Imperialism in South-East Asia

   Not only did the European want to take over control of India and divide Africa, but they also wanted to take over power of Southeast Asia. They wanted Southeast Asia because it had a plantation agriculture in which sugar cane, cocoa, coffee, rubber, coconuts, bananas, and pineapples were the major foccus. The British, the French, and even the Dutch wante dto control many territories of Asia. The Dutch East India Company controlled over Malcca, Java, Sumatra, part of Borneo, Celebes, the Moluccas, Bali, and Indonesia. The British controlled Singapore, Malaysia, and Burma. The French took over controll of Northern and Southern Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, which later on would be called the French Indochina.
   There would be conflicts between the natives and the foreigners since there would be a wide range of variety of race, culture, tradition, and religion; there would often be clashes between them. Despite this, these countries did modernisize. They got railroads, better education, and a healthier public sanitation.
   One country in particular remained independent. Siam (which is now Thailand) lay between Burman (controlles by the British) and French Indochina. While the French and the British prevented the other from taking over Siam. Siam took this to its advantage and reorganized itself and government to modernisize and stay independent.
   While this went on, in America the United States did not like the idea of colonizing, but there were groups that felt that for the U.S. destiny to be a world power they had to colonize, while others were more into it for the business and markets.
   The U.S. acquired the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam as a result of the Spanish-American War. The Filipinos weren't happy of changing colonizers (from Spain to America) The U.S. were also interested in Hawaii because of the sugar trade. In 1890 sugar in Hawaii was no longer cheap and the U.S wanted to annex Hawaii. At first the ruler, Queen Lilioukalani started taking action, but the U.S took her out of the throne. Later, Hawaii asked to be annexed, but the U.S. refused, but later on the U.S. will ask for the annexation of Hawaii.
   Almost every land of the world were claimed, yet racial and religious clashes still exist today.