This document provides an overview of colonial history in Southeast Asia. It defines colonialism and imperialism, and lists the major European colonial powers in the region, including Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, Britain, and France. It discusses the key motives that drove European countries to colonize Southeast Asia, such as national security, strategic advantage, nationalism, social Darwinism, missionary goals, and furthering industrial economies. The document outlines a think-pair-share activity and guidelines for a student research project on a selected colonized Southeast Asian country.