Module 31: Southeast Asia

Big Ideas:

1. Southeast Asia is a tropical region of peninsulas, islands, and waterways with diverse plants, animals, and resources.

• Southeast Asia's physical features include peninsulas, islands, rivers, and many seas, straits, and gulfs.

• The tropical climate of Southeast Asia supports a wide range of plants and animals.

• Southeast Asia is rich in natural resources such as wood, rubber, and fossil fuels.

2. People, ideas, and traditions from China, India, Europe, and elsewhere have shaped Southeast Asia's history and culture. Today, many farming areas of Mainland Southeast Asia are poor but working to improve their economies.

• Southeast Asia's early history includes empires, colonial rules, and independence.

• The modern history of Southeast Asia involves struggles with war and communism.

• Southeast Asia's culture reflects its Chinese, Indian, and European heritage.

• The area today is largely rural and agricultural, but cities are growing rapidly.

• Myanmar is poor with a harsh military government, while Thailand is a democracy with a strong economy.

• The countries of Indochina are poor and struggling to rebuild after years of war.

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