Diverse Cultures of Southeast Asia
By: Kaela Phelps, Alina Mcneil, and Brent Elliott
Geography of Southeast Asia
- made up of two major regions
-mainland Southeast Asia
-island Southeast Asia
- separated by mountains
- mainland is separated from the rest of Asia
- mountains separated and main river valleys
-Chao Phraya
-Mekong
-Red
- Home to early civilizations
- Malacca & Sunda straits were trade routes
- Monsoons shaped trading patterns
- Southeast Asian ports center of trade and culture
- Archaeologists found artifacts from 5000 years ago
- Diverse ethnic groups and language
- Many societies built on nuclear family
- Women had greater equality in Southeast Asia
Indian Culture Spreads to Southeast Asia
- Indian merchants and Hindu priest slowly spread culture
- Buddhist monks introduced Theravada beliefs
- Trade brought prosperity
- Indian influence reached peak between 500 & 1000
- Indians brought a third religion; Islam
- By 1200's Muslims ruled Northern India
- Indonesia has the largest Muslim population
- Indian Ocean has a thriving trade network
New Kindoms and Empires Emerge
- The Pagan Kingdom arises
- Irrawaddy Valley
- 1044 King Anawrahta united the region
- Credited with bringing Buddhism to Burman people
- Pagan - major Buddhist center
- capital city filled with stupas
- Pagan flourished for 200 years
- Pagan fell in 1287 to Mongols
- Khmer empire reached its peak between 800 & 1350
- Khmer rulers became pious Hindus
- 1100's Kina suryavarman 2 built a temple complex
- Srivijaya empire flourished from 600's to 1200's
Vietnam Emerges
- 111 B.C. Han armies conquered region
- China remained in control for next 1000 years
- Vietnamese absorbed Confucian ldeas
- A.D. 39 Trung,Trac, & Trung
- 939 Tang dynasty collapsed
- Vietnam broke free from China