Contents

1. Before you Begin 2

1.1 INTRODUCTION 3
1.2 GEOGRAPHY 4
1.3 REVIEW 8

2. Ancient Southeast Asia 10

2.1 INTRODUCTION 11
2.2 CIVILISATION AND CULTURE 12
2.3 SURPLUS AND INEQUALITY 14
2.4 CLASS SYSTEM 15
2.5 EARLY RELIGIONS 17
2.6 THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHEAST ASIA 18
2.7 EARLY SOUTHEAST ASIAN EMPIRES 23
2.8 CHINA AND INDIA 26
2.9 NEW RELIGIONS 32
2.10 REVIEW 36

3. Colonialism and Independence 38

3.1 INTRODUCTION 39
3.2 EXPLORATION AND TRADE 43
3.3 CONQUEST AND SETTLEMENT 45
3.4 IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE 48
3.5 GROWING NATIONALISM 51
3.6 CHALLENGES FOR NEW NATIONS 55
3.7 REVIEW 57

4. Modern Southeast Asia 59

4.1 ASEAN 60
4.2 MODERN INDIA AND CHINA 63
4.3 MODERN SOUTHEAST ASIA 68
4.4 REVIEW 77

5. The Future of Southeast Asia 79

5.1 INTRODUCTION 80
5.2 PERSPECTIVES 80

1
1. Before you Begin

In this chapter you will study:

At the end of this chapter you will be able to:

2
 1.1 INTRODUCTION

KEY WORDS
architecture (n) – the art and science of designing buildings and other structures
folklore (n) – the traditional stories, legends, music, dances and histories of a group of people.

Brainstorm What do you think of when you think ‘Southeast Asia’?

Close your eyes for a few seconds and note a few things that come to your mind.
Now write them down and share them with your partner.
Did you write similar things?
Did you list any similarities between the peoples of Southeast Asia?
If not, can you list some?

Exercise When we study a country or region in the world, we often study its history, geography,
Skills: economics, politics, and development.
Categorising
information
Can you think of one similarity between the different countries and peoples of
Southeast Asia? Think of one each for:
history, geography, economics, politics, and development.

Similarity Difference

History

Brunei is very small (just 5,765km²) whereas Indonesia

Geography
is very large (1,904,569km²)

Economics

Both Thailand and Cambodia have

Politics
constitutional monarchies

Development

Exercise Test your basic knowledge about Southeast Asia by taking this short quiz. Don’t worry
if you don’t have all the answers now. You’ll learn more soon.

Southeast Asia General Knowledge Quiz

a. What is the population of Singapore?
b. What languages do people speak in Brunei?
c. What is the currency of Vietnam?
d. What is the capital of the Philippines?
e. Which is the largest country in Southeast Asia?
f. Which is the smallest country in Southeast Asia?
g. Which country in Southeast Asia has the largest population?
h. What is the name of the highest mountain in Southeast Asia?
i. What is the name of the longest river in Southeast Asia?
j. What is the newest country in Southeast Asia?
k. Which is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonised?

3
 What characteristics unite the different people of Southeast Asia?

Physical environment is mostly water and forest

Beliefs and religious practices of many Southeast Asians are common

Folklore and traditional architectural styles are similar across Southeast Asia
Methods of agriculture are similar
Ancient social and political organisations were similar

brown skin

Most Southeast Asian peoples began as tribes. Each tribe was a small community of hunters, rice

of belonging.

Exercise A. What different ways of organising society do you know?

B. Which ones do you see most often in Southeast Asia?
C. Do you think it was different two thousand years ago? How were societies mostly
organised then?

Brainstorm How many different groups of people living in Southeast Asian countries can you
Skills: name? Brainstorm all the different groups you know and where they can be found.
Organising Example: Hmong people are found in Laos and Thailand.
information

Why do you think there are so many different kinds of people in such a small area?

Discussion Why are there often problems in countries with many different ethnic groups living
Skills: together?
Reasoning
Do you know any country that has many different ethnic groups, where people live
together peacefully without many problems?

1.2 GEOGRAPHY

Exercise
Skills: ‘Geography.’
Creating

KEY WORDS
ash (n) – a black substance left over after something burns
erupt (v)
minerals (n) – a useful substance found in the earth
peninsula (n) – a piece of land surrounded by water on three sides
ridges (n) – a line or a way along the top of a mountain
volcano (n)
deep inside the earth onto the surface

4
Southeast Asia can be divided into two parts according to its

island Southeast Asia.

Mainland Southeast Asia

Mountains cover much of mainland Southeast Asia. Among

these mountains are highland plateaus that stretch from the

separate Southeast Asia from other parts of Asia.

ridges run north to south. In between there are

m the mountains, and bring it through the

valleys. As a result, the river valleys are fertile farmland. People
have lived in these valleys, and cultivated the land, for thousands
of years.

Island Southeast Asia

Island Southeast Asia is made up of many islands spread over

island of Borneo.
re of very different sizes – Brunei is a tiny nation
on the island of Borneo. Singapore is a small island off the
Malay Peninsula

Philippines has over 7,000.

Island Southeast Asia is lo
volcanoes erupt,
volcanic ash spreads over nearby land. Volcanic ash is rich in
minerals, so the soil becomes fertile. Because of this fertile land,
many people farm near the active volcanoes.
However, this can be dangerous. Mount Pinatubo, on the island

people died, and many more lost their homes.

barriers between pockets of populations groups, who may have

lived quite close together but who developed different languages
and culture. As a result, Southeast Asia is very culturally diverse.

5
Exercise A. What geographical features are important to mainland Southeast Asia?
B. Which geographical features are important to island Southeast Asia?
C. Why were valleys important to early Southeast Asians?
D. Why were volcanos important to early Southeast Asians?
E.

Map work Look at this map outline and try answering the questions. Don’t worry if you can’t
answer them now. You will see them again at the end of this section.

Map 1: Southeast Asia Outline

Exercise A. What countries are near Southeast Asia?

B.
C. Without looking at the previous page, circle the countries that are part of mainland
Southeast Asia. Put a box around the number for the countries that are part of
Island Southeast Asia.

Map Reading
rections and distances you can become familiar with the countries and

you
is in the direction of south and east. ‘South southwest’ means that the place is almost directly
south, and a little bit to the west.

ground. If you want to know how far it really is from one place to another, you must look for the

6
 A compass rose is a drawing that can help
you remember these directions. Some maps
include a compass rose, others do not.

Example:
B is south southeast
of A.
C is west of B
D is south southwest
of A because it
is almost directly
south, but a little
bit to the west.

Exercise
Skills: There are an estimated 20,000 islands in Southeast Asia. Use the compass rose above
Using compass
directions
to help answer questions about the location of the islands pictured in Map 2
Map 2: Map Directions in Southeast Asia

a) The Spratly Islands are ____ of Palua. e) Palau is ____ of Kepulauan Aru.
b) Kepulauan Atuna is ____ of the Spratly Islands. f) Lombok is ____ of the Spratly Islands
c) _____ is East Southeast of the Nicobar Islands. g) The Andaman Islands are ___ of Palau.
d) Pulau Siberut is Northwest of ____________. h) Palau Simeulue is Southwest of ___.

Exercise Write some sentences of your own about the directions between different islands in
Skills: Southeast Asia. Make sentences like this one to test your friends:
Using compass “It is North northwest of Kepulauan Atuna”. (Answer: Palau)
directions

7
 1.3 REVIEW

Comprehension Answer the following questions without looking at the book:

1. Southeast Asia can be divided into two areas based on geography, what are they?
2. Name the 11 countries of Southeast Asia.
3. Divide these countries into two groups based on geography.
4. What are two other important geographic features of Southeast Asia?
5. For each feature, explain why it was important to the
development of human settlements in Southeast Asia.

7. Name three similarities and three differences between nations in

Southeast Asia.
8. Name three countries which neighbour Southeast Asia.
9. What is the name for the drawing shown to the right?
10. What does it help you to do?

Skills Practice Look at the map below and answer the questions on the following page

8
 1. Which island is Southwest of Flores?
2. Which island is East Northeast of the Mentawi Islands?
3. Which islands are Southeast of Palawan?
4. Which islands are East Southeast of Palawan?
5. Which island is South Southwest of the Batan Islands?
6. Which island is South Southwest of Natuna Island ?
7. Which islands are East of Natuna Island?
8. Which island is West Southwest of Tanimbar Island?

Skills Practice Use the map on the previous page to give your friends directions.

Example: From Natuna Island to Bangka.

From Natuna Island, travel 500 miles South Southwest to Bangka.

1. From Bangka to Tanimbar Island

2. From the Sangihe Islands to the Talaud Islands
3. From Sumba to the Mentawi Islands
4. From Flores to Natuna Island
5. From Palawan to the Batan Islands

Geography

Your friend has found a very old map of Southeast Asia with directions to a buried
Skills Practice
treasure. Unfortunately, your friend doesn’t know how to use a compass and
needs help. Where should your friend dig for treasure?

Now make a treasure hunt of your

own. Lead your friends through
the islands of Southeast Asia to a
secret location. You can use the
islands from page 7 or page 8 of

preparing the treasure hunt, swap

directions with your friend and

9
2. Ancient Southeast Asia

In this chapter you will study:

At the end of this chapter you will be able to:

10
 2. Ancient Southeast Asia
2.1 INTRODUCTION

KEY WORDS
archaeologist (n) – a scientist who studies ancient civilisations through their physical remains
material evidence (n) – something you can see or touch that gives you reason to
believe something
perspective (n) – a view or picture in one’s mind, an opinion, a position

Preview A. What do you know about ancient Southeast Asia? How do you know what you
Skills: Imagining know? Can you be sure that what you know really happened?
B.
Asia?

In this chapter you will learn about the ancient history of Southeast Asia. Southeast Asia is a very
ancient region. People had lived there for many thousands of years without leaving any record.
Also, many different groups of people have lived in the same areas at different times so it is often
hard to tell who did what.

material evidence
historians and archaeologists disagree about how and when things happened. When historians
write about ancient Southeast Asia, they often say that they can only guess what had happened.

show us that they don’t know for sure.

Everything you read in this chapter is only one of the many perspectives on the events in
Southeast Asia many hundreds of years ago.
What most historians agree on, though, is
that the history of Southeast Asia is based
on movements of peoples. Different groups
of people migrated in and out of the region
as well as around Southeast Asia. Many
kingdoms and empires were established and
then destroyed until modern Southeast Asia
was formed. In this chapter you will learn a
little bit about how this happened.

Discussion A. What did you learn from this

Skills: Reading introduction?
comprehension, B. What is important to keep
applying
information
in mind whenever you are
studying ancient history?
C.
to know for sure what has
happened?
D. What do you think would have
helped historians make more
accurate accounts of ancient
Southeast Asia? Ancient Khmer ruins
11
 2.2 CIVILISATION AND CULTURE

Preview Have you ever heard the word ‘civilisation’ before? What do you think it means?
People have many different ideas about what civilisation means. Look at the words in
the bubbles below. Which ones relate to civilisation? Cross out the words that don’t
belong.

What other words to you know that might be related to ‘civilisation’? Put your ideas in
the empty bubbles.

Compare the words you picked with the words your partner picked. Together, write a

Culture Society Individuals

Development Towns & Cities

Groups

Religion
Nomads

KEY WORDS
culture (n) – the customs and practices of a particular group of people
custom (n) – the habits or things which are done in the same way each time
nomad (n) –
water
settlement (n) – a place where people live, such as a town or village
valley (n) – an area on both sides of a river

Brainstorm Some people say that human civilisation began when groups of people came together
Skills: Making and began to develop culture. In fact, for some people, culture and civilisation mean
lists, making the same thing. What do you know about culture?

Read the paragraph:

When a group of people share the same way of life, we say that they have the same culture.
usually means that they speak the same language, eat the same kinds of food, have the same rules
of behaviour and follow the same customs and traditions.

12
 sport, weddings, fishpaste,
school, your name, the clothes
Exercise Look at the box of words on the right: you wear, your house, religion,
A. Which words in this list are part of culture? music, village, festival, your
B. What can you add to this list? family, language
C. Now make a list of things that are not part of culture.
D.

your culture?

Brainstorm Look at the highlighted areas on the map. Map 3: Ancient Asia
Skills: Finding A. What countries are
similarities
they in?
B. What similarities can
you notice about
all the highlighted
areas?
C. Why did civilisations
begin in river
valleys?

settlements, which
such as the
(ti-gris; yoo-fray-tees) in Mesopotamia (me-
soh-poh-tay-mi-yah), the Indus (in-dus) in India, and the Huanghe (hwang-he)

Group work
civilisations.

Group work Match the pictures with the captions:

Skills: Matching
1. 2. 3.

C.
A. B. Many ancient peoples were
As trade developed, some small nomads
developed by people living in settlements grew into towns and
settlements. cities.
travelled from place to place to

and to trade.
13
 2.3 SURPLUS AND INEQUALITY

In today’s world, some people have a lot of money and some people have a little. Some people

start to have more than other people? Has it always been this way, do you think?

Case Study Xing, Devi and Lin Oo were farmers. Xing had a farm in the mountains. The farm didn’t
get much water, except when it rained. Every year, Xing was able to grow just enough food
for his family to eat, but sometimes, when the rains didn’t come, they went hungry.
Devi has a farm in the hills. The soil is good because the rain washes some minerals and
soil down from the mountains onto her farm. Every year, Devi can grow enough food to
feed her family, and she has some left over.
Lin Oo has a farm in a river valley. The ground is very fertile and Lin Oo is able to grow a
lot of food every year. Even when the rains don’t come, Lin Oo is able to water his crops
with water from the river.

Exercise What differences do you think might

Skills: Critical
begin to occur between these three
thinking farmers over time?

Imagine that Xing’s great grand-

daughter discovers some bronze
in the mountains and starts making
some tools to help with the farming.
What do you think might change?

KEY WORDS
accumulate (v) – to collect
barter (n) – system of exchange of goods that does not use money
crafts people (n) – people who are skilled in a craft
(adj.) – something that produces good results and doesn’t take much time
inequality (n) – when one person or group has more than another
pottery (n) –
supervise (v) – direct and inspect other people’s work
surplus (n) – more than you need

Inequality started when farmers began to have surplus. As humans got more practice at
. People

other than growing food. Soon, some people began to specialise – spend most of their time
making crafts, such as pottery or weaving instead of growing food. Barter and trade began to

people to give them food and other necessary things.

14
 As trade developed, more inequality developed. Some people began to have more, and some –
less. More successful farmers or crafts people
religious leaders could also accumulate

Exercise Fill in the empty boxes with information from the text on the previous two pages.
Skills: Cause
and effect

human activities
people can power,
become more
spend time on inequality and
crafts classes develop

Case study Thirty years ago, Taa’s grandparents planted some banana trees near their house. Now
there is a large banana plantation there, many more bananas than Taa’s family need. They
can trade bananas for rice, meat and cloth, and still have many extra bananas.
Taa’s parents don’t work in the plantation any more. Instead they hire workers to harvest
the bananas. They pay these workers with goods they trade: rice, meat and cloth (and
bananas).
Taa’s mother uses her free time to make pots – she makes decorated pots that are very
beautiful. She can trade these pots for more goods. Taa’s mother and father spend time
supervising all the other families who live nearby. Many of these people work for Taa’s
family, or trade with Taa’s family. If there is not enough food in the area, Taa’s family
can use their surplus to help the other families. Taa’s mother and father are respected by
everyone around them for this. When the community needs to make a decision, Taa’s

Discussion A. What type of society do Taa and his family live in?
Skills: Reading B. What is the type of trade described in the story called?
comprehension, C. How does the surplus of food in Taa’s family affect their lifestyle and the life of the
cause and effect
whole community?

2.4 CLASS SYSTEM

KEY WORDS
brahmin (n) – a priest of Hindu religion
cult (n) – a small religion or a new version of a religion
emerge (v) – to appear, come up
divine (adj) – sacred, related to god
descendant (n) – someone who comes from or is born in a certain family many generations ago
(adj.) – easy to change, can move from one to another
healer (n) – a person who treats and helps the sick in a traditional way
indigenous (adj)
indigenous cult (n) – traditional or original religion of an ethnic group
intermarry (v) – when people from two (or more) different groups marry each other

15
 KEY WORDS
maritime (adj.) – related to the sea
merchant (n) – a person who makes money by selling (and buying) goods
missionary (n) – a person who goes to different places to get people to follow his/her religion
noble (n) – a person whose family is related to the ruler’s (king’s) family
potter (n) – person who makes pots and other objects out of clay
priestly (adv.) – of the priests
shaman (n) – a traditional cult priest who communicates with spirits
scholar (n) – a person who studies all their life
ulama (n) – Muslim priest
weaver (n) – a person who makes fabric using traditional methods

As surplus developed, new jobs emerged such as weavers, potters metal workers, and other
1.
began to have more and were able to get other people to work for them – like in the story about

food.

parts of Asia. Maritime

2. merchants settled in Southeast Asia and intermarried
brought the system of divine kings based on the Indian model. In this model, the rulers and kings
were considered to be like gods or descendants
from Heaven and people could not oppose it.
nobles, followed by
3. the merchant and priestly class. At the bottom was the working class, made up of farmers, crafts
merchant

indigenous
cults’ priests, shamans (shah-mahns), and healers
4.
Brahmins (brah-
mins) from India, Buddhist missionaries ulamas (ooh-lah-mahs),

. Fishermen could set up a business,

and become part of the merchant class. Also,
5.
anyone who wanted to become a religious
scholar
was mostly only open to men.

Exercise A. The topic of this text is:

Skills: Selecting I. The rulers of ancient Southeast
topic sentences, Asia
II. Class system in ancient
Southeast Asia
III. Variety of religion in
Southeast Asia
IV. The importance of trade

16
 Exercise B. Which sentence best summarises the text:
Skills: I.
Reading for II. The rulers of ancient Southeast Asia participated in trade.
gist, scanning, III. Trade helped develop the three classes in ancient Southeast Asia.
inferring
IV. Only men could become priests in ancient Southeast Asia.

C. Match the summaries with the paragraphs in the text:

I. The merchant class consisted of local and foreign traders.
II. Trade and port cities in Southeast Asia developed. New jobs appeared and
three classes developed.
III. In the beginning, it was very easy to move from one class to another (you
could set up a business and join the merchant class).
IV. The ruling class in most Southeast Asian nations were kings. The ruling
class also often participated in trade.
V. In Southeast Asia there were many different priests for all the different
religions

D. List all the different jobs that the text mentions.

E. How many different religions are mentioned in the text?
F. How did trade facilitate the development of new classes in Southeast Asian
societies?

2.5 THE EARLIEST RELIGION

KEY WORDS
coexist (v) – live together, side by side, at the same time
offering (n) – when you give something to a god or spirit
tolerant (adj.) – to understand or accept beliefs, ideas, lifestyles that are different from yours
version (n) – one way of doing things, a type of something
worship (v) – pray, show your respect to a god or spirit

Brainstorm A. What is religion?

Skills: Making B. What religions do you know? List all you can think of.
lists, mind- C. Do you know where each of these religions originated?
maps
D. What else do you know about each of these religions? Make a mind-map. As you
read more about religion, add as much information as you can to your mind-map.

animists. Animists worship

differ a lot from place to place, from people to people, from tribe to tribe. Even a very small
community can have their own version

for each area of life.

17
 responsible for business lives there. If they worship it and give it offerings, they will have good
luck in business.
Many versions of Animis

Animism is very tolerant of other religions. It easily coexists with Buddhism, Hinduism, and

When new religions began entering Southeast Asia, old animist cults were integrated into them,

of their traditional beliefs and kept their old tales and legends.

Discussion A. Read the text above and explain in your own words what “animism” means.
B. What evidence of animist culture can you see in your own community?
Skills: Making
C. Why do you think animist traditions tend to last even after people adopt other
looking for religions?
evidence

2.6 THE PEOPLE OF ANCIENT SOUTHEAST ASIA

KEY WORDS

archaeological (adj) – related to study of ancient people and cultures by digging up their
remains from the ground
beyond (prep) – further away, outside of
excavation (n) – digging up from the ground
inhabitants (n) – people who live somewhere, residents
migrated (v) – move from place to place
prehistoric (adj) – before recorded history, very old
shallow (adj) – opposite of deep

Brainstorm Guess the answers to the following questions:

A.
B. Who were they?
C. What did they look like?
D.
E. How did all the different ethnic groups get to Southeast Asia?

Read the text and check your answers.

The origins
People have lived in Southeast Asia since prehistoric times; some historians say, about 40,000
1. inhabitants of Southeast Asia were called Negritos (neh-grih-tohs). Many
historians agree that they originally migrated

them.

18
 Archeological excavations suggest that it is possible that people grew rice in Southeast Asia a
2.
successful sailors and sailed between the islands of Southeast Asia and beyond
Southeast Asians used stone tools and lived mostly on the coast and riverbanks.

3.

shallow
Philippines and on to the islands of Indonesia.

Discussion A. How do we know that the information in paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 is really true?
B. Did the writer provide evidence?
Skills:
Inferring C. What could be the evidence to support the facts in paragraphs 1, 2, and 3?

KEY WORDS
abundance (n) – a lot of something
chemical analysis (n)
they are
clay (n) – material from a type of sticky earth that is used for making pots and other objects; it
becomes hard when baked
irrigation (n) –
prosperous (adj) – successful, rich

Group work
Match paragraphs 1, 2, and 3 with the examples of evidence:
Skills: Applying
information

A. An account by a historian of emperor B. Archaeologists have discovered bits of

of Majapahit (mah-jah-pah-hit) copper shaped as arrow heads near a river
empire grew prosperous. People in in lower Myanmar. Chemical analysis
vast numbers thronged the city. At showed that they were made about 5000
this time every kind of food was in years ago. Some caves were discovered
great abundance
coming and going of people from are paintings of boats full of different
overseas.” things and people.

C.
analysis of the bones showed that they were at least 50,000 years old. A piece of a clay pot
was found near present day Phnom Penh. It had a grain of rice stuck to it. Archaeologists
have estimated its age at about 15,000 years.

Exercise A. Who were the Negritos? How did they get to Southeast Asia? Where did they come
from?
B. Paragraph 3 mentions ‘the newcomers’. Where did they come from?

19
Discussion A. The next text uses a lot of words such as ‘perhaps’, ‘probably’, ‘suggest’. Why do
Skills: you think that might be?
Reasoning B.
Southeast Asia?

The ‘new races’

of most Southeast Asia’s island peoples.

Migrants to mainland Southeast Asia started arriving about 4,000 years ago. First were the

Malaya.
When people learne
developed systems of irrigation.

Discussion
Skills: irrigation?
Reasoning

KEY WORDS
differentiation (n) – the process through which things which were the same
become different
population density (n) – how many people live in each particular area, for example 100
people per square kilometre
waterworks (n) – systems of transporting water

As agricultural methods improved, population density increased and more towns and
settlements developed. In those towns, people with a food surplus were able to develop crafts and
trade between settlements developed.
o summarise, the following factors were very important for the development of Southeast Asian

agriculture
trade
waterworks
early towns
social differentiation

Discussion A. How did the development of iron-working affect agriculture?

Skills: Cause B. How did improvements in agriculture affect society and trade?
and effect,
reasoning Choose one of the factors that affected early Southeast Asian civilisation and discuss
its importance.

20
 Map work A. Trace the way the
ancestors of modern Map 4: Rivers of Southeast
Southeast Asians Asia
arrived.
B. Which rivers do you
think they used?

Group work The ancient kingdoms

Skills: Analysing
of Southeast Asia can
be grouped into two
categories. These
categories are based
on geography. Can
you guess what these
categories are? Look at
the map of Southeast
Asia if you need some
help.

KEY WORDS
agrarian (adj) – based on agriculture
convert (v) – change from one system to another
dotted (adj) – covered with; spread around
empire (n) – one country’s rule over other countries.
imitate (v) – do like someone, copy someone
maharajah (n) – a title of Indian princes

agrarian kingdoms. Agriculture was the

main economic activity in agrarian kingdoms. Most agrarian

Ayutthaya (ah-yooh-ta-yah) (chow-

prah-yah) Empire
(ton-lay sap).

on sea trade. Malacca (ma-lak-kah) and Srivijaya (shri-vi-jah-

yah) were maritime states.
With the Indian ships came Indian culture. Indian missionaries
converted the natives to Buddhism and Hinduism, and soon
the local rulers were calling themselves maharajahs (mah-ha-
rah-jahs) and imitating

southern Vietnam were dotted

21
 Some of the more powerful empires
Empire Period Capital Extent of Control
Southern Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the northern part of the
Funan 1st to 6th centuries Oc-Eo
Malay Peninsula
Both sides of the Straits of Melacca, western Borneo and western
Srivijaya 7th to 13th centuries Palembang
Java
Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and the northern part of the Malay
Khmer 9th to 13th centuries Angkor
Peninsula
Pagan 9th to 13th centuries Pagan Most of Myanmar
Majapahit 13th to 16th centuries Majapahit Most of modern-day Indonesia
Malacca 15th to 16th centuries Malacca Both sides of the Straits of Malacca

Discussion What kinds of tools do you think early people of Southeast Asia made?
Skills: Imagining What did they use them for?

Review

Map work

In groups, circle the area controlled by one of the empires from the chart above. Look
at the location and the territories controlled by your empire. What can you guess about
it’s power?

Use the information from the chart to try and answer the following questions about your
chosen empire:
a. Do you think it was mostly a maritime power or a land power?
b. Do you think it had important ports?
c. Do you think any
important trade
routes passed
through these ports? Map 5: Southeast Asia Outline
d. Is there any other
information you can
add or guess.

Make a presentation for the

rest of the class using all this
information.

Queen & ruler of

Majapahit 1328-50
22
 2.7 EARLY SOUTHEAST ASIAN EMPIRES

KEY WORDS
democratic assembly (n) – when everybody comes together to make a decision by voting
dominate (v) – control
fertile (adj) – able to grow many things
(v) – run away
fugitive (n) – a refugee or someone who is running away from authorities
plateau (n)
submit (v) – to obey
tributary (n)
uncertain (adj) – not sure, not certain

The Kingdoms of Early Southeast Asia

In this section, you will read about some of the more important states and kingdoms of ancient

Asian history so later you can discover the rest for yourself. When you read these stories,

historians have different ideas about what happened in Southeast Asia.

Preview Look at the names of the early

Map 6: Southeast Asian
Skills: Guessing
Southeast Asian empires on Map 6. Empires 1200 A.D.

them?

controlled?

people spoke there?

peak of their power?

follow?

their culture?

Group work Choose one of the following texts to

read in groups. Explain your text to
Skills: Explaining,
reading another group.
comprehension

Pre-Muslim Indonesia
dominate the trade

Sumatra near both the Malacca and Sunda Straits. Srivijaya not only ruled Sumatra but also the
Malay peninsula and western Java. It had almost complete control over Indochina trade.
23
Funan (fuh-nan)
fertile

(o-tse-o), was located in

Mon and Malay

(dvah-rah-vah-ti) and Haripunjaya (hah-ri-phun-jah-
yah)
agriculture since they did not have access to the sea. In the Malay Peninsula, several small states

by offering traders a short cut that was both quicker and safer than the Straits of Malacca.

Myanmar

democratic
assembly
In the 3rd century, Arakanese people established a kingdom at Dhanyawadi on the coast, between

center of trade with India.

Pegu, a city on the eastern edge of the Irrawaddy Delta.

territory that is modern day Myanmar.

Vietnam
uncertain

th

formed the ethnic Vietnamese of today.

Nan Zhao (nahn zow)

24
 (ko-rat) Plateau and the upper Mekong
valley.

River (a tributary

the same river.

Lan Xang (lahn-zahng)

gave this prince, Fa Ngum, an army, and he marched up the Mekong River. With his army he

Khmers
(chen-lah). It did not have a strong government.

submitted peacefully to Angkor’s rule.

(soohr-yah-vahr-mahn)
and gain territory in the region and led attacks against the Burmese and the Vietnamese.

Malacca

fugitive Sumatran prince named Parameswara (pah-rah-mes-wah-rah). Malacca had a superb

and Majapahit (mah-jah-pah-hit) both controlled the Malay peninsula at different times.

Group work In groups make a question for each of the states described in the previous pages.
Skills: Making
questions Test your classmates.

Group work
Read about one of the peoples of Southeast Asia. Put the information into this timeline:
Skills: Timeline

500BC 1AD 2000AD

Look at other groups’ timelines. Compare events that have happened in the different
countries in Southeast Asia.

25
Exercise Read the following four paragraphs. Which one best summarises the main ideas of the
Skills:
Main idea

A.

At different times, different ethnic groups dominated the region.

B.

successfully attacked Myanmar and Vietnam.

named Dvaravati and Haripunjaya, were founded around 500 AD in central and northern
C.

safer than the Straits of Malacca.

D.
monks, the allocation of resources for their support, and the construction of pagodas. All these

Free Spend 10-15 minutes writing about early Southeast Asian empires and states. You can
Writing write anything you want as long as you don’t copy directly from the module. You can
write in any language you like.

2.8 INDIA AND CHINA

Preview There are many examples in the news today of China and India’s interest and
involvement in Southeast Asia. This interest and involvement has a long history.

A
B
C
D

E. Have you ever heard about the Harappan (hah-rahp-pahn) civilisation?

26
 KEY WORDS
cotton (n) – a plant used for making cloth
conquer (v) – attack and take control
inhabitant (n) – the person or people who live or reside in one place
majority (n) – most people or more than half the people in any group or country
product (n) – something made by someone or something, something you can sell
prosper (v) – to become successful and wealthy
subcontinent (n) – a large landmass, smaller than a continent
wheat (n) – grain from which bread is usually made

economy.
products, they
brought three religions to the area – Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam. Buddhism became a
majority
Brunei, Malaysia and Indonesia, and there are Hindu communities throughout Southeast Asia,
especially on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Map work A. Look at the map of Southeast Asia. Find all the countries mentioned in the
paragraph. Which Southeast Asian Countries border India and China?
B. Which routes do you think traders and religious missionaries from India and China

C. What other countries do India and China border?

Map 7: Asia

27
 India

Brainstorm What do you know about India today?

What about ancient India?

The origins of Indian civilisation

subcontinent
to the development of villages and towns. Map 8: Ancient India

Dravidians, came into the subcontinent through

the mountains in the north. It was easy for
them to conquer the local towns and villages
because they had bronze weapons, while the
local inhabitants
invaders settled in the cities together with the
locals. Many of them intermarried and adopted

civilisation in India, the Harappan civilisation,

was prospering in the Indus River valley.

Discussion A. How did agriculture lead to the

development of towns?
Skills: Cause
and effect, B. Why do you think bronze weapons
advantages and are better than stone weapons?
disadvantages

The way of life

In what is now Pakistan, there were two very
(moh-
hen-joh-dah-roh)
square kilometer in area and about 35,000

streets were all the same City Plan of Mohenjo-Daro

size and there were fairly complicated water
and drainage systems
wheat, which
cotton
with other ancient civilisations such as Egypt and they used a system of writing similar to
Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Exercise How do you think historians know about the kind of houses people lived in so long ago
Skills: in Harappa? What kind of evidence do you think they might have found?
Looking for
historical
evidence
Look at the map of Mohenjo-Daro above. How do you think historians know where the
Granary was located?

28
Discussion A. How do you think Mohenjo-Daro compared with other human settlements at the time?
B. What civilisations do you know that have gone into decline?
C. What can cause the decline of a civilisation?

KEY WORDS
alongside (adv.) – side by side, near
cattle (n) – cows or buffalo raised by people for food
erosion (n) – when soil is destroyed gradually by rain and wind, usually because of
deforestation
pasture (n) – place where animals can eat grass
remains (n) – what is left after something or somebody has been destroyed or died
severe (adj) – very strong and bad

The end of the Harrappan civilisation and the Aryans

remains

severe
erosion
because the nearby forests were cut down for fuel.

cattle and goats and were most likely

looking for a place to pasture their animals.

Some historians believe the ancient cities were abandoned because the Indus River may have
changed its course. A series of earthquakes might have changed the course of the Indus River.

Discussion A. How were the Aryans different from the Harrappans?

B. Summarise the three main theories for the disappearance of Harappa and
Mohenjo-Daro.

Some Harrappans stayed and lived alongside

Ancient seal found in Mohenjo-Daro

the Aryans (ahr-y-ans), adopting their language

subcontinent.

Aryan languages and the southern languages are

called Dravidian languages. Scholars still debate if
there were really a separate race of people called
the Dravidians, or if the southern people were just
Aryans who developed a very different language.

29
 KEY WORDS
degrading (adj) – humiliating, making you feel very low, ashamed
(adj)
outcast (n) – a person who has been driven out of a group or rejected by society
untouchable (adj, n) – someone you can’t touch

Preview What is social class?

What do you know about different systems of social class?
Have you ever heard of the caste system?

The Hindu religion and the caste system

Dasas, or

By the end of the Rig Vedic period, social class had settled into four rigid castes called varnas. At

Below these castes were the outcasts who are untouchable

untouchables worked in degrading
social and economic rights which the Shudra and the untouchables did not have.

By the end of the Rig Vedic period, social class became completely

hands, the Vaishyas came from the thighs and the Shudra from the feet of Brahma. In contrast,

Exercise Describe the system of caste in your own words.

Skills: Restating Draw a picture showing the relationship between the castes.
information
Do you know if the system of caste still exists? If so, how does it affect people’s lives?
Discussion
Do you know if a similar system exists anywhere else in the world?

Debate Argue for or against the statement below:

“The system of caste is a useful and convenient way of organising society. It is
important that everyone knows where they belong.”

Exercise Fill in the blanks in this chart with information from the text above.
Skills: Organising
information
Time period Early Rig Vedic Later End of Rig Vedic
Castes and Nobles and
classes Commoners

Movement

30
 China

KEY WORDS
chieftain (n) – leader of a small group or tribe
dynasty (n) – a line of hereditary rulers
millet (n) – a type of grain
plaster (n) – a mixture of lime (calcium oxide), sand and water
potter’s wheel (n) – a mechanical tool with a round top used for making pottery
uncover (v)

(yahng-
show) uncovered

with plaster

(luhng shan)
potters wheel.

millet
skills.
Exercise
Skills: Reading What are some similarities between the Harrappan and the Lungshan civilisations?
comprehension

dynasty
(hsia)

chieftain

as they went.
Map 10: Origins of Chinese Civilisation
today, became uni

dynasty, the Qin, but

much of its current
culture came from the

today calls itself the

31
 Exercise A.
Skills: Applying in this text?
information B.
Xia, were established, what was happening in
India?
Map work Find the places of the origins of the Chinese
civilisation on Map 10 (page 31).

Discussion Compare the ancient Indian and Chinese civilisations.

Skills: Compare
and contrast b) What similarities?
c) Which one do you think was more advanced? Why do you think so?
d) Which one would you choose to live in? Why?
e) Compare ancient Indian and Chinese developments and technology.

2.9 NEW RELIGIONS

Preview Indian traders came to Southeast Asia around 1 AD and brought two things with them.
Do you remember what they are?

Discussion Why do you think peoples of Southeast Asia began converting to new religions?
Skills: Expressing
an opinion,
making examples

Group work In groups, read one of the four texts below. Put the information from your text in
Skills: Chart
this chart:
work, reading
comprehension

Where do most
When did it Where did it
Religion Main beliefs followers live
originate? originate?
now?
Animism

Hinduism

Buddhism

Islam

Christianity

32
 KEY WORDS
attain (v) – to achieve or gain through effort
denomination (n) – a religious group that shares a name, structure, and set of beliefs
enlightened (adj.) – free from false beliefs, understanding the true way of the world
redeem (v.) – save, pay for
reincarnation (n) – to be born again in a new body
reveal (v) – to make clear something confusing or to show something that has been hidden
sultanate (n) – a kingdom ruled by a sultan

Hinduism
Origins of Hinduism

years old. It originated from Aryan traditional beliefs and legends

that they brought to India. Hinduism developed over many

in India. Hindus worship many different gods and they believe in

reincarnation.
Hinduism in Southeast Asia

traders in the 1st

Indonesian island of Bali, and among minority communities of Hindu descent.

Buddhism
Origins of Buddhism and Buddha’s Life

the teachings of a prince called Gautama Siddhartha. He left his

to the question, ‘Why is human life full of sorrow and pain?’ After
many years of searching, he realised the answer to this question.
Gautama became the Buddha, which means ‘the Enlightened

He taught that all people are born equal and that everyone can
attain enlightenment. After the Buddha’s death, some of his
followers raised him to the level of a god and Buddhism became a
religion.
Spread of Buddhism in Southeast Asia

the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia.

Islam
Origins of Islam
People who b revealed the religion
to the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was born in Mecca in Arabia in AD 570. In Arabic,

Muslims to live.
33
 Spread of Islam in Southeast Asia
Historians believe that Islam came to Southeast Asia around the 11th
century AD. Islam was brought to the region by Muslim traders from
Arabia, Persia and India. From the Malay Peninsula, Islam spread
to Siam, Sumatra and Indonesia. Many Muslim kingdoms, called
sultanates
the sultanate of Malacca.

Christianity
Origins of Christianity

Son of God who was sent to earth to save the world.

o redeem

believe that Jesus is present among them to work for peace on

.
Spread of Christianity in Southeast Asia

denominations, in the region including Baptists,

remain a minority.

Group work A. Compare Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, using the chart you made
Skills: Compare
on page 32. What are the differences and similarities?
and contrast B. What are the differences between these new religions and the indigenous Animist
cults of Southeast Asia?

similarities differences

Debate Have a debate about religion. Here are some topics for you to choose from:
Skills:
a. It is important to learn about other religions, even though you don’t
Expressing believe in them.
an opinion, b. It is important to respect other religions.
developing an
argument c. It is important that people feel free to criticise religions, even if it offends
other people.
Once a role is assigned to your group, prepare your arguments for or against.

34
Group work In groups, prepare a presentation about a religion or about part of a religion and
present it to the class. To prepare your presentation, you will have to do some
Skills:
Research skills,
research.
interviewing,
presenting

community to collect information.

religion and interview them.

the internet or in a library.

Look at the map of Asia.

Map work
Trace the ways that the new religions came to Southeast Asia.

Map 11: Religions in

Southeast Asia

35
 2.10 REVIEW

Memorisation Identify all the countries in Southeast Asia without looking at your book:

1. Civilisation
2. Culture
3. Religion
4. Animism
5. Caste
6. Social differentiation

Explaining
Explain the advantages and disadvantages
of organising society according to caste

36
 Explaining
Answer the following questions in your own words:

1. Where did the earliest human civilisations begin? Why did they begin there?
2. How did inequality between people start?
3. How do historians know what they say about ancient civilisation is most likely true?
4. What factors were important for the development of Southeast Asian nations and states? Why
were they important?
5. Describe the two kinds of ancient Southeast Asian kingdoms.
6. Describe one of the early Southeast Asian empires.

8. Describe the earliest known civilisation in India.

9. What are some reasons that civilisations can decline?
10. Describe the earliest civilisation in China.

Archaeological
Match the following historical evidence with the statement it best supports:
Evidence

Scientists have Archaeological Archaeologists have A special kind of

discovered the remains found ancient graves. pottery developed
of an iron smelting site. stone tools. When A few graves contain by the ancient
compared to other skeletons buried
making tools, building stone tools found with bone and shell
remains, beads and pots across the world made jewelry and clay archeological sites
that they discovered around the same time, and dated to the
could be dated to the third these tools are much date back to the second millennia
century. more advanced. 2 Bronze Age. 3 4
1

31,000 years ago,

People probably
Social classes and social differentiation Early settlements in
travelled between
inequality was present was already taking Malaysia made iron
4,000 years ago in place in Sabah. Sabah tools as early as 300
the Philippines as early
probably had skilled
iron workers.
A B C D
37
3. Colonialism and Independence

In this chapter you will study:

At the end of this chapter you will be able to:

38
 3. Colonialism and Independence
3.1 INTRODUCTION

Preview A. What have you learned so far about the Straits of Malacca?
B. Place it on the map on page 36.
C. Look at the title for this section. What do you think you will be studying?
D. Why do you think the Straits of Malacca may have been of interest to Europeans?

Brainstorm A. What countries are situated on the Straits of Malacca?

B. What could be some advantages and disadvantages of having a city on the Straits
Group work of Malacca?
Skills:
Advantages and
disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages

Discussion Read the text and add anything else you can think of to the chart above.

KEY WORDS
bland (adj) – boring, without taste
camphor (n) – strong smelling white substance found in camphor laurel tree, used in medicine
cinnamon (n) – a sweet spice used in cooking
clove (n)
haul (v) – to transport something heavy
isthmus (n) – a narrow strip of land between bigger pieces of land
mace (n) – dry skin from nutmeg, also used as spice
nutmeg (n) – a seed from a tree, very fragrant, used as spice
pilgrim (n) – a person who travels to a sacred place for religious reasons
spoil (v) – not good to eat anymore

The Straits of Malacca

pilgrims and scholars passed through the Straits, bringing their

the monsoon winds.

Alternative route

Isthmus
boats along rivers and on elephants through the jungle. When they arrived at the eastern side of

same in the opposite direction.

hauled
to the south on the coasts of Java and southeast Sumatra as ships from the west started going
further through the Straits of Malacca.
Malacca became Southeast Asia’s busiest port, receiving ships from the Middle East, India,

from the Moluccas Islands, near New Guinea.

39
 The Spice Islands and the spices

the Spice Islands because they are

the world’s largest source of black
pepper, cinnamon, ginger, cloves,
nutmeg, mace and camphor
demand for spices in the West was
very high, because European and
Middle Eastern diets at this time
were terribly bland without them.
spoiled
meat taste better. Spices were
also widely used as medicines.
Merchants considered spices the

of money for a small amount and

they didn’t spoil like other kinds of
cargo.
pices that were taken west Map 12: Maritime Spice Routes
passed through the hands of many

cargo changed hands, the price went up. Whoever could get the spices without having to use

could control the world! Portugal wanted to control the Spice Islands so that they could control
the price of the spices and control everyone who wanted to buy spices.

Map work A. On Map 12, mark the Straits of Malacca.

B. Trace the alternative trade route through the Isthmus of Kra
C. Circle the Moluccas islands.
D. Look at Map 11 (page 35). Describe how each religion came to Southeast
Asia

Exercise A. In today’s markets, what kinds of things are in high demand, like spice was
Skills: Critical long ago?
thinking, making B. Which countries have the same idea as Portugal about controlling the trade
connections
of these things?

KEY WORDS
Orient (n) – a word that some Westerners use to describe Asia
strategic (adj) – something which helps achieve a certain goal or objective

The Age of Exploration

Orient by

Islands, they still needed to go through the Straits of Malacca.

after the 11th century. From the 15th century it was controlled by the Sultanate of Malacca.

Malacca. Because of Malacca’s commercial success and strategic geographical location, it was
40
 attacked by the Portuguese in 1511. In 1641
the Dutch took it over from the Portuguese. At
th
century, the British

Malaysia.
Malacca and Java dominated the trade

Europeans later started participating in this

dominate the spice trade network. Western

Map 13: Colonial outposts 1665
European presence in the spice trade. European
companies started by setting up trading
outposts in Asia.

Exercise A. Make a timeline of the control of the Straits of Malacca.

Skills: Timelines, B. Describe the commercial importance of the Straits of Malacca
reading C. Why did it become such a popular marketplace?
comprehension D. Why did so many nations compete for control of Malacca?
E. What was the importance of Malacca for the Europeans in the 16th century?
Discussion A. What does “relatively safe route” mean? Why ‘relatively’? What dangers do you
Skills: think the sailors faced in the Straits of Malacca?
Imagination, B. What do you know about monsoon winds? How can they help sailing?
applying
information

Exercise Here are four people going on a journey. Read their stories, and complete the chart on
the next page.

A. My trip will be long! I don’t hope to come back B. I am heading to Malacca. I was invited by
to Portugal in less than two years. I am also sure the rulers of Malacca to teach them about Islam.
it will be very dangerous, with all those pirates Malaccan rulers are thinking about converting
and storms! I am looking forward to all those
adventures! to our faith if such an important city as Malacca
joins us. A lot of new mosques will be built there
trade with Asia. Especially trade in all those and Islam will prosper. Malaccan rulers also
want to encourage traders from the Muslim
Italians buy the spices from the Arabs who world to use Malacca port on their travels
buy them from the Indian traders who trade
directly with the locals. By the time those loads the city.
of cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, and cloves reach I will start my trip in July and head north-east
Europe, the price is ten times higher! There must towards the coast of Myanmar. Then south,
be a way to get directly to the islands where they along the coast towards the Straits of Malacca.
grow and force the natives to sell them cheaply. I am looking forward to my trip, but I am very
Then, our ship, and other Portuguese ships, can afraid of pirates. I am going with a trading ship
bring them back home and sell them in Europe full of expensive Indian goods for sale, such as
textiles and pepper, and there are many pirates
develop! We can build many new modern ships attacking ships like that, especially in the Straits
and travel to all parts of the world of Malacca.
41
 C. I am headed to the Spice Islands. In order to get there,
I need to leave Malacca around July to sail south with
the winds. My ship will follow the Sumatran coast south
into the Java Sea, and then on, south of Borneo east
through the Flora Sea and further east into the Banda
Sea.

island of Ternate, where I have good contact with local

spice traders. I will buy a ship-load of cloves – they get
very a good price back in Malacca. But before I load them
on to my ship, I will sell a supply of rice and textiles from
India at the local market. The soil on Ternate is not that
good for growing rice and many other crops, that’s why
they have to sell their spices and buy rice and other goods
from other parts of Asia. My ship is not that big, the
whole crew is only 10 sailors. This is enough, because we
don’t have to cross the open ocean like when you sail to
India for example. But we are very afraid of pirates. We
will sail mostly along the coast and avoid most storms,
but we also have to be very careful not to get too close to
the rocks in case a storm does come.
D. I started my trip in November in order to use the winter monsoon winds to carry my ship south
across the South China Sea, around the coast of Vietnam and towards the Malay Peninsula. I come
from a family of traders. My ancestors have been travelling across Asia by sea for hundreds of years. My

of Kra. From there, they would have to take their goods across the peninsula by land and load onto ships
on the other side. But now, we go to the port of Malacca, in the Straits of Malacca. It’s a great port!
Thousands of traders from all over the world gather there. I will wait in Malacca for several months until
the summer monsoons come and my ship can sail with the wind up the Straits of Malacca and across the

Malacca. This way my trip will take longer than a year. However, I will have to wait a few more months
for the winter monsoon winds. I will not return to China. It is very dangerous for me to return to China
because the emperor has just banned all travel outside of China. And if I come back from my trip, I might
be killed for disobeying the emperor’s orders.

Where are they going? Why are they going there?

42
Group work Choose one of the following roles:
Skills: a. Imagine you are a Chinese trader. You are carrying Chinese silks and porcelain for
Understanding sale in India.
multiple
perspectives b. You are a Muslim missionary from India. You want to spread your faith east.
c. You are a Portuguese explorer. You want to get to the famous Spice Islands in order
to take control of the spice trade in Europe.
d. You are a Malaccan trader heading towards
Moluccas.
Describe your trip. Here are some questions
to help you organise your story. You don’t
need to answer all of them - include as
much information as you want.

travel?

your way?

3.2 EXPLORATION AND TRADE

KEY WORDS
commodity (n) – any item which is an object of trade
integrate (v) – grow together, become part of each other, depend on each other
manufacture (v) – to produce, make a lot of something
porcelain (n)
plantation (n) – a very big farm for only one type of crop (cotton, coffee, fruit, etc.)
quantity (n) – number of something, amount
route (n) – way to go
seafarer (n) – sailor, sea traveller
(adj) – independent, only relying on yourself
trading post (n) – a place set up by an organisation or country for selling and buying things

Preview In the previous section you read about the Straits of Malacca. How can you describe
Skills: Imagining, the beginning of European imperialism?
making a story

Before 1500, European economies were mostly

Asia and Africa.
After 1500,when new sea routes were discovered, European and Asian economies slowly started
integrating
commodities increased. Eventually, the increase in trade between Europe and other parts of the
world caused the development of the modern world capitalist economy.

43
 Exercise A. What
Skills: Rephrasing B. How did Asian economies change after the 15th century?
C. Why did this happen?
D. What was the result?
Group work
Skills: Asking Read either text A or B below. Ask another group about the other text.
and answering
questions

A. B.
In the late 15th and 16th centuries, European By 1700, England, France, Spain, Portugal and
seafarers realised that the world is round. Sea Holland all had trading colonies in the Americas
trade routes opened. Europeans wanted the
manufactured from Africa to work on the sugar and cotton
cloth from India, silk and porcelain plantations in the American colonies.

looked for tea and coffee that did not grow in

Europe.
the machines and factories that started off the
Industrial Revolution. Now people in Europe
developed ships and set up trading posts on could produce large quantities of goods quickly
different sea routes. Better guns let them use
then in other western European countries.
colonised areas of land to grow crops.
Questions A Questions B
1. What important discovery about the world 1. Which European countries had colonies in
did Europeans make during the 15th-16th different parts of the world by the 1700s?
century? 2. Who worked on plantations in the American
2. List at least three different types of goods colonies?
that Europeans wanted from the East. 3. Name one of the ways that Europe developed
3. Which of these goods are grown and which as a result of colonial trade?
are made? 4.
4. Revolution?
5. Did they use force? What for?

Group work Write a sentence describing each picture

Skills: Ordering Put these pictures in order based on Texts A and B.
information

a. b. c. d.

44
 Discussion A. What kinds of products did the Europeans want from the East in the 15th – 16th
Skills: Reading centuries?
comprehension B. What else did they do in Asia at that time?
C. How did the situation change in the 1700s?

3.3 CONQUEST AND SETTLEMENT

KEY WORDS
expansion (n) – becoming bigger, spreading
raw materials (n) – natural resources, before they are made into something
slogan (n) – a phrase that is easy to remember, used to attract people’s attention
stage (n) – a step or a part of a process
surrender (v) – give up

Brainstorm A. What do you think ‘Conquest and Settlement’ means?

Skills: Guessing B. What might it refer to?

stage of European expansion began. Factories in

Europe needed more raw materials, such as minerals, palm oil, rubber, and timber. Businesses
A
wanted to sell their manufactured goods, such as engines, clothes, tools, and weapons. European
traders went to every continent in search of new sources of raw materials and new markets for
their goods.

B
th
century, Japan took
colonies in Eastern Asia.

Group work Answer the questions in groups:

Skills: Reading a. What raw materials did the Europeans need?
comprehension b. Where did they get them?
c. What goods did the Europeans produce?
d. What did they want to do with these goods?
Group work
Skills: Drawing,
In your group, draw a set of pictures to demonstrate the exchange of goods and raw
imagination, materials between Europe and other countries. Look at the pictures from the previous
applying section of this chapter to give you some ideas. Explain your pictures to another group.
information

New Imperialism
Imperialism was about controlling ports and trade routes by sea. Before the Industrial
Revolution, the driving force behind European imperialism was the high demand for goods from
Asia. India was already controlled by Britain, but most European powers only had trading posts.

45
 When industrialisation started in Europe, this situation changed. Now what Europe needed was
raw materials from Asia, rather than manufactured goods. European countries competed for

formal colonial control of vast overseas territories.

Discussion A. How did the western industrialised nations make sure they had access to markets in
Asia in order to sell their industrial products?
B.
C. What could Southeast Asians have done to avoid colonisation or the New
Imperialism?

Group work Put these events/developments in order:

Skills: Ordering
information

a.

b. Europeans discover that the world is round and start looking for direct sea routes
to Asia.
c. Europeans start taking over control of Asian governments in order to sell their goods and
take over land for plantations.
d. Europeans produce a lot of goods in their factories, and they need markets to sell them.
e. Europeans reach some parts of Southeast Asia and set up trading posts to buy
manufactured goods to take back to their countries.

Map work Who colonised whom? Use a pencil on the outline map below to mark your guesses.

Read the text and correct your pencil marks. Put any additional information on the
map.

Map 14: Southeast Asia

Outline with Numbers

46
 region.

Spain began to colonise the Philippines (named after Phillip II of Spain) in the 1560s.

surrounding territory.

It was a very important trading post for Britain in order to compete with the Dutch.

During the period of New Imperialism, nearly all Southeast Asian territories were conquered by

the power politics of the western powers.

The Japanese

of Japan wanted Southeast Asia’s rich natural

people in Southeast Asia welcomed Japanese

rule – they believed the Japanese slogan ‘Asia

would be better for Southeast Asian people. But

unfortunately the Japanese were as bad as the
European colonisers.

When Japan surrendered

in Southeast Asia did not want to return
to colonialism. Some countries achieved

fought many long, hard battles for independence.

47
 Exercise A. Why was Japan interested in Southeast Asian countries?
B.
C. What was an important issue for many Southeast Asian nations after Japan
surrendered in 1945?
D. Look at the poster on the previous page. If you were an Asian under European rule,
how would it make your feel? Write a slogan in English for the poster.

Free Writing Write about the two stages of colonialism you’ve learned about.
Skills:
Think about the following questions:
Processing How did colonialism start?
information

How did Europeans manage to get control of Southeast Asian nations?

3.4 IMPACT OF COLONIAL RULE

KEY WORDS
artisan (n) – a specialist in a craft
career (n) – a work or profession that you develop throughout your life
cash crop (n) – a crop (rice, coffee, pineapples, opium etc.) that people grow to sell for money
contribute (v) – to help, to give something for some cause
decline (v) – go down, become less or worse
discourage (v) – to say or do things that will make others work less hard
famine (n) – hunger, when there is no food in a whole area for many people for a long time
impact (n) –
in full swing – going fully, active
(adj.) – brings money
structure (n) – order, the way something is organised, the way something works
widespread (adj) – common, happens often, can be found everywhere

Brainstorm What is colonialism? What do you know about it?

Discussion A.
B. What different aspects of life were affected?

Economic impact
In Southeast Asia, colonial rule changed the local economy. In Java, Malaya, and Indochina,
Europeans set up plantations to produce cash crops
these areas became dependent on European markets.

artisans
made goods and were forced out of business. As a result, the economies of Southeast Asia
became dependent on the industrialised nations for manufactured goods.

Group work Outline the most important points of the economic impact of colonial rule.
Skills: Prioritising

48
 Brainstorm What social impact did colonialism have on the colonised countries? What about
political impact?

Social and political impact

In many colonies, the European rulers replaced the local government. In

structure of the local

society did not get destroyed. It also meant that during the struggle for
independence, the people were better prepared to successfully organise
their own leadership.

In other places, like in India, the local system of government was

local social and political systems were destroyed and people could not
practice taking responsibility for their own country.

Foreign rulers built modern transportation systems to make their

colonies
local people for careers such as administration, teaching, and medicine.
Education had results that colonial rulers didn’t think about. It
created and educated a middle class and contributed to the growth of
nationalism.

A very important result of colonialism was the establishment of borders.

Before the Europeans arrived in Southeast Asia and began controlling
territories, there were no formal borders between different countries.

People could move freely from one area to another, if they wanted.
Many minority peoples and hill tribes lived in the mountains between

particular country.

Group work A. What were the two different styles of colonial governments?
Skills: Reading
B. What do you think were some of the results of the new European borders in
comprehension, Southeast Asia?
using a table C. What were the economic impact, the social impact, and the political impact of
colonialism? Put your answers in this chart.

Economic Impact Political Impact Social Impact

49
 Exercise Read the text about the social and political impact of colonialism again, carefully. Then,
Skills: write a one or two sentence summary of each paragraph.
Summarising

Group work
Skills: Reading does it talk about: politics, society, economics, religion, or other?
information

in full swing in Britain. British factory owners

discouraged

declined

As Indian farmers grew less food, famines became frequent and widespread.

Britain.

Exercise A. By the mid 1800s, what kinds of goods did India mostly import?
Skills: Reading B. What goods did India export (sell to other countries) at that time?
comprehension, C. How did this affect the traditional Indian economy?
outlines D. Read the following four outlines. Choose the best outline for the text above:

Britain was forced to buy these goods.

1.

As a result, Britain became economically dependent on India.

Famines became frequent and India became economically dependent on Britain.

2. India was forced to buy these goods.

Britain needed a market for their manufactured goods.

Britain needed a market for its manufactured goods.

3. India was forced to buy these goods.

As a result, famines became frequent and India became economically dependent on Britain.

British factory owners saw India as a market for their goods.

4.

As a result, Indian industries declined, locally made goods disappeared, and Indians had to

50
 Case study Raina comes from a family of weavers. Her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother
were all traditional weavers. They all supported their families by making beautiful
traditional fabrics. Their family used to have a shop in the market where they sold their
fabrics. The family was never rich, but they always had enough for their needs.
Raina learned the art of traditional weaving from her mother. Since the country has been

crafts. Ships arrive regularly with cheap fabrics made in Britain. These fabrics are cheap
because they are made using machines. It is very easy to make a lot of fabric with the same
design. This makes the price very low compared with the hand-made fabrics of excellent
quality that women like Raina can make. People choose the factory-made goods from
Britain because they are cheaper. Now, Raina cannot make a living using her skills any
more. She had to close her shop and go to work as a maid for a rich family in town. She
cannot afford to send her children to school anymore. A lot of traditional weavers and
other crafts people have lost their business because of the cheap factory-made goods
from Britain.

Discussion A. What is this story about?

Skills: Applying B. What impact of colonialism is described here?
information, C. What other aspects of life would also be affected? (What are the political/social/
decision making economic impacts?)
D. Is it better to make things by hand or in a factory?

Group work In this activity you will act out an interview with a partner.
Skills: Roleplay,
making questions, One of you will be Raina and the other will be a journalist. To prepare, the journalist
interview skills
should make a list of questions he or she wants to ask Raina about her life. Raina
should prepare by making notes about the most important points in her life from the
text above.

3.5 GROWING NATIONALISM & INDEPENDENCE

KEY WORDS
affairs (n) – issues
oppressive (adj.) – strong, wants to control others
resist (v) – keep away, not give in to something
retreat (v) – to pull back from, withdraw from or move away or backwards from
stress (v) – to emphasise or point out the importance of something
timber (n) – wood, after you cut it but before you make something with it

Preview What is nationalism?

What do you think this text is about?
You have 5 minutes to write everything you can think of about nationalism.

Discussion Discuss what you wrote.

51
 throughout Southeast Asia. Nationalists took pride in the
history and traditions of their people. Everywhere, they
organised forces to win independence.
During WWII, Japan conquered most of Southeast Asia.

Dutch forced to retreat.

stressed the need for cooperation
among Asian peoples. In Buddhist countries, they stressed
their shared religion.
Japanese troops, however, tortured and killed people who
were against them. Nationalists who had opposed the

resisted

Discussion A. What did the nationalists of the 1900s want?

Skills: B. Why do you think the people in the colonies wanted to get independence? List
Expressing some reasons. How many reasons can you name? Organise your reasons into
an opinion,
organising some categories such as social, religious, cultural, political, environmental, etc.
information C. Look at the Japanese war poster to the right. If you were an Asian in a European
colony, how might it make you feel? How is it different from the poster on page 47?

Read the following story about the small country of Zembla. Zembla is an imaginary
country – it doesn’t really exist.

Case study For the past hundred years, Zembla has been a colony of one of the powerful European
nations. The colonial rule has never been very oppressive – the colony is governed
through local leadership systems. Zemblans have control over their internal affairs – such
as education and religion.
Zembla is rich in timber and has traditionally grown enough rice for its own people and
also for export. Zembla doesn’t have much oil or gas resources.
For centuries, Zemblan artisans have

in the region, and also very special

porcelain that is famous around the
world. However, lately there have been
more and more cheap products from
Europe around, so local crafts have
been forced out of business. Also, large
areas in Zembla are used for banana and
coconut plantations. The fruit is grown
to be sold overseas. Poor people have
to work on these plantations to make
some money and they can’t grow rice for
themselves.
52
Group work Imagine that you and your group are Zemblan nationalists. You are starting a Zembla
Skills: Making
Independence political party. You have to explain your position to the people and
presentations
points in your presentation:

a. What is your party platform? This means, what is your objective, what are you trying
to achieve?
b. What are the reasons for trying to get independence? Why does your party believe
that Zembla should become independent?
c. Organise your arguments into a presentation.
d. Explain your position to the people so that they will follow you.

Now give your presentation in front of the class.

Case study Nationalism in Vietnam

KEY WORDS

decisive (adj.)
invasion (n) – forceful entry into a new area; conquest
pull out (v) - to remove or withdraw
siege (n) – when a city is completely surrounded by enemy army for a long time
sovereignty (n) – not controlled by outside sources; the ability to govern one-self
surrender (v) – to give up or accept defeat

Preview Before you read, look at this timeline:

Skills: Timelines

1940 1945 1946 1954 1954

May October

A. What do you know about events in the world during these years?
B. What about in Southeast Asia? In your country?
C. What do you know about Vietnam during these years?
D. Can you put some events on this timeline?

Preview Scan the story and list all the countries that were involved in the history of Vietnam
Skills: Scanning
between 1940 and 1954. Do you know what role they had?

Vietnam: Part One

and successfully resisted the invasion

announced his nation’s freedom.

53
 decisive
surrendered siege and France
decided to leave Vietnam.

A. What organisation did Ho Chin Minh start? Map 15: Vietnam

Exercise
B.
Skills: Reading
for details C.
the French?
information
D.

Vietnam: Part Two

into two nations, North Vietnam and South Vietnam. Saigon became

Vietnam was supported by capitalist nations.

Exercise A. Did Vietnam become independent after 1954?

B. What was the decision of the Geneva Accords?
C. What was the difference between North Vietnam and South Vietnam?
D. Why did the USA not want Vietnam to be Communist?

Group work A. Now, complete the timeline you looked at before reading the story.
Skills: Timelines,
B. Describe the obstacles that Vietnam faced in its struggle for Independence.
summarising

Exercise Match the date with the event:

Skills: Matching
information
1940 Japan takes control of Vietnam from France

1945

1946 End of the Dien Bien Phu siege

May
Vietnam is divided into North and South
1954

Oct. Ho Chi Minh proclaims independence for Vietnam

1954
54
 Vietnam: Part 3

began pulling out its troops.

sovereignty of both

Socialist
Republic of Vietnam.

Exercise Add new information from the text above to your timeline, then write a summary for
Skills: this section, using only the most important points to tell the history of modern
Summarizing Vietnam in your own words.

3.6 CHALLENGES FOR NEW NATIONS

After winning independence from the colonisers, the new nations of Southeast Asia faced

Almost all of these new nations faced severe economic problems. Many Southeast Asian nations
have not been able to achieve political stability since independence. Some escaped European
colonialists only to fall under the political control of more powerful Asian neighbours. Most new
states in Southeast Asia fought civil wars for years after independence. In some countries the
wars still haven’t stopped.

Discussion A. What challenges did the new nations in Southeast Asia face?
B. Can you think of some examples of newly independent nations in Asia that

C.

Preview The next text gives the background to East Timor’s struggle for independence. These

Group work A.
B. In your group, identify what the participants wanted and why they wanted it.
Skills: Scanning,
reading
Put the information your group collected into this chart:
information, using
a chart

Who What they wanted Why they wanted it

55
 KEY WORDS
abdicate (v) – to step down from a position of authority or give up power, especially when
royalty gives up their throne
assert (v) – to strongly defend or insist
commando (n) – a member of a military unit trained for guerilla attacks
occupy (v) – to seize control of a place and live there
repressive (adj) – to restrict the actions of others, sometimes forcibly

The story of East Timor

were not very repressive

social structures were largely left unharmed.

integrated with

relatively rich in resources that Indonesia wanted.

The beginning of the struggle

commandos. Meanwhile, the

small but determined political

named Fretilin.

Preview Do you know what

happened next? Map 16: East Timor

56
 Laos
th th th

century, Siam handed it over to France. During World War II the country was occupied by
asserted their control. In

monarchy.

abdicated

Exercise A. Which countries have controlled Laos

throughout its history?
B. How did the Vietnam War affect Laos?

Discussion A. Was Laos at war with the US?

Skills: Giving B. Why did the Soviet Union and the
reasons North Vietnamese Army support the
communist Pathet Lao?

Exercise A. Which of the challenges described on

Skills: Applying page 55 did Laos face?
information B. Which of the challenges described on
page 55 did East Timor face?

Free Spend up to 15-20 minutes writing

Writing about how your country freed itself from
colonialisation. What challenges did your
country face then? What challenges does
your country face now? Map 17: Laos

If you don’t want to write about your own country, pick any country in Southeast Asia
to write about.

3.7 REVIEW

Comprehension Answer the following questions without looking at your book:

1. What were the two major trade routes through Southeast Asia?
2. Before the arrival of the European colonialists, who travelled through Southeast Asia?
3. What was the most important item of trade for Europeans?
4. Why did nationalism start in Southeast Asia?
5. What did the early nationalists want?
57
 7. What happened to Vietnam after WWII?

Explaining
Answer the following questions in your own words:

1. Why was the spice trade so important for Europeans?

2. What were some advantages and disadvantages of living on the Straits of Malacca in ancient
times?

4. Describe the second stage of the European expansion into Southeast Asia.
5. Why did many Southeast Asians welcome Japanese imperialism during World War II?
6. Describe the economic, social, and political impacts of colonial rule on Southeast Asia.
7. Describe the two different styles of colonial rule.

independence.

1. Conquest and settlement

2. Colonialism 4. Nationalist

Explaining
Explain, in your own words, why many people in Southeast Asia wanted

Reasons for Independence

Political Social Economic
1. 1. 1.

3. 3 3.

Explaining
Write a description for each picture which explains the second phase of
European colonialism in Southeast Asia

1 2
3
7

5
6 4

5. Example: European colonies produce raw materials.

58
4. Modern Southeast Asia

In this chapter you will study:

At the end of this chapter you will be able to:

59
 4.1 THE ASSOCIATION FOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN
NATIONS (ASEAN)

Exercise Test your basic knowledge about Southeast Asia by taking this short quiz. Don’t worry
if you don’t have all the answers now. You’ll learn more soon.

ASEAN General Knowledge Quiz

a.
them?
b.
countries. Name any two.
c.
d. Which of the following countries is a member of ASEAN?

e.
than others.
f. What are some of ASEAN’s main objectives?
g.
h. Which ASEAN members have had economic problems in the past ten years?
i.

KEY WORDS
alliance (n) – the joining of two or more groups in order achieve an objective together
declaration (n) – a statement or an announcement
initiative (n) –
nuclear (adj) – a chemical reaction which can produce highly destructive power, e.g. for
nuclear weapons
haze pollution (n) – impure air caused by too much smoke, dust or other dry particle, usually

Discussion A. Why do you think the ASEAN was started?

Skills: Prediction B. What issues do you think it would be involved in?
C. What do you think are the successes or problems might be of an organisation of
countries working together like this?

ASEAN: Background

in an alliance called the Association of South East Asia (ASA).

Declaration, an

60
 Exercise A. What kind of agreement was the Bangkok Declaration?
Skills: Reading B. Who were the members of ASEAN in 1999?
comprehension

ASEAN: Objectives

social progress, develop local culture, and protect peace and stability in the region.

In order to preserve peace and stability, ASEAN members signed the Southeast Asian Nuclear-

democratic processes.
century, ASEAN added the protection of the environment to their list of objectives. In
st

order to reduce haze pollution in Southeast Asia, members signed the ASEAN Agreement on
initiative was not successful and haze
has continued to be a large problem.

Exercise Using both of the texts about ASEAN, explain in your own words what important
Skills: Reading events happened in Southeast Asia on each of the following dates:
comprehension, a) 1967
restating b) 1984
information
c) 1997
d) 2002
e) 2003

Groupwork Complete the mind map below with the information from the text about the activities
Skills: Mind- of ASEAN and add more ideas of your own on what kinds of issues ASEAN would or
mapping should be involved in.

better integration

trust building Economic

Growth
Cultural Development
Peace & Stability

peaceful discussion

ASEAN

61
 KEY WORDS
confrontation (n) – a hostile face to face disagreement
consensus (n) – general agreement
to intervene (v) – to enter into a situation to change its course or resolve it
interference (n) – unwanted involvement in the affairs of others
vulnerability (n) – a feeling of weakness or of being open to attack

ASEAN: Challenges
Many ASEAN members gained independence fairly recently and began the process of nation
building. Since many ASEAN members are also quite small in size, this can lead to a sense of
vulnerability among members.

When countries join together to achieve common objectives, they often have to compromise

some power that you have. Smaller countries may be fearful of the larger countries, and may not
want to give up power to them.

inter-
ference, consensus confrontation
that every member of the organisation has the right to veto a decision. Every member must agree

another country’s problems unless they are asked to help by that country.

of dealing with big problems such as haze pollution in Indonesia and Malaysia. In these
situations, many say countries should intervene.

Exercise A.
Skills: Reading B. Describe in your own words how ASEAN members make decisions.
comprehension C. What are two advantages of non-interference, consensus and non-confrontation?
What are two disadvantages?

Exercise Using the text, what is another way to say

Skills: Making the following:
a) compromise
b) consensus
c) non-interference

Exercise In 2009, Thailand’s Department of ASEAN Affairs

Skills: Creating created a cartoon book to teach children about
cartoons ASEAN’s history, goals and activities. The car-
toon is about an alien who makes ten friends,
one from each ASEAN member country.

Draw a cartoon to illustrate what you have

learned so far about ASEAN.

62
 4.2 MODERN DAY INDIA AND CHINA

KEY WORDS

condemn (v) – to criticise, blame or express strong disapproval

to impose (v) – to make somebody or something accept a rule or a status
investment (n)
militant (n) – a person who acts aggressively or violently to support a political or
social cause
partition (n) – the process of dividing a region into parts
reform (n) – improvements made by removing problems or weaknesses
rival (n) – an enemy or opponent
sanction (n) – penalty, pressure or punishment (of/on a country) for breaking an
international law

Brainstorm What do you know about recent issues and events in China and India?

Exercise Read through the following outline of the most recent events in India and match the
Skills: Matching titles below to the appropriate section of the outline.
titles and
information

A. B. C. D.
Economic Development Resources Nuclear Activity

process called partition. Since that time, India and Pakistan have been rivals
1.

militants and
the peace process has been on pause since that time.
63
2. reforms including opening up the country to
foreign investment. Economic relations between India and most of the world’s most powerful
economic forces are good. Since the reforms began, India’s middle class has grown and so has its
skilled workforce.

3.
were condemned by international community and many people were concerned about regional
stability. Reacting to the nuclear activity, America imposed sanctions.

India has the third largest reserves of coal in the world as well as oil reserves off the coast. As the
4. country develops, however, India cannot keep up with the demand for more energy. Internal oil

KEY WORDS

collective farm (n) – A farm or a group of farms organised and managed and worked
cooperatively by a group of workers under state supervision, especially in
communist countries
corruption (n) – the use of someone’s power or trust for dishonest gain or the
accepting of money by someone in a position of power to do something illegal
or immoral.
enterprise (n) – a business activity
eviction (n) – to force somebody to move off a piece of land or property
to execute (v) – to kill or to put someone to death as punishment
to export (v) – to send a product to another country for sale
invade (v) – enter or attack a territory by force
labour camp (n) – a camp for holding prisoners who are forced to do physical labour
or work
to oppose (v)
strained (adj) – tense, not natural or relaxed
surplus (n) – amount left over after what is needed has been used
piracy (n) – the illegal copying, distribution or use of a product
seizure (n) – the action of taking hold of something, the capture of something

Exercise Read through the following outline of the most recent events in China and write
Skills: Making your own titles for each section of the outline.
titles

collective farming and allowed private enterprise. Now it

1. is one of the world’s top exporters
billions of dollars abroad.

Relations with trading partners have been strained surplus and

2.
the piracy

64
3.

In rural areas, corruption, land seizures and evictions are common.

4.

project.

5.
oppose their politics as well as
labour camps and hundreds of people
every year are executed.

Exercise The information about China and India was mostly about… (circle two)
Skills: Main idea
a) Politics b) Geography c) Culture e) Economics f) History

Exercise A. What are the main challenges faced by India and China today?
Skills: Reading B. What have been some of the achievements made by India and China recently?
comprehension C. Which country do you think has more power over Southeast Asia today, India or
China?

KEY WORDS
entrepreneurship (n) – the action of starting one’s own business or enterprise
literacy (n) – the ability to read or write
multinational corporation (n) – A company operating in more than two countries
per Capita GDP (n) – a country’s total yearly income divided by its population
per Capita GNP (n) – the total market value of all the goods and services produced by
a country

Comparing the economies of China and India

international community.

develop private entrepreneurship multinational

corporations to operate in the country.
per capita GDP
per capita
GNP
as large as India’s.
65
 literacy
eight years higher than that in India.

Discussion From the text, complete the table below with information about India and China today.
Skills: Expressing Then decide with your partner which country you think is more powerful.
opinions

Indicator China India Winner

International political Member of the UN
Member of the UN
power Security Council
International trade
and investment
GDP (1980 - 2005)
GNP (2003)
Size of economy
Poverty rate
Literacy rate
Life expectancy

KEY WORDS
dependant (adj) – relying on something or someone else
forge (v) – to create or make
intense (adj) – very strong or to a high degree

China and India: Rivals or Partners in Southeast Asia?

a result of the Gulf War.

and the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM). India increased its relations with Southeast Asian
countries and attempted to become less dependent on North America and Europe.
ASEAN members also wanted to reduce their dependence on Western countries and welcomed

India made a particular attempt to forge

and Vietnam.

intense.
Although India has continued to forge strong ties with regional groups in Southeast Asia,

66
 Exercise A. Why did India have to pay more for oil after the Cold War?
Skills: Reading B. What action did India take to regain some of the economic power that it lost after
comprehension the Cold War?
C. Why was a good relationship between the U.S and China a bad thing for India?
D. What projects may have helped to improve relations between India and Southeast
Asia?
E. Why are good relations with Southeast Asia important for India? Explain.

Discussion A. Which country do you think has gained more power in Southeast Asia: India or
Skills: Expressing China?
opinions
B. In what way have they been more successful?

KEY WORDS
arms (n) – weapons
memorandum (n) – a written reminder
port (n) – a harbour town or city where ships may take on or unload goods

Case Study: China and India Compete for Burmese Resources

Myanmar’s shoreline stretches almost 1,000 miles from the border of Bangladesh to the coast of

waters offshore as well as the possibility of oil. Both of these resources hold a lot of interest for

port of Sittwe.

memorandum of

will pay off. India needs to invest about $3

billion to build a pipeline past Bangladesh
to transport the gas to Assam and Mizoram

the Irrawaddy river valley to take the gas to

miles off the current oil transportation route.

India may still build a port in Sitwe even if it

eastern India.
Map 17: Myanmar, China and India
67
 Exercise A. What exactly do India and China want from Myanmar?
Skills: Reading B. What does China need to do to get the gas? What does India need to do?
comprehension C. What other interests do China and India have in Myanmar?

Discussion Who should get the gas in Myanamr? Should the gas be sold to the country with the
Skills: most money? The country with the most political power or the country that is the best
Advantages and neighbour and good friend of Myanmar? Pick one of the statments below and come up
disadvantages,
defending an with reasons to defend your opinion.
opinion a) Myanmar should sell the gas to China because...
b) Myanmar should sell the gas to India because...
c) Myanmar should sell the gas to Thailand because...
d) Myanmar should split the gas and sell it to ... and ... because...

4.3 MODERN DAY SOUTHEAST ASIA

Exercise
Skills: Matching Match the form of government (Column A) with its description (Column B) and the
information countries which currently use that system of government (Column C).

COLUMN A COLUMN B COLUMN C

A King, Queen or Sultan is the head of state but their powers Brunei Darussalam
1. Communism a. are limited by a constitution. The monarch must consult with a
religious or elected group of people before making
important decisions Vietnam

Cambodia
This form of government emphasises the state’s authority.
2. Democracy Countries that follow this system are usually called Republics or
b.
Unions. In this system non-elected rulers have the most control Indonesia
although individuals usually have some degree of freedom.

Singapore
3. Authoritarianism This form of government tries to equalise the social conditions
and remove inequalities between people.
Property possession and business ownership are important to
c. followers of this system because they believe that all wealth should Philippines
belong to everyone equally. As a result, the state may try to take
ownership of everything to make sure that profits are equally
shared. When referring to just the economic system of a country, Laos
this way of thinking may be called Socialism.
4. constitutional
monarchy Thailand
This form of government has two different styles. People either
hold political power themselves and directly influence political
d. decisions, or they elect officials to represent their interests and
make decisions for them. Malaysia

68
 KEY WORDS

appoint (v) – to assign a duty or responsibility to someone

embezzlement (n) – the theft of money or items by the person entrusted to keep them safe
graft (n) – the practice of offering something (usually money) in order to get an illegal
advantage
loot (v) – to take money or goods illegally
resentment (n) – a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
retaliate (v) – to act harmfully against a person or group in response to a (real or perceived)
wrongdoing; revenge
suppress (v) – to put down by force

Modern Indonesia Map 18: Indonesia

After three and a half decades of Dutch rule,

Indonesia. He began ruling the country in a

democratic style but, over time, he became
increasingly authoritarian.

attempted coup against Sukarno which failed.

Sukarno retaliated, killing between 500,000
and one million people.
Even though the coup failed, it still left Sukarno weak. General Suharto took advantage of this

Exercise A.
Skills: Reading President?
comprehension B.
C.

Politically, however, not much changed after Suharto took power. Authoritarian rule continued.
Suharto’s regime was accused of corruption and suppressing
the regime were jailed while Suharto’s family and friends took powerful places in the
government and grew wealthier. Graft and embezzlement of national funds increased.

limiting military aid and the International Monetary Fund would only help Indonesia if political

investing, making the economic situation worse.

69
 resentment

began as peaceful demonstrations asking for political change but when that

looted
shops. Between 1,000 and 5,000 people died during the riots.

and appointed

Exercise A. Who was the second President of Indonesia?

Skills: Reading B. What was Suharto’s job before becoming President?
comprehension C. How was the end of the second President’s rule different from the beginning?

Exercise In the passage, underline the main factors that caused Suharto to lose his Presidency.
Skills: Cause and Complete the Cause and Effect Fishbone diagram below with your ideas. Some ideas
effect are already provided for you.

KEY WORDS

famine (n) – a period of widespread hunger and starvation

infrastructure (n) – the basic structures needed to operate an organised society such as
bridges, roads, schools, etc.
organic (adj) – grown naturally without the assistance of pesticides or chemical fertilisers

Review A. Who colonised East Timor?

B. After the European colonisers left East Timor, what happened?
C. Who is Fretilin and what do they want?

70
Modern East Timor

weeks later, however, Indonesian troops occupied the country, with the support of Australia. It is

disease and famine.

Indonesia fell.

important infrastructure was destroyed including bridges, government buildings, shops,

telecommunication and power installations.

was Mari Alkatiri, the former leader of Fretilin.

Post-Independence East Timor

was one of the biggest challenges the new democracy had to face and people’s frustration over
continuing economic problems led to riots in the capital, Dili.

improving the economy, but progress is slow.

most popular coffee in the world because it is organically

is partially the cause of this, since coffee farmers

coffee industry currently employs about 50,000

people and production is increasing.
Although people have been scared away from

there, tourism is another possibly source of income

for the country.

foreign aid to develop the economy. Australia is one

Development Assistance funds.

71
 Exercise A. How did the people of East Timor try to make political change after Portugal left?
Skills: Reading B.
comprehension
C. How did Indonesia respond to the referendum for independence in East Timor?
D. What was the economic impact of that response?
E.
F. Why did the people of East Timor riot after they gained independence
from Indonesia?
G. What is the main
challenge facing East
Timor today?
H. Name three ways
the government is
responding to that
challenge.

Exercise A. According to the

Skills: cartoon on the right,
interpreting
political cartoons
what are the main
causes of problems in
East Timor?
B. Why is East Timor
pictured as a volcano?

KEY WORDS
dissent (n) – disagreement or protest
implement (v) – apply or put into effect
intellectual (n) – a person who uses his/her mind creatively, a thinker, someone who has
studied a subject in great detail
monument (n) – a place or structure which helps people remember an important
person or event
suspected (v) – those believed to be guilty but without proof

Modern Cambodia

started implementing drastic changes. All private possessions became state owned. Families
were separated into different work groups and forcibly relocated to the countryside to become

were forced to work for up to twelve hours a day, often with little food or rest. Between one to

dissent suspected of connections with either

also killed and arrested intellectuals and professionals, including many of the country’s doctors,
teachers and lawyers.
72
 Exercise A. Who fought in Cambodia’s Civil War?
Skills: Reading B. Who won?
comprehension C.
D. What political system did they use?

Exercise A How were Cambodians affected by the new rules of the Khmer Rouge?
Skills: Analysing B. Over a million people died during the rule of the Khmer Rouge but the government
information, Cause
and effect
especially wanted to kill intellectuals such as doctors, teachers and lawyers. Why
do you think this might be?
C. What might have been some short and long term effects of these killings on
Cambodia as a whole?

Life after Khmer Rouge

learned about what happened from word of mouth. For a long time, the government did not

Exercise “By 2005, three quarters of the population of Cambodia were children.” Explain to
Skills: Explaining someone who doesn’t know the history of Cambodia why this is true.
in your own words,
expressing an
opinion Some people think it is important to learn history and remember the past. Other people
say the past, especially a bad past, is better forgotten. What do you think?
Does your opinion apply to the
situation in Cambodia? Do you think
children in Cambodia should learn
about the Khmer Rouge in school or
are they better off not knowing?

Exercise Read again what happened to the

Skills: Analysing Cambodian people when Pol Pot
cartoons was in control of the Khmer Rouge,
then look at the picture above. The
sign at the bottom of the hill says
“Monument to Pol Pot.” What is the
“monument?” Why do you think the
artist drew the monument this way?

73
 KEY WORDS

alleviate (v) – to lighten or lessen pain and suffering

anti-retroviral (adj) – medication for the treatment of viruses like HIV
criticise (v) – to comment on the faults of someone or something
export demand (n) – the amount that other countries want to buy goods from your country.
hand-out (n) – something that is given for free
HIV (n) – a virus in that attacks the immune system
interest (n) – the fee that you pay when you borrow money
landslide (adj) – used to describe winning by a large number of votes
micro-credit (n)
become self-employed and make an income in order to exit poverty
revival (n) – bringing new attention to an old activity or thing
subsidised (adj)

Modern Thailand

landslide

serve a full term.

alleviate rural poverty through his universal health
care scheme and his economic policies and for his war on drugs.

Universal health care:

subsidised anti-
retroviral HIV

program allowed many people to access health care who could not afford to do so before. But
because so many more people were using the health care system, it made more work for doctors.
As a result, some doctors left public hospitals for better paid jobs in private hospitals. Some
people say the program is a good idea, but is not adequately funded.

Economic policies:
micro-credit
interest agricultural loans, and direct inputs of cash into village

other markets in the region.

a revival in export demand

claimed that the policies got the rural poor too dependent on the government’s “hand outs”.

The War on Drugs:

74
 used education, sports and peer pressure programs to do so. Most
of these programs were seen as failures.

punishment for convicted drug addicts. In addition, he set targets

for the number of arrests and drug seizures provinces should make

not were threatened with punishments.

effective in reducing drug consumption, especially in schools,

because the policies increased the market price of most drugs.
criticised the war on
drugs because it resulted in human rights abuses. According to

killed. Human rights critics say that most of the deaths occurred without trial or fair judicial
process.

Exercise A. What was Thaksin’s main goal?

Skills: Organising B. Fill in the table below with information from the previous text. For each policy, the
information,
text provides some reasons why it was good (success) and some reasons why it
expressing an
opinion was bad (criticism.) After collecting the information, decide for yourself. Put a check
( ) in the “your opinion” box if you support the policy or a cross ( ) if you
disagree with the policy.

Aims/
Policy Programs Successes Criticisms Your Opinion
Objectives
a. 30b per visit
Universal
b. Subsidised
Health Care HIV drugs.

Decrease drug
War on Drugs use and sales in
Thailand
a. Economic
Economic
came from other
Policies sources
b.

KEY WORDS
electoral fraud (n) – illegal activity during an election in order to affect the overall result
lèse majesté (n) – disloyalty to or a crime against the monarchy
tax evasion (n) – the purposeful failure to pay taxes

The 2006 Coup

75
 also accused of corruption, treason, authoritarianism, and controlling the
tax evasion, selling
national assets to foreign investors and lèse majesté.

electoral fraud and banned all

Exercise A. Describe in your own words all the things Thaksin has been accused of.
Skills: Reading B. What is the Yellow Shirt’s political group called?
comprehension C. What is their main belief?
D. What actions have they taken to achieve their aims?
E. What is the Red Shirt’s political group called?
F. What is their main belief?
G. What actions have they taken to achieve their aims?

Exercise A. Imagine you are an expert negotiator and you have been asked to restore
Skills: Analysing democracy and peace to Thailand. What would you say to these two groups?
information, Cause
and effect B. Imagine you are a foreigner reading about Thailand in the newspaper. What would
be your opinion of the country?
C. What effect do you think recent political events have had on Thailand politically?
Economically?

76
 4.4 REVIEW

Comprehension Answer the following questions without looking at your book:

1. Which countries are members of ASEAN?

2. What are the main goals of ASEAN today?
3. What was India’s strongest motivation for increasing political ties with Southeast Asia?
4. Who was Suharto?
5. What happened after East Timor gained Independence from Portugal?
6. Who or what is Fretilin?
7. Which event in Southeast Asia contributed to East Timor’s independence?
8. What happened in Cambodia after independence from France?
9. What were some of the main actions of the Khmer Rouge?
10. Who is Thaksin? What were his main political goals? What were his most famous programs?

Explaining
Answer the following questions in your own words:

1. Describe some strengths and weaknesses of ASEAN.

2. In your opinion, which is the more powerful country, India or China? Why?
3. India and China sometimes compete in Southeast Asia. Give an example of this competition.
4. Describe Suharto’s government.
5. Describe at least three reasons for Suharto’s downfall.
6. Describe the main effects of the Khmer Rouge.
7. In your opinion, were Thaksin’s programs good for Thailand? Why or why not?
8. Describe the two largest protest groups in modern Thailand and their goals.

Look at the picture at

Explaining
words for the following the bottom of this
terms: page.

1. Compromise The middle sign says: “Thaksin’s drug war

2. Consensus kills 3,000. Thais: a Global Disgrace.”
3. Non-interference
4. Communism Imagine that you are a newspaper reporter at
5. Democracy the protest shown in the picture. Write a short
6. Authoritarianism article about the War on Drugs, explaining
7. Constitutional monarchy both the supporters and the critics points of
view.

77
Analysing Look at the cartoon above and answer the following questions:
Cartoons

1. Describe what is happening in this cartoon.

2. Look at the faces of each of the people in the drawing. What expressions do you see? How
do these expressions compare to real relationships between countries in Southeast Asia?
3. Which of the following statements below do you think is the most true? Give reasons for your
choice.

tied together to represent how shirts are tied together shirts are tied
ASEAN tries to make the nations to represent how nations together to represent
can have their own how powerless the
when in reality their hands are free independence while still organisation really is.
to act as they like. working together. Nobody can act.

Analysing Identify each ASEAN member by its cartoon character below:

Cartoons

78
5. The Future of Southeast Asia

In this chapter you will study:

At the end of this chapter you will be able to:

79
 5.1 INTRODUCTION

KEY WORDS
anticipate (v) – to be before others in doing or thinking something
emerge (v) – to come from

In this module, you learned about the formation and development of human settlements in

Southeast Asian region and about how many new nations emerged from a nationalist struggle
against colonialism. New nations in Southeast Asia had to face many challenges in the modern era

Southeast Asia?
Making predictions about the future of a country or a region is a very important skill. Every world
leader wants to know what will happen to the world economy, what political problems are waiting
anticipate the future are better

can work to prevent problems from happening all together. A good prediction is usually one that is

Exercise A. What do leaders want to know about the future?

Skills: Reading B. What can leaders do if they have a good idea what will happen in the future?
comprehension C. What makes a prediction a good one?

5.2 PERSPECTIVES
KEY WORDS
big picture (idiom) – the overall situation
gross national income (n) – the total value produced within a country. It is calculated by adding the
gross domestic product and all payments received by other countries (for example aid and
interest), minus all payments made to other countries.
prospects (n) – the possibility of success in the future
prosperous (adj) – successful or rich

Read the following quotations from different experts to learn about the future of Southeast Asia.

big pictures for Southeast Asia’s future do not bring too many

prosperous and the

gross national income

most Southeast Asian countries are faced with strong competition from

Dr. Gerard Price However, the global prospects remain good and the GNI could attain
Free World Academy
80
 KEY WORDS
displacement (n) – relocation or movement
endeavour (v) – try hard
erratic (adj) – unpredictable or irregular
forecast (v) – predicted or expected for the future
glitch (n) – a small problem
livelihood (n) – the way people get the money they need to live
pose (v) – to present or introduce
porous (adj) – full of holes which allows things to pass in and out
resilience (n)

Southeast Asia is a very important front on the war on terrorism.

poses a serious threat to the region’s economic prosperity
and political stability. Southeast Asia is a perfect place for terrorists to
meet and organise because borders are porous and law enforcement

spread. Condaleeza Rice

National Security Advisor, U.S.A (2005 - 2009)

livelihoods of people in

costs. Environmental impacts forecasted for the future include more

displacement

are the coast of Vietnam and the city of Bangkok. Some areas of Bangkok
are already below sea level.
Isabelle Louise
Director, WWF International, Singapore

I am optimistic that ASEAN can do more. We are on a journey in a bus.

Bumps on the road and erratic driving on the crowded highway give us

have overcome more severe and bigger problems in the past. ASEAN’s
navigational hazards and travel glitches are not unique and peculiar to
endeavour and not
underestimate our own resilience, capability and determination to lead
the way forward. Ong Keng Yong
Secretary General of ASEAN (2003 - 2007)

ASEAN in the future must move forward with more than just the economic
leg. ASEAN must now use both the leg of economic cooperation and the leg of
political cooperation so that it can move forward faster and in a more balanced
manner.
President Megawati Soekarnoputri
President of Indonesia (2001-2004)

81
 KEY WORDS
in the thick (idiom) – in the middle of
relevant (adj)
scheme (n) – plan or project
virtually (adv) – almost or nearly

relevant to most Southeast Asian countries.

Instead, the greatest political and security challenges of the future will
come from within Southeast Asia. In almost all cases these challenges will

takes considerably longer. Virtually all the countries of the region are in
the thick
countries in Southeast Asia will be unifying diverse cultural and social
groups into political institutions everyone can agree upon.
Mohamed Jawhar Hassan

Institute of Strategic and International Studies

Improving people’s quality of life is one of the most important challenges

facing Southeast Asia today. Nations need to raise people from poverty
through more equal development schemes
to increase productivity in the agricultural sector because most Southeast
Asian countries still rely heavily on agriculture to support their economy.
Nations also need to consider the proper use of their natural resources

development, however, political and social stability are required.

Professor Lim Chong Yah

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Exercise Fill in the blanks to complete the summary about each of the speakers.
Skills: Example:
Restating Dr. Gerard Price: I think the most important challenge ahead is not the economy
information because the economy is doing well.

Condoleezza Rice: I think the most important challenge ahead is ____ because ____
Isabelle Louise: I think the most important challenge ahead is ____ because ____
Ong Keng Yong: I think the most important challenge ahead is ____ because ____
President Megawati Soekarnoputri: I think the most important challenge ahead is __ because __
Mohamed Jawhar Hassan: I think the most important challenge ahead is ____ because ____
Lim Chong Yah: I think the most important challenge ahead is ____ because ____

Exercise Classify each of the speeches on the previous pages by its subject matter (economic,
Skills: political, social, or environmental).
Classifying Example:
information Dr. Gerard Price: Economic
82
Brainstorm A. What were the challenges faced by new nations after colonisation?
B. Do nations in Southeast Asia still face those challenges?
C. What new challenges do Southeast Asian nations face?

Include your answers from Question C into the table below, then add your own ideas.

Challenges Economic Political Social Environmental

Old

New

Exercise
Skills: something that is familiar and easy to understand with something that is unfamiliar or
Creating similes
the future of Southeast Asia.

ASEAN is like a body in motion because ASEAN is moving forward into the future and
a body ___________. A body is balanced when it moves forward when it moves on
_________. ASEAN will move into the future smoothly if it focuses on ____________.

Now use more of your own words to explain what Ong Keng Yong is talking about.

ASEAN’s journey into the future is like ________ because ________________

Groupwork A. In a small group of three or four, discuss what you think the future of Southeast Asia
Skills: looks like. What will happen to the economy? What kind of political change will
Prioritising happen? What will happen to the environment?
B. Imagine that you are an advisor for ASEAN. What is the most important thing for
the region to spend money on? Decide on the three most important priorities for
ASEAN for the future.
C. Your group has been asked to present your advice at an ASEAN summit. Prepare
your presentation. Remember, the most convincing predictions have reasons which
are well explained!

Research Your teacher will assign you a topic (for example: trade, development, religion,
Project politics).

that topic. If you have access to a library or to other resources, you will be expected to
add new information to what has been presented in this module.

Finally, write at least three paragraphs giving your predictions for the future of
Southeast Asia in this topic area and explaining clearly your reasons why you think
your predictions will be correct.

83