South East Asia in the 19th And 20th Century

1. A little known history professor once said: “Throughout Southeast Asia the impact of colonial rule between c.1800 and c.1940 was fundamentally the same, and so were the responses to it. In each country the local people suffered discrimination and exploitation, and in each place they rose up as one nation to throw off Western rulers.” Write an essay assessing the validity of the professor’s statement, drawing on historical evidence from at least two countries in the region during the time period 1800-1940. (Hint: Your essay should consider whether the statement ignores or leaves out significant aspects of the encounter between the colonial powers and the peoples of Southeast Asia.) Your essay must use evidence and examples drawn from the lectures and the readings, including the primary sources or ‘Documents.’

2. “Sukarno and Ho Chi Minh continued age-old traditions of resistance to foreign rule in their respective countries, but were at the same time the products of Western colonialism.” Do you agree? Critically discuss by comparing the political ideas and aims of the two men, and locating them within the larger history of their country’s experience under colonial rule after c.1800. At a minimum, your essay should consider the following questions: What distinguished these figures from others in their own societies? Who and/or what inspired them? What were their principal aims, and what obstacles did they face in achieving them? (Hint: Your essay should consider carefully the significance of factors other than Western colonialism in shaping Southeast Asian history during this period.) Your essay must use evidence and examples drawn from the lectures and the readings, including the primary sources or ‘Documents.’

3. “The United States did not really impose colonial rule in the Philippines. It simply helped the Filipino people along the road to democracy, economic development, and civilization.” Was U.S. rule in the Philippines fundamentally different from colonial rule in other parts of Southeast Asia? Discuss critically by comparing the nature and the impact of US rule in the Philippines with Dutch rule in the Indies, or French rule in Indochina. Your essay must use evidence and examples drawn from the lectures and the readings, including the primary sources or ‘Documents.’
Guidelines on preparing and writing essay questions

1. Read the questions very carefully before attempting to answer them. The questions are not designed to trick you but the answers are not always as obvious as they may at first appear.

2. Your essay should not simply list a series of facts, but should present a coherent thesis or argument.

3. The first paragraph of your essay should provide a brief summary of your main argument or thesis. The main body of your essay should develop that argument or thesis.

4. Be sure to support your argument with evidence and examples from the lectures, film, and readings including both secondary sources and documents.

5. If you do not clearly demonstrate familiarity with the relevant materials from the course, your grade will suffer.