NAME ______________________________________ DATE _______________ CLASS _________

Civilizations of East Asia

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Geography and Culture in Southeast Asia

Cultural diffusion is the spread of cultural ideas about such things as religion, government, language, and economics from one place to another. Diffusion depends on movement. When groups of people move between geographic regions, they carry their cultural traditions with them. Likewise, when movement is limited, so is the diffusion of different cultures.

For thousands of years, human movement and cultural diffusion in Southeast Asia were limited by three major geographic features: rivers, mountains, and the ocean. Small kingdoms developed in the fertile plains and valleys near the five major rivers—the Chao Phraya, Irrawaddy, Mekong, Salween, and Red—that cross the mainland of the region. These lowland areas were isolated from one another by rugged mountain ranges, which were often covered by dense tropical rainforests. Meanwhile, the cultural groups on the archipelago, isolated by the sea, developed their own distinct political and cultural identities.

Geography and History Activity

Ayutthaya

PhnomPenh

Angkor

Melaka

Pagan

Delhi

Lahore

Benares

Warangal

Borneo

Sumatra

Java

MalayPeninsula

Mekong R.

Red R.

Sal

wee

n R.

ChaoPhraya R.

R.

Irraw

addy

Ganges R.

Indu

s R.

Brahmaputra R.

Gulf ofThailand

AndamanSea

Strait of Malacca

SouthChina

Sea

EastChina

Sea

Bay ofBengal

ArabianSea

I N D I A NO C E A N

PAC I F I CO C E A N

CHINA

INDIAPAGAN

ANGKOR

SRIVIJAYA

KEDIRI

CHAMPA

DAIVIET20°N

0°

80°E 100°E

120°E

EQUATOR

TROPIC OF CANCER

N

S

EW

Miller projection0 800 km

800 miles0

0

80°E

Angkor (Khmer), 802–1432Champa, 192–1471Dai Viet, 1010–1527Kediri, 1049–1222Pagan, 849–1287Srivijaya, 650–1377Sultanate of Delhi, 1236

Kingdoms of India and Southeast Asia, 192–1527

Caption: Geographic barriers in Southeast Asia encouraged the development of many small kingdoms. Some cultural diffusion took place, however, as these kingdoms participated in regional sea trade.

Civilizations in Southeast Asia

NAME ______________________________________ DATE _______________ CLASS _________

Civilizations of East Asia

Copyrig

ht ©

The M

cGraw

-Hill C

om

pan

ies, Inc. Perm

ission is g

ranted

to rep

roduce fo

r classroom

use.

With the development of more sophisticated technology for sailing and navigation, interaction between Southeast Asian kingdoms—and with the rest of the world—eventually increased. As trade routes between East and West developed, merchants traveling between China and India frequently stopped in Southeast Asian ports, bringing goods and ideas from all over the world. One important import to Southeast Asia was religion. Religious influences from China, India, the Middle East, and later Europe all had an influence on the beliefs and practices of peoples in Southeast Asia.

Directions: Answer the questions below in the space provided.

Understanding Concepts

1. Movement What geographic barriers limited the movement ofpeoples in Southeast Asia?

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2. Human-Environment Interaction How did the location of riversinfluence the development of kingdoms in Southeast Asia? Why?

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3. Location What bodies of water were important to sea trade in theregion?

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Geography and History Activity Cont.

Civilizations in Southeast Asia

NAME ______________________________________ DATE _______________ CLASS _________

Civilizations of East Asia

Copyrig

ht ©

The M

cGraw

-Hill C

om

pan

ies, Inc. Perm

ission is g

ranted

to rep

roduce fo

r classroom

use.

Applying Concepts

4. Identifying Cause and Effect How did location make it possible forthe kingdoms of Southeast Asia to participate in sea trade? Whateffect did this have on regional culture and religion?

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5. Drawing Conclusions The geography of Southeast Asia led to bothcultural isolation and cultural diffusion. Complete the following chartto list evidence that supports each point. Then write your conclusionabout how geography influenced the cultures of Southeast Asia.

Subject: How did geography influence culture in Southeast Asia?

Cultural Isolation—Evidence Cultural Diffusion—Evidence

Conclusion

Geography and History Activity Cont.

Civilizations in Southeast Asia