How did European colonizers exploit Southeast Asia?
A. By forbidding the practice of traditional religions
B. By requiring people to speak new languages.
C. By forcing people to migrate to other countries
D. By using resources for their own gain
D. By using resources for their own gain
European colonizers exploited Southeast Asia by extracting the region's resources, such as timber, spices, and minerals, for their own economic gain. They established plantations and mines, forcing the indigenous populations to work under harsh conditions for little to no pay. This exploitation of resources greatly enriched the colonizers while impoverishing and displacing the local populations.