Imperialism of Southeast Asia

1. Imperialism of Southeast Asia Chapter 27.5

3. Why and who invades Southeast Asia? • Pacific Rim = lands within Southeast Asia • Desired for LOCATION as a sea route to China • Tropical agriculture, minerals, and oil • Euro powers challenge each other for parts of the region • Imperial Powers that be: • Dutch • British • French • Portuguese • Spanish

4. European Invasion • 1700s Dutch East India Company controls: • Strait of Malacca (Malaysia) from Portuguese • Java (Indonesia) from British • Eventually the entire island chain of Indonesia • Create rigid social class system • Dutch = top • Educated Indonesians = middle • Plantation workers = bottom • Germans claim Marshall Islands (northeast of New Guinea), parts of New Guinea (northeast of Australia) and Solomon Islands (east of Papua New Guinea)

5. British • British control Singapore – on Malaysian Peninsula • Sing. becomes world’s busiest port. Why? • Increased demand for tin and rubber • Opening of Suez Canal • Britain encourages Chinese migration to Malaysia • Malays become minority • Conflict b/t Chinese and Malays exist today

6. Viva France!!! • French control Indochina: • North and South Vietnam • Laos • Cambodia • Used direct control • French filled all positions in government • Did not encourage local industry • Devoted 4 times the land for rice production • For export not local consumption • Reduction in local rice production fuels resistance

7. Colonial Impact • Positive • Economies grew (based on cash crops • Transportation improvements: roads, harbors, rail systems • Improved communication • Health, education, and sanitation • Negative • Took away independence • Racism • Melting pot of Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhists • Clashes still seen today

8. Siam • Siam = present day Thailand • Location = b/t Britain’s Burma and France’s Indochina • Siam remained neutral • Convinced Brits and French • Modernized • Started schools • Reformed legal system • Reorganized government • Built railroads and telegraph systems • Ended slavery • Neutrality and independence equaled no: • Racism and economic exploitation found in colonized countries • Today • Southern Thailand in turmoil • Muslims fighting against Buddhist majority

9. United States in the Pacific Islands • U.S. dislikes the idea of colonization. • Why? • Two groups LIKE the idea of imperialism • Empire builders who wanted world dominance • Business men wanting new markets and trading partners • Spanish-American war (1898) • U.S. declares war on Spain after the sinking of the Battleship Maine in Havana, Cuba. • Signing of Treaty of Paris ends war • Spain loses possessions to U.S. • U.S. acquires Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam • Filipinos don’t want to replace one imperialist for another • Filipinos declare independence • Fight U.S. and lose (1899-1902) • U.S. promises preparation for self-rule • Builds infrastructure (roads, railways, schools, etc.) • Introduces cash crops which leads to food shortages

10. U.S. and Hawaii • 1790 Hawaii becomes of interest to U.S. • Port on the way to Hawaii, China, and East India • 1820s sugar trade changes Hawaiian economy • U.S. establishes sugar plantations • Sugar planters gain political power in Hawaii • McKinley Tariff Act (1890) • Starts crisis • Eliminates tariffs on sugar entering U.S. • Sugar from Hawaii now becomes more expensive than sugar produced elsewhere • U.S. business leaders push for annexation (adding of territory) • If Hawaii were part of the U.S. sugar cold be sold for greater profits because producers would get money (2 cents/pound) from government (subsidy) • Queen Liliuokalani calls for new constitution that would increase her power • Would also restore power to Hawaiians • U.S. businessmen overthrow monarchy and remove Liliuokalani from power • Sanford B. Dole named president of Hawaii and asks U.S. for annexation (1898)