Which Southeast Asian nation escaped European rule?
Malaysia
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Thailand
How did geography most benefit the Malacca and Brunei sultanates?
They depended on natural barriers like mountains to protect them from invasion.
They used overland access to India and China to develop profitable trade relations.
They spread out across many islands, making it difficult for other peoples to conquer and control them.
They relied on waterways like the Strait of Malacca to control important sea trade routes.
They relied on waterways like the Strait of Malacca to control important sea trade routes.
The Southeast Asian nation that escaped European rule is Thailand.
The Southeast Asian nation that escaped European rule is Thailand.
To arrive at this answer, we need to examine the history of European colonization in Southeast Asia. Several nations in the region were colonized by European powers during the era of imperialism. These powers included the British, Dutch, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Philippines was colonized by Spain for over 300 years before being taken over by the United States. Malaysia was under British rule, with various regions controlled by the British Empire, including Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore.
Singapore, formerly a part of Malaysia, was ruled by the British until its independence in 1965. However, it was still under European rule before gaining its independence.
Thailand, also known as Siam, is the only Southeast Asian nation that managed to escape European colonization. Despite being surrounded by colonized territories, Thailand maintained its independence through skilled diplomacy, strategic alliances, and modernization efforts. It adeptly negotiated with European powers, using a policy of maintaining a balance of power and playing them against each other. This allowed Thailand to remain a sovereign state and avoid direct European rule.
Therefore, the correct answer is Thailand.