Introduction:
'In the late eighth century, a king named Jayavarman II (c.770–850 CE) launched a series of military campaigns to gain control of various kingdoms across what is now the south-east to the north-west of modern Cambodia. In 802 CE, with many victories to his credit, he created the foundations of the Khmer empire, with himself as its ‘king of kings’.
To begin with, the Khmer empire came to prominence because of what Jayavarman II achieved in creating it. He united a region that had previously been divided into separate and competing areas. This proved that he was a successful military leader and that his new united empire was a force to be reckoned with. He and his successors adopted policies that strengthened their governments and people’s support for them.' (Anderson, M.,Keese, I. & Low, A. (2013). Retroactive : Stage 4 The Ancient World to the Modern World, Chapter 5a The Angkor/Khmer empire, Sydney: Jacaranda)
Timeline Activity:
You will complete a brief timeline of the major events of the Khmer empire that lead to its rise and eventual fall.
Use the dates and events on the following website to complete the table in the document that has been sent to you. The first one has been done for you as an example.
Read the information on the website for each date, write the date and then summarise that information into two or three simple sentences in the event column.
Source One: Phnom Bakheng temple, built in the shape of a tiered pyramid during the reign of Yasovarman I
(Anderson, M.,Keese, I. & Low, A. (2013). Retroactive : Stage 4 The Ancient World to the Modern World, Chapter 5a The Angkor/Khmer empire, Sydney: Jacaranda)
Activities 2 and 3:
Using the information from the timeline and further research, complete the comprehension questions and matching activity on the document provided.