Chapter 22: Asian Transitions in an era of Global Change

European Arrival Vasco de Gama and his Portuguese crew arrive in India in 1498 Found a sea route around Africa Initial trading in Calicut Asians weren’t interested in European-made goods Asians were, however, ready to trade for silver bullion!

Asian Sea Trade Network 3 Main Zones West: Arab Zone-glass, carpet, and tapestry making. Center: Indian Zone-superb cotton textiles. East: Chinese Zone-paper, porcelain, and silk textiles. Places like Japan, East Africa, and South East Asia were known to contribute raw materials.

European Arrival There were two characteristics of the trading system that needed to be understood by the Europeans First…NO CENTRAL CONTROL Second…Military force was absent from commercial exchanges

European Arrival Mercantilist Policy of Europeans Silver flow would enrich and strengthen merchants and rulers from rival kingdoms (Muslims) De Gama turns to force instead of peaceful trading. Creates tribute payments along the coast Portuguese were united in their drive for wealth and religious converts.

European Arrival Portuguese trading empire Establish control over key Asian products, particularly spices, such as cinnamon Resistance, poor discipline, corruption, and shipping losses take a heavy toll on the empire by the end of the 16th century. English and Dutch compete to win control over the trading system The Dutch are the victors (short-term), and the English fall-back to India

Dutch Trading Empire Fortified towns and factories (supply) Warships on patrol Monopoly control over limited products More efficient than the Portuguese

Conversion Conversion only occurred in isolated areas Somewhat successful on the Northern islands of the Philippines. Friars built new settlements with town squares where the church was located. Represents a mix of Christian and Filipino ways

China and the Ming Dynasty Restoration of ethnic Chinese rule under the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Largest population of any civilization of the time Renewed agricultural/commercial growth Europeans use New World bullion to pay for goods High degree of technology Large numbers of skilled engineers and artisans Centralized bureaucracy

China and the Ming Dynasty-Hongwu Return of the Scholar-Gentry Abolished the position of chief minister Instituted Public beatings for bureaucrats found guilty of corruption and incompetence

Ming China Spanish and Portuguese mercantile contacts imports crops from the New World From the Andes highlands Maize, sweet potatoes, peanuts Grown on inferior soil with little irrigation Cultivation spread quickly through marginal areas Zhenghe Expeditions 1405-1423

Ming China After 1400, China aims to LIMIT China’s overseas commerce Ming war fleet dramatically declines As the Chinese shut themselves in, the Europeans were irresistibly drawn to the Middle Kingdom for converts. Some scholars show interest in Christianity, but never took a real hold on the court, or the people.

Ming China-Decline Highly centralized, absolutist structure developed by Hongwu and continued by Yunglo could not be continued. Official corruption Isolation of weak rulers Public works projects fall into disrepair. Floods, droughts, famine afflict the land Increased foreign threats, mostly by the Manchu The last emperor of the Ming, Chongzhen, commits suicide as the walls of the Forbidden City are scaled by rebels…the Dynasty ends in 1644.

Japan Kamakura Shogunate: 1185-1333, establishment of the Shogunate under Minamoto no Yoritomo Ashikaga Shogunate: 1336-1573, weaker with most of the power lying in the hands of regional Daimyo By 1500’s, continual civil war amongst the Daimyo Three able-military leaders were needed to restore unity and order

Japan Oda Nobunaga used firearms that Japan had gained from the Portuguese in the 1540s. Deposed the last of the Ashikaga Shoguns in 1573 By 1580 he puts most of Honshu island under his command Killed in 1582

Japan Toyotomi Hideyoshi (one of Nobunaga’s Generals) moved to punish those who betrayed Nobunaga and renewed the drive to break the power from the Daimyo. Ruled most of Japan by 1590 Launched two attacks on Korea in 1592 and 1597 with almost 150,000 soldiers No real success… Dies in 1598

Japan Tokugawa Ieyasu concentrates on consolidating power at home. By 1603 he was granted power as Shogun by the Emperor Beginning of the TOKUGAWA SHOGUNATE Ends civil wars, brought the semblance of political unity to the islands Rules from Edo (later to be, Tokyo)

The Tokugawa Shogunate

The Tokugawa Shogunate Europeans had increasing contact with the Japanese throughout the warring period Brought goods traded in India, China, and SE Asia Exchanged for Silver, copper, pottery, etc. Traders and missionaries brought firearms, printing presses, and other western devices, like clocks Contacts with Europeans changed warfare (guns), and led to increased commercial contacts with China, Korea, Philippines, and Siam

Conversion (before Tokugawa) Jesuits employ the top-down model of impressing the leader (in this case, Nobunaga in the 1570s) Convert many of the Daimyo’s Nobunaga himself was said to be at the verge of conversion. Hundreds of thousands of converts by the early 1580s Hideyoshi though, was distrustful of the Europeans, and saw the writing on the wall… Commercial and Military ventures first…then conquer the islands Conversion is cut short in the 1580s

Tokugawa Isolationism Beginning in the 1580’s, amid skepticism about the intentions of the Europeans official measures are taken to restrict foreign activities in Japan. Christian Missionaries are ordered off the islands by Hideyoshi Ieyasu continues the persecution and bans Christianity by 1614. Missionaries are hunted, killed, or expelled. Japanese were required to renounce their faith, or face imprisonment, torture and execution.

Tokugawa Isolationism 1630: All Japanese ships were forbidden to trade, or even sail overseas 1640s: Only a limited number of Dutch and Chinese chips were allowed to trade on the island of Deshima, in Nagasaki Bay. Copper export was restricted Western books banned Foreigners were permitted to live and travel only to VERY restricted areas. By the 1650s total isolationism was almost complete. Emphasis on Japan’s unique historical experience