2. Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia includes Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, and the Philippines
SE Asia was most influenced by China and India

3. Southeast Asia
Early SE Asian states did not have set borders, instead they were mandalas, states organized around a central court
One powerful mandala was the Khmer Empire in what is now Cambodia

4. Angkor Wat – Hindu temples built in Cambodia now Buddhist
Southeast Asia
Over time some of the mandalas began to develop national identities and eventually became countries
Trade was important and brought Islam and even Hinduism to the region
Angkor Wat – Hindu temples built in Cambodia now Buddhist

6. Southeast Asia The first region colonized was the Philippines by Spain
By 1900 all of SE Asia was colonized by Europeans except for Siam (Thailand) which was kept as a buffer between the British and French

7. Southeast Asia
Europeans built cities and established plantations that grew rubber, sugar, rice, tea, and coffee
Colonialism caused nationalistic feelings and sparked the rise of independence movements

8. Southeast Asia
After WWII, some areas were freed from European rule. Other regions had to fight
When the French were defeated by the Vietnamese in 1954, Cambodia, Laos, North and South Vietnam (Indochina) became independent

9. Southeast Asia
When communist North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam, the US went to war to stop the spread of communism
The Vietnam War ended in 1975 and Vietnam was united under communism
Cambodia and Laos also fell to communism as well

10. Southeast Asia
Agriculture is the main economic activity in SE Asia (mostly rice)
Religious diversity
Indochina – Buddhist
Indonesia & Brunei – Muslim
Philippines – Catholic
Bali - Hindu