Mid-terms, returned this week Course grading philosophy?

Studying the modern era Hit the brakes: from 100 to 10 yph yThree 50 yr. eras, roughly x x x Connect longer past to modern era 2 ways yPast evolving forward xeconomy yPast “appropriated” by a later present xmonarchy

Creating a Nation State: Context Internal Crises; External Threats: Generate a broadening, deepening of nation: -in understandings -in institutions

Socio-Economic Tensions zTenmei famine 1783  Temp ō famine (cold, wet summers) yFarmers fled to Osaka & Edo > riots and starvation zRising tide of peasant protest (intra-village) zChronic daimyo and samurai debt, pay cuts yFirst samurai rebellion in 200 years (1837)  Ō shio Heihachir ō

Ōshi Heihachirō Rebellion, 1837

Ideological Tensions z“Merit” ideology (men of talent) zNational learning (kokugaku) [ 国学 ] zAizawa Seishisai ( ) yWrote Shinron (New Proposals) in 1824 yEchoes themes of merit (and lazy rulers), and of sacred realm  Sakuma Sh ō zan ( ) yUse of Western technology (=open the country) y”Eastern Ethics and Western Science”  Teacher/activist, Yoshida Sh ō in,

External crisis: Hunters, Whalers and Gunboats: zPressure from Russia over Kuril islands & Hokkaido 1770s-1810s zBrits attempted to open Japan 1810s and 1820s zBakufu concerned  Ordered daimy ō to strengthen coastal defense

zBritish, Dutch, Russians all interested to force Japan to trade (more) zBut, US most motivated to open Japan (whaling) zMatthew Perry arrived Edo July of 1853 yDemanded opening of Japanese ports (1854) yPolitical crisis ensued yReference: “Black ships and samurai” website (MIT)

Commodore Matthew Perry: Two views

Overthrow of the bakufu Context of internal crisis and external threat Tokugawa seek to co-opt opposition, but Outer domain leaders, and many lower-middling samurai lead overthrow

Satsuma & Choshu zOuter han zHate Tokugawa zHigh population zHigh ratio of samurai zFinancially solvent

Meiji restoration, Bakufu by undertakes reforms similar to those the new government would adopt But, too little, too late Anti-bakufu movement succeeds, in name of Emperor : “Meiji ishin (restoration)”

The revolutionary changes Dismantling the old order -domains Samurai

Building New Institutions Rationalized bureaucracy Conscript army

Building new institutions schooling Rationalized bureaucracy Conscript army

Building new institutions taxes Rationalized bureaucracy Conscript army Mass schooling

Building new institutions Rationalized bureaucracy Conscript army Mass schooling taxes Monarchy

Issues of interpretation Why did old elite (or a fraction of it) carry out a revolution, which harmed its members? (-) the weak roots of samurai privilege (+) Merit ideal a contradiction in baku-han system