chapter 27 section 5
by Maria Innes, Daisy White, Carli Fain, Cassidy shenberger
Imperialism in south West Asia
-European nations had land in southeast Asia and the islands on the edge of the pacific ocean. They wanted these areas for resources and they were close to china.
-European powers found that the lands were good for growing cash crops such as sugar, coffee, cocoa, rubber, and fruit.
-As trade in items grew, The Europeans moved in to take more land.
-The British took the port of Singapore plus Malaysia and Burma.
-The British needed workers, so they brought many Chinese to Malaysia.
- France grabbed Indochina. They made farmers grow rice for export.
- The farmers had less to eat even though they were growing more rice, because most of it was shipped away.
- Siam( modern Thailand) stayed independent.
- Colonialism brought some features of modern life to these regions, but economic changes benefited European- run businesses, not local people.
- The native people benefited from better schooling, health, and cleanliness
- In the late 1800's, the United States also began to seek colonies.In 1898, as a result of the Spanish-American war, the United States won possession of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippine islands.
-American business men grew wealthy from sugar plantations in Hawaii.
-The united States was asked to annex Hawaii.
-In 1898, Hawaii became a territory of the United States.