of Perak, to become Resident and govern Perak, collecting all the taxes of
the country If our friend got it from Raja Abdullah, we will in no way accept a
single clause of it, and that, as regards Raja Abdullah whom they installed as
This paper
of 4 printed
pages.
Sultan, we will in no way,
any ofconsists
us, accept
himIf
you wish to use force to us,
of us
4
even then we will not accept it, but we will in no way resist you, for wePage
none3of
wish to fight with you, having no power to do so. Therefore you must show us
plainly what is our fault towards you .

Source C:

An extract from a History website

In a letter, Clarke admitted he had hustled [cheated] the Malay chiefs into an
agreement, and justified this on the grounds, that had he not done so, nothing
would have been achieved. He defended his support of Abdullah on the grounds
that it was necessary to secure first allegiance of the chiefs on the lower reaches of
Perak River, before becoming involved with those further upstream. Colonel Anson,
the Governor of Penang later remarked, There can be little doubt that these chiefs
did not fully realise what they were asked to agree to; or if they did, had no intention
of carrying it out,

Copyright Acknowledgements:
Source A

Sir Frank Swenttenham, British Malaya: An account of the Origins and Progress of
British Influence in Malaya. Allen & Unwin; 1955.

Source B

The letter by the Perak Malay chiefs found in Haji Alis possession. See Plunket,
Enquiry as Complicity, Appendix No. XXXIX.
Taken from: http://journalarticle.ukm.my/5364/1/Azmi%2520Arifin
%2520%252039%2520(1)%2520(July%25202012).pdf

Source C

Taken from: http://www.sabrizain.org/malaya/perak1.htm

Section B: Structured-Essay Questions

Answer the question
2.

This question is on the British Intervention in Malaya during the late 19 th

century

(a)

Explain why the British decided to adopt a policy of intervention in the Malaya
Peninsula by the 1870s.
[8]

End of Paper
This paper consists of 4 printed pages.
Page 4 of 4