Why Did the Mainland States of Southeast Asia Have Better

Multiple Choice

Why did the mainland states of Southeast Asia have better success in resisting European encroachment than did the Spice Islands and Malay states?

A) They had greater natural resources desired by the Europeans.
B) They were more politically cohesive with strong monarchies.
C) Their existence was not known to the Europeans.
D) They were Christians, and the Europeans never bothered their fellow Christians.
E) They were allied to China, which gave them military support against the Europeans.