ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of Indonesia

Indonesia is a big country with lots of people living there. A long time ago, before even our grandmas and grandpas were born, many different groups of people lived on the islands that make up Indonesia. These people were called tribes and they spoke different languages.

One day, people from other countries called traders, came to Indonesia to buy spices that grow there like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The traders came from places like China, India, and the Middle East. Because they wanted to trade with the people of Indonesia, they brought their own languages with them.

Around the 14th century, a powerful empire called Majapahit ruled over many parts of Indonesia. They built grand temples and palaces that we can still see today. But after Majapahit, there were many different kingdoms that fought against each other to rule over different parts of Indonesia.

In the 16th century, European explorers like the Dutch and the Portuguese came to Indonesia to trade with the locals. They brought soldiers to protect their trade and ended up ruling over some parts of Indonesia. The Dutch were especially powerful, and they controlled Indonesia for over 300 years.

During World War II, Japan invaded Indonesia and ruled over the islands for three years. After the war, Indonesia wanted to be independent, and they fought against the Dutch to gain their freedom. In 1949, Indonesia became an independent country.

In the years that followed, Indonesia underwent many changes. They had different leaders who made various decisions, and they had to deal with issues like poverty, corruption, and natural disasters.

Nevertheless, Indonesia has grown to become one of the largest and most diverse countries in the world, with many different cultures, languages, and religions.