Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Japanese Reunification Civil War China, Russia and Japan all experienced major political growth, military conflict, and new cultural contacts from but because of Japan’s small size political unification came much faster marks Japan’s feudal period. Regional warlords and nobles ( daimyo )controlled each castle town and had an army of warriors ( samurai). The Shogun was the hereditary military commader. Like European knights’ chilvarly, samurai had a code of conduct called Bushido. Unlike European feudal contracts, Japanese contracts between lord and samurai were not written down but were verbal agreements. Hideyoshi was the most successful warlord during Japan’s Civil War and launched an invasion of Korea with the goal of making himself Emperor of China in The Manchus went on to defeat China’s army.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking The Tokugawa Shogunate to 1800 In 1603 Japan’s civil war ended and a new Shogun, Tokugawa, established a new military government known as the Tokugawa Shogunate. Capital moved from Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo). Trade increased Decentralized government The Shogun paid the lords in rice and the lords paid their followers in rice Domestic peace made warriors lose power, become more educated and have elite taste. Merchants and manufacturers gained wealth. These wealthy merchant families held the key to Japan’s future modernization.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Japan and the Europeans 1543 Portuguese arrived and created conflict as well as opportunity. Major impact on Japanese military technology. Daimyo began fighting with firearms. Jesuit missionaries arrived and converted many Japanese Christians charged with trying to overthrow the government and were beheaded and crucified the government closed their doors to the rest of the world and executed any foriegners. Japanese had to prove Buddhist beliefs.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Elite Decline 1700s experienced population growth and the Shogun’s inability to control the price of rice and halt the decline of the samurai destabilized the government. Government wanted to protect the samurai and limit power of the merchant class which Confucianism allows looked down on. Decentralized government could not control merchant class. Merchants created Kabuki theater, woodblock prints, and silk screened fabrics. Incident of “Forty-Seven Ronin” illustrates the end of the samurai when government law won out over traditional samurai values.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Late Ming ( ) Economy and Society Collapse Ming had brilliant economic and cultural achievements. Transformed global economy with assembly-line produced blue and white porcelain. Europeans bought so much it became known as “china.” In exchange for porcelain, tons of silver flowed in from Japan and the Americas causing high inflation and challenging traditional Confucian values. European explorers impressed with China’s wealth, large population, and imperial power. Elite lived in urban centers and created novels, opera, poetry and painting Rural areas suffered from natural disasters, environmental problems, famine and government corruption fueled peasant revolts and labor strikes. Japan invaded Government brought in Manchu troops to end rebellions but instead Manchus seized power in 1644 and created the Qing dynasty.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Trade and Missionaries Chinese trade most important after spice trade in south asia for Europeans Portuguese established trade rights at Macao. Spain conducted trade from the Phillippines. Dutch traders carried favor with the Chinese because they acknowledged supremacy of the emperor and performed the kowtow. Jesuit missionaries, Matteo Ricci in particular, carried favor with Chinese elite and introduced catholicism as well as European science and technology.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Early Qing ( ) Chinese Influence in Europe Emperor Xangxi ruled over a period of great economic, military, and cultural achievements. Open to new ideas and technology from different regions. Fixed roads, resettled rural areas, and encouraged foreign trade. Qing and Russians began rivalry to control Asia’s Pacific coast. After the pope refused to support Jesuit tolerance of ancestor worship, Xangxi expelled the missionaries and they were persecuted by later emperors. Introduced early form of small pox vaccine and inspired later vaccines in Europe. Wealthy Europeans demanded Chinese things (silk, porcelain, tea). Introduced wallpaper. French philosophers admired Chinese emperors as benevolent despots. Liked image of practical, compassionate, secular ruler. Voltaire advocated philospher-kings.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Tea and Diplomacy Qing wanted strict control over trade and permitted only one open port for foreign trade, Canton. Canton system worked well until late 1700s when British became worried about trade deficit with China. Tea became major export to Europe, Middle East and Russia. England could not find a product the Chinese wanted, but they drank tons of tea. Macartne y Mission or “Tea Diplomacy” represented by British ambassador. Macartney who met with Emperor to try to persuade him to open up more ports. He refused to perform the kowtow and his mission ended in failure. Russian, Dutch, and French also tried and failed and the Qing were seen as unrealistic and despotic. Population tripled due to crops imported from Africa and the Americas.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Population and Social Stress Population tripled due to crops imported from Africa and the Americas. Adoption of corn and sweet potatoes led to social and environmental problems since they required more land. Demand for building materials caused deforestation. 1,000 year old Grand Canal became useless and towns were starved for commerce. Natural disasters and famine led to rebellion. Many peasants migrated to cities filled with prostitution and begging. Qing was twice the size as the Ming but had the same amount of officials and depended on regional lords to govern outlying areas.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking The Russian Empire From modest beginnings, Russia expanded rapidly in early 1500s ultimately reaching from Eastern Europe, across Northern Asia and into North America. A major European power by 1750 Russians were a branch of Slavic peoples and Orthodox Christians. dominated by Mongol Khanate the Golden Horde from, moved political center to Moscow. Princes of Muscovy led forces against the Golden Horde and dominated neighbors in Prince Ivan IV (Ivan the terrible,r ) pushed conquest south and east. By end of 16 th century Russia ruled the largest state in Europe. Tsar Russian word for ruler, (from Caesar). Moscow considered itself a 3 rd Rome. Exaggeration since most of Russia was poor and backwards. Sweden and Poland held of Russian advances trying to gain access to a warm water port. Russian fur traders reached the Pacific through Siberia in From early 1600s, Siberia used as a penal colony for political prisoners.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Politics and Society to 1725 Tsar Russian word for ruler, (from Caesar). Moscow considered itself a 3 rd Rome. Exaggeration since most of Russia was poor and backwards. Russian expansion created major demographic changes. Many new languages, religions, and ethnicities were incorporated into the empire. Most steppe people converted to Islam rather than Christianity. Russians were mostly farmers, hunters or merchants but the newly conquered were herders or ran caravans. The Cossacks were a traditional warrior people and helped Russia expand. Muscovite rulers lost power in 1613 and a boyar (Russian nobility) from the Romanov family seized power. As centralized power rose, freedom for peasant fell. Muscovy rulers gave loyal nobility grants of land and peasants forced to work the land (serfdom). By 1723 all Russian slaves were transformed into serfs and by 1795 serfs made up over half the population.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Peter the Great Greatest of Romanov tsars was Peter the Great (r ) Reduced Russia’s isolation and increased size and power. Turned Russia’s culture away from Asia and towards Western Europe. Wanted to modernize and expand Russia after traveling to Europe. Believed they owed their success to trade, technology and toleration. Also wanted to expand his absolute authority. Wanted access to a warm water port, constructed a small navy to attack the Ottomans on the Black Sea but failed. Great Northern War ( ) broke Swedish control of Baltic Sea. Built St. Petersburg as a “Window to the West” with French architecture and in 1712 it became the Russian capital. Made Russian elite shave their beards, wear western clothes and bring wives to public events.

Main IdeaDetailsNotemaking Catherine the Great (r ) Defeated Ottomans on the Black Sea in When Catherine died, empire stretched from Poland in the West to Alaska in the east. She promoted industry, canals, and Russia became largest exporter of gold, timber, and iron. Supported Enlightenment thinkers and continued Russia’s westernization. (you can google the story about the horse but I’m not going there).