05_Ch.

12- Empires in East Asia: Khmer Empire of Cambodia

Timeline: 4th C. - 17th C. CE
FS: Geography and commerce contribute to the birth of the Khmer Empire.

Main Idea: The unique geographic conditions of S-E Asia contributed to it being one of the most
traveled places on earth. The resulting cultural diversity nurtured a great civilization in
Cambodia.

CCSS...

I. Geography
A. Map Exercise
B. Vocabulary Review
C. Trade routes (eg. Strait of Malacca) abound and contribute to a culturally diverse
population.
D. Geologically active (e.g. Earthquakes, Volcanic Eruptions, etc.)

II. Commercial Activity & Cultural Diffusion (4th - 16th C.)
A. Trade routes used by Ancient Indians, Chinese, and Europeans (beginning in the 16th
C.)
B. Plagued by piracy for centuries.
C. Fees for use of ports have traditionally been charged.
D. Valuable products traversing the routes included: spices, precious metals and gems,
and an assortment of goods from China.
E. Spread of Ideas
1. Buddhist Missionaries
2. Hinduism
3. Islam
4. Christianity
5. Inter-marriage (traders & native peoples)

III. The Khmer Empire of Cambodia
A. Founded by the Khmer people of Cambodia
B. Longest-lasting of the SE Asian empires
C. Angkor Period: Height of the civilization lasting from 850 - 1250 CE. Capital city =>
Angkor.
1. Brick, Stone, & Wood structures
2. Angkor Wat was the grandest of structures (Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu)
D. In general, the Hindu caste system was not widely accepted in SE Asia. In keeping
with this development, women enjoyed higher status and access to education
andgovernment.
E. Foreign invasions contributed to the eventual collapse of the empire in 1430: Mongols
and Thais.

IV.Islamic & Chinese Inuence
A. Islam reaches the region via merchants. To this day, Indonesia has the largest Islamic
population in the world.

B. China inuenced Annam (Vietnam) for centuries. Annam was a tributary state. Aside
from being a major trader of goods in the region, China's cultural inuence didn't reach
much farther than the borders of Annam.

V. Modern Challenges: The Khmer Rouge of the 1970s <http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/
2011/06/201162741746283105.html>

VI. Summary: Why it matters now.
Chinese cultural inuences still affect East and Southeast Asia today.

Materials/Sources:Refer to the course calendar for additional materials, assignments and pertinent due dates.
! Article: Khmer Rouge leaders on trial (26 June 2011 <http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/
2011/06/201162741746283105.html>)
! Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: A comprehensive archaeological map of the world's largest
preindustrial settlement complex at Angkor, Cambodia
! World History: Patterns of Interaction
! (HR) Read page 439 441 Recollections on the Customs of Cambodia by Zhou Daguan, 13th C. (Time Permitting)