Unit 5: East / Southeast Asia

1. Unit 5: East / Southeast Asia A History of the Regions

2. Early History of China • The Shang Period (1700s-1100s B.C.E.) -a farming society that settled along the Huang River -domesticated water buffalo -used system of irrigation -made improvements in bronze casting -Grand tombs, shell money, fairly accurate calendar, chopsticks, and musical instruments are other Shang-era achievements

3. Early History of China • The Qin Dynasty (200s B.C.E.) -first Chinese imperial dynasty -emperor ordered the connection of ancient walls which would become the Great Wall of China -the term China comes from the Qin (pronounced Chin) dynasty

4. Early History of China • The Han Dynasty (202 B.C.E. - 220 C.E.) -built a strong military -rapid growth of cities -art & architecture flourished and spread to the south -Today the Chinese call themselves Han after this great era

5. Early History of China • The Tang and Sung Dynasties (618 C.E. – 1200s C.E.) -after the decline of the Han, China was divided and ruled by several warlords -around 618 C.E. unity was restored under the Tang and Sung dynasties -China became the most advanced culture in the world -after the defeat of the Mongols in the 1200s, culture thrived, but rulers limited trade and outside influences

6. Early History of Korea -earliest inhabitants came from northern and central Asia -108 B.C.E. the Chinese invaded Korea and had major influence on Korean culture -After recapturing the peninsula, Korean culture flourished and became known in Asia for its architecture, ceramics and painting

7. Early History of Japan • Japan’s earliest inhabitants were the Ainu (I-noo) -believed to be the descendants of people who migrated from N. Asia thousands of years ago -300 B.C.E. invaders from Asia drove the Ainu into N. Japan and introduced rice farming to the islands -today the Ainu number around 20,000 and still live in the northern Hokkaido where they farm and fish

8. Early History of Japan • 700s C.E. Japan developed unique political order similar to Europe’s feudal system and established a capital at Kyoto. -this political system was controlled by the emperor as well as powerful warlords called SHOGUN -these shogun ruled over wealthy landlords called daimyo who controlled their own local territories and were protected by SAMURAI warriors

9. Early History of Japan • European traders and merchants arrived in Japan around the 1500s, but were forced out by Japanese leaders in the 1600s for fear that European influence mightcause instability in Japanese society -Japan remained culturally isolated for almost two-hundred years

10. Early History of Southeast Asia • Earliest inhabitants date back 40,000 years -important center of plant and animal domestication (3000 B.C.E.) -800 C.E. the Khmer were the largest developed culture in the region (primarily Hindu) -1200s C.E. the Thais migrated to the region from China -Buddhism is introduced from India and becomes primary religion -early 1500s the region was colonized by Europeans and became known as Burma (Britain) and French Indochina

11. Modern History of China • China’s earliest contact with the outside world was via trade along the “Silk Road,” which extended from China to the Black Sea -Europe made contact via the seas in the 1500s and quickly attempted to dominate trade relations -China was unprepared to handle aggressive trade relations & falls victim to European, Japanese and U.S. domination -1842 Britain takes Hong Kong -1895 Japan takes Taiwan

12. Modern History of China • 1912 rebels under the leadership of Sun-Yat-sen overthrow the last dynasty and establish the Republic of China - After Sun-Yat-sen’s death, Nationalist Chiang-Kai-shek became leader and overthrew China’s warlords • 1930s Japan takes advantage of China’s political divisions and assumes control of resource-rich Manchuria, and much of Eastern China, until 1940s

13. Modern History of China • After Japan’s defeat in 1945, Mao Zedong and the Communist Party take power in China and established the People’s Republic of China -Mao Zedong takes control of all land and private property and sets up government controlled system of farms, labor and economy -inefficient use of land for industry leads to mass famine / millions die -Nationalists flee to Taiwan and set-up rival government the Republic of China

14. Modern History of China • 1960s and 70s Communist led “Cultural Revolution” persecutes critics, elderly, intellectuals & scientists -schools and universities are closed -many are killed

15. Modern History of China • A New China -after death of Mao Zedong in 1976, Deng Xiaoping came to power -Xiaoping helped China modernize and become a productive nation with a healthy market economy -about half of China’s industrial workers still work in inefficient state-owned industries

16. Modern History of Japan • 1853 Commodore Matthew C. Perry helped open Japan to foreign influence and trade -1868 a group of Samurai overthrow the last of the Shogun and restore the Emperor’s power in what became known as the Meiji Revolution (enlightened rule) -this sparked a period of mass reform including western influenced education, government, and industry -1895 in effort to expand, Japan took Taiwan from China and annexed Korea

17. Modern History of Japan • In 1940 Japan signed an alliance with Germany and Italy and entered World War II by attacking U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor -Japan took control of most of Southeast Asia and many Pacific islands -Allied forces pushed Japan back and in 1945 the U.S. dropped atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki -Japan surrenders -sets up democratic government that includes the diet, prime minister and an emperor

18. Modern History of Korea • Japan lost Korea after the war. -the U.S. and Russia divided the country along the 38th parallel -in the north the Russians set up a communist government called The People Republic of Korea

19. Modern History of Korea • 1950 North Korea invaded South Korea and sparked the Korean War -U.N. / U.S. troops pushed back N. Korean troops, but China’s communist government sent troops to support N. Korea -1953 the two side sign an armistice to end fighting and set up a demilitarized zone (DMZ) at the 38th parallel -the peninsula is still divided today

20. Modern History of Southeast Asia • The Japanese invaded Southeast Asia during WWII -after the war, nationalist groups tried to end colonialism in the region -four newly independent nations emerged: French Indochina became Vietnam, Laos, & Cambodia and British controlled Burma became Myanmar in 1989 -this independence was not easy and sparked civil war in Vietnam (Vietnam War) -U.S. became involved in an attempt to help stop the spread of communism