China, Japan & European Imperialism World History - Libertyville HS

China: The Manchu Dynasty (1644-1912) Founding the Dynasty Manchu were from Manchuria Rebelled against Ming & destroyed dynasty Claimed Mandate of Heaven (Ming lost – rebellions, famine) AKA Qing Dynasty

Manchu Dynasty Ethnic tension in Manchu Dynasty Extent of Empire Manchu were ethnically Jurchen Most of China were ethnic Han This meant a minority group ruled China Extent of Empire At height, 13 million sq miles Expanded into Tibet, Russia, Taiwan

Extent of Manchu Dynasty

19th C: Foreign Pressure Problems facing Manchu Economic stagnation (agr based economy) Population explosion (famines) Antique gov’t system not strong Isolation from rest of world, esp. Europe Britain, Germans, Russians, French & Japanese divide China

Contact w/ European Nations 1793: Brits attempted alliance w/ Manchu (refused) After 1815, world trade, dominated by Europeans, expanded quickly Massive Chinese markets drew Europeans Chinese trade goods (silk, tea, ceramics) Caricature: “The Reception”

Chinese Trade w/ Europe Chinese demanded silver bars in payment (didn’t want mfgr’d goods) Brits, French didn’t want to give up their limited supply of silver Brits, French sold opium into China from India (very addictive) for Chinese silver, then traded silver back to Chinese!

First Opium War (1838-1842) Manchu gov’t outlawed opium in China (seized British opium at docks) British gov’t declared war Royal navy destroyed outdated Chinese wooden navy British army, w/ rifles, artillery, crushed Chinese

First Opium War Treaty of Nanking Demanded reparations (payments) for Brit losses Unrestricted access to Chinese markets for European countries Annexed Hong Kong as British city

Second Opium War (1856-1860) Brits tried to re-negotiate Treaty of Nanking Allow Brit trade access to Chinese rivers Est. permanent Brit embassy in Peking (capital) Chinese refused to sign = war Chinese crushed, again

Second Opium War Treaty of Tianjin All official Chinese docs to be written in English British warships given unlimited access to Chinese rivers Christian missionaries allowed Other foreign embassies allowed Opium importation legalized

The Empress Dowager Tsu His started as peasant concubine of Emperor (1850-1861) Very intelligent, clever, manipulative Outwitted 8 regents to become regent to her son After son died (1874), she continued to rule in nephew’s name, until her death in 1908 Known as “Empress Dowager” or the “Dragon Lady” Focused her reign on keeping China whole in face of foreign aggression

Boxer Rebellion (1900) Righteous Harmony Society (“Boxers”) Native Chinese focused on throwing “foreign devils” out of China Believed that they could become invulnerable to European bullets “Devils” included Catholic, Protestant missionaries & their Chinese converts Empress Dowager attempted to remotely control the Boxers

Boxer Rebellion German ambassador murdered by Boxers in Beijing European delegations besieged in Beijing embassies by Boxers, Chinese troops, for 55 days European nations, US allied vs Chinese to save their citizens

Boxer Rebellion Eight European nations, Americans, & Japan (!), invaded and conquered Beijing Dowager Empress fled city Treaty ending fighting was harsh Reparations Permanent European, US presence in China

End of Manchu After death of Empress Dowager, baby emperor took over Regent council established Rebellions broke out; regions est. indep. Gov’ts 1912: Child Emperor forced to abdicate Ended 2000 years of Chinese emperors, as local warlords ruled

Japan: Feudal and Isolated (1333-1868) Daimyo (powerful noble clans) dominated Japan Emperor was a figurehead Shogun = military dictator, appointed by emperor Usually most powerful daimyo

Feudal Japan Samurai (military nobility) sworn to daimyo families, much like knights in feudal Europe Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1868) Placed samurai above commoners Limited commoners’ freedom Kept foreigners OUT! (exception: Dutch, once a year)

End of Isolation: “The Black Fleet” (1853) Commodore Matthew Perry (USN) & four modern warships steamed into main port Perry demanded Japan open to trade with USA Forced Japanese shogun to sign trade and peace treaty Example of “gunboat diplomacy”

Meiji Restoration & the Japanese Empire (1868-1945) Shogun forced out of power; emperor took back over Meiji Restoration Period of intense nationalism & socio-economic restructuring Japanese realized they needed to industrialize or else get taken over by West

“Empire of the Rising Sun” Japan became industrial power within 25 years Became imperialist China-Japanese War (1894-5): they won, taking over Korea Russo-Japanese War (1904-5): proved that East could defeat Western power Helped stop Boxer Rebellion

Japan, Ascendant Japanese ally with Great Britain, 1902 Join WWI on side of British Attack, seize German bases in Pacific, China End of WWI = Japan was most powerful nation in Pacific