The Dutch held the East Indies. France ruled all of Indochina, a region today including Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Following World War II, the peoples of Southeast Asia demanded independence. This class will investigate the ten modern countries of this region and study their separate struggles to attain independence in the twentieth century. Pre-Lesson Brainstorming Ask the students to record facts they know about Southeast Asia.
Strategies Place the transparency map on the overhead projection unit.
Explain that this map shows the location of the modern countries of Southeast Asia. Practice Distribute student outline map. Instruct each student to complete the outline map showing each country, its capital city, and important rivers. Closure Close today's lesson by explaining to the students that the countries of Southeast Asia are experiencing tremendous cultural, political, and economic change. Countries such as those in Indochina are still experiencing political conflict.