Analyze Continuities And Changes In Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia encountered many changes throughout history. These changes spread themselves out and line up with the change of historical eras. For example, many changes in Southeast Asia occurred in the transition from the Classical Era to the Post-Classical Era. These changes effectively can be boiled down into specific themes of AP World History. These themes are Social Structure, Economic Development, and Interaction with the Environment. Also, some continuities and changes were made in Culture as Afro-Eurasia began to integrate into the region. In the Classical Era, there was a social structure of ruler, aristocrats, middle class, peasants, and slaves. This has been consistent throughout the history of Southeast Asia. However, one big change was made in the Post Classical Era. As the opportunities for trade increased, merchants slowly gained more power in society. Eventually, they became the rulers of Southeast Asia, and this continued into the Early Modern Period.

One thing that has always remained the same in the region is the opportunities to trade with other nations and regions. The Classical Era saw strong use of the Silk Road, while the Post Classical Era allowed for the use of the newly renewed Maritime trade. Even still, the Early Modern Period saw the increase of trade with Afro-Eurasia with trading through the East Indian Trading Company and the Dutch East Indian Trading Company. Not only is there a change in the type of trading happening, the technology that happens around it changes as well. Currency slowly became an integral part of trading. In the Classical Era, Southeast Asia used rice and animals as things to trade, but soon they started producing coinage and used those to trade and ended up with a surplus of rice and animals to help grow the population. This growth allowed for not only social mobility, but also an increase of specialized