1. Chapter 19 Part I
Empires in Collision: Europe and Japan, the Ottoman Empire, and China
To make students aware of the refocusing of racism in the 19th century
To examine the effects of western dominance on Asian empires
To explore reasons behind the collapse of the Chinese and Ottoman empires
To investigate the reasons for Japan’s rise to is position as an industrial superpower and to compare Japan’s experience with that of China

2. Focus of Chapter 19
Chinese “humiliation” at the hands of European Imperial powers
How most peoples of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin Americas had to deal with European imperialism in some way
Focus on societies that faced internal crises brought on by interactions with European powers yet who retained independence even if only nominally
How imperialism confronted these societies: military and political rivalries of European states; involvement in a new world economic order; influences of European culture on these societies; engagement with modernization; and internal issues as well

3. China’s Century of Crisis
In 1793 the Chinese emperor declined to participate in trade with Great Britain; yet by 1912, Chinese empire had collapsed and become a junior member of the European dominated world
The Internal Crisis:
China was partially a victim of its own success.
By 1853 its population had grown to over 400 million
But it had not had an industrial revolution
Growing pressure on the land to feed all; growing poverty and in some cases starvation

4. Loss of governance
The Chinese state did not keep up with the growth of the population
Gradual loss of control over the provinces occurred as the bureaucracy remained stuck in age old ways of doing things
Corruption and harsh treatment of peasants (90%) was normal
Bandit gangs and rebellions became common but the government did little to stop these or the conditions creating them

5. Taiping Rebellion Affected much of China for 15 years 1850-1865
Hong Xiuquan proclaimed himself the younger brother of Jesus sent to establish a “heavenly kingdom of great peace”
Called for radical equality of all persons
Planned to industrialize China
Plans to equalize relations of women to men: women fought in own brigades, land program promised equal shares of land to women, women could try for civil service exams, marriage for love not property was encouraged, although these views were not universal

6. Taiping Rebellion
Rebellion ultimately crushed with the help of European powers
Provincial officials consolidated power at the expense of the central government
Intensely conservative reaction to the rebellion; China’s problems were not solved by either rebellion or reaction to it
Economy was seriously weakened by the rebellion and civil war
Up to 30 million died as a result of the rebellion

7. Western Pressures on China
Opium wars with European powers can show how China’s relationships with Europe changed
Opium had been used on a small scale in China for centuries
British began to sell large quantities of opium in China to get silver
Chinese authorities recognized dangers of opium addiction and tried to stop this trade
European officials used bribes and force to continue
In 1836 emperor decided to stop Opium trade

8. The Opium Wars The first Opium war: 1839-1842
Forced Chinese to accept free trade and “proper” international relations
Treaty of Nanjing in 1842 allowed trade
Second Opium War
Europeans invaded Beijing and vandalized imperial palace; more ports were opened to Europeans (who also received the right to their own justice in China)
China was opened to foreign missionaries

9. Opium wars and other wars of aggression against China
Western powers received the right to patrol most Chinese rivers and bays
China also lost its Vietnamese provinces to France and Korea to Japan by 1895
Qing dynasty was weakened at a time when a strong government was needed to deal with modernization
“Unequal Treaties” inhibited Chinese responses to industrialization and commerce as well as political development

10. Failure of Chinese Conservative Modernization
The Chinese government and others tried to act to change things and solve some of China’s problems with the Self Strengthening Movement
This meant applying traditional principles of Confucianism along with some very limited borrowings of western governmental principles
Tried to improve examination system; tried to restore social and economic order in rural areas and bring them back under government control; founded a few industrial factories; established some modern armament factories and shipyards; some science (western) was studied and other languages as well to better understand things

11. Results
Conservative leaders feared this would lead to harm for the landlord or upper classes
The Boxer Rebellion resulted as conservatives attempted to rid China of European influences
From militias and other secret organizations killed many Europeans and Christianized Chinese.
Western powers and Japan occupied Beijing to crush revolt; imposed large fine on China; kept troops in the country to counter any further anti- western activity

12. Development of Chinese Nationalism
Many educated Chinese became convinced of the uselessness of the Qing dynasty
Organizations were formed to propose reforms
A growing emphasis on reform unified the nation by allowing more participation of people in public life
Chinese nationalism was directed against both Europeans and the dynasty
Although the government agreed to some reforms, the Qing dynasty fell in and was replaced by a republic. This was not the end of China’s problems. In fact the 20th century would be even more problematic for China

13. Conclusions
China failed to stem the tide of westernization and modernization that Europeans (and Japan) brought to China.
Failure to modernize in a Chinese way resulted in the death of the dynastic system that had ruled China for 2000 years
China entered a period of misrule and civil strife that lasted from 1900 to when the Chinese Communists under Mao Zedong took control.