Credits for World Development: a Focus on Southeast Asia

Gonzaga, Joni Mae D. 06July2010 HIST2-S

Credits for World Development: a focus on Southeast Asia

It is said that early Southeast Asians were undeniably skillful as they were able to able to develop agriculture, raising domesticated animals, and metal working. Given such capabilities they were able to build the key that enabled Southeast Asia to be introduced to the world, boats. Signaling the start of the maritime trade this boats opened the doors of every country to the whole world. Balangay, the boat early Filipinos used to sail the seas around the archipelago might actually one of the premier models of the keys that made the Southeast Asia open to China, India, and the world. The link for every county in this planet, this is how Southeast Asia is perceived in Craig A. Lockard’s piece, Southeast Asia in World History.

Being surrounded by bodies of water, countries in south East Asia had played the role of being the ports or links for trade and communication amongst the countries all over the world. With this nature, the culture of the south East Asian countries were greatly influenced by those who that carried a strong foundation of culture, government, or religion. Mahayana Buddhism and Hinduism made an impression as Indian traders and priests during the250-200CE brought a strong sense of their religion, government, and arts on their travels. The Indian culture also made an impact to the sailors that made it to their land thereby leaving the sailors the knowledge of an ideal culture that they might have. Having the nature of connection to various countries, Southeast Asians were able to adapt and get inspiration from the culture of other countries to develop their own land. The exposure of Southeast Asia to the world gave it the reason to have a wide variety of cultures.

Apart from the skills of our Southeast Asian ancestors, our location greatly helped for most of Southeast Asia not to be conquered...