1. Asian Transitions in an Age of Global Change
Stearns, Chapter 22 or 28
Janet R. Martin
W.T. Woodson HS

2. 1500s Europeans arrive in East & Southeast Asia
Asia not much affected at first
China & Japan strong enough to resist

3. Vasco da Gama 1498 voyage to India Europe had little to trade
Opened the way east for Europeans
Europe had little to trade
Asians not interested in Christianity

4. Limits to European success
Sea power allowed:
Control of spice exports
Regulation of some areas in Asian trade network
Europe participation, not control
Tribute regimes

5. Portuguese empire

6. Dutch trading empire, 1650

7. Overall, South & Southeast Asia East Asia Europeans stronger,
But most Asians kept control
East Asia
Ming China & Tokugawa Japan dominant

8. Japan Governed by shogunates (Military governments) since 1100s
Kamakura,
Muromachi,
1300s-early 1400s
Order breaking down
Independent feudal states in conflict

9. Feudalism in Japan vs. Europe

10. Nobunaga (1534-1582) One of first daimyos
Innovative & fierce
Extensive use of firearms
After his defeat, his generals gained control of Japan
Toyotomi Hideyoshi ( )

11. Toyotomi Hideyoshi Attacks Korea
1592, 1597
Defeated by Admiral Yi Sun-Sin
“Turtle Boats”
First ironclad warships

12. Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) 1st of 15 Tokugawa shoguns 1603
Capital at Edo (Tokyo)
Brought all daimyos under his authority
Civil wars ended

13. “The nightingale does not sing!”
Nobunaga
“We will kill it.”
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
“We will wait.”
Tokugawa Ieyasu
“We will teach it.”

14. Edo castle

15. Tokugawa years Great Peace through dictatorship
Monopoly on gunpowder technology
Rigid class system

16. Restricted Europeans’ access to Japan
1500s: Portuguese, Spanish Dutch arrived
Traders & missionaries
Francis Xavier
By 1614, up to 300,000 converts
10% of population
“Portuguese arrive in Japan”
Thomas Kostecki

17. Shoguns distrusted Christianity
Restrictions began 1580s
Missionaries ordered to leave
1590s persecution began
Banned 1614
Monument to
Nagasaki martyrs

18. 1649 Japan closed to foreigners
By 1630s, Japanese ships forbidden to sail overseas
Only Nagasaki open to foreign merchants
Dutch post on Deshima Island
Western books banned

19. Shogunate’s accomplishments
Peace restored
Population grew
Roads, canals, internal economy grew
Tokugawas dynamic through mid-1700s
Inflexibility
Mid-1800s: Japan forced open by foreign powers (U.S. Commodore Perry)
Tokugawa rule ended 1868

20. Ming Dynasty 1368-1644 Ruled world’s most populous state
Restored ethnic Chinese rule after 400 years’ foreign domination

21. Founder Zhu Yuanzhang Military commander in revolt against Mongols
Peasant origins
Buddhist monk
Military commander in revolt against Mongols
Became Hongwu emperor
Laws favorable to peasants

22. Hall of Harmony

23. Dragon throne

24. Peak of cultural grandeur & elegance
Confucianism revived
Civil service exams reinstated, expanded
Return to scholar-gentry dominance
Zhuxi
(Neoconfucian)
Kaifeng

25. Foreign relations: Most dynamic dynasty
1300s-1400s: active in conquering neighbors
Population growth based on new American crops
Corn
Potato
Sweet potato
(Cotton)
Ming peasant with wheelbarrow

26. Great Wall Final & lasting reconstruction Built last 1000 kilometers

27. Culture Principal strength in 1500s-1600s Art & literature Silk
Novels
Silk
Porcelain

28. Ming porcelain Emperors were biggest customers
Prized by wealthy across Eurasia
Rougher, more durable pieces sold to foreigners
For silver
American silver gave Europeans much greater access to Chinese markets

29. Europeans began arriving
Portuguese, then Spanish
China was too big to conquer
Established trading houses
Chinese image of 18th-century European sailor

30. Matteo Ricci Jesuit priest & scholar Traveled in China
Respected by Chinese
Traveled in China
Adopted Chinese dress
Learned language
Appointed court mathematician & astronomer
Little success in spreading Christianity

31. Voyages of discovery Zheng He Mongol, eunuch
7 naval voyages,

32. 7 Voyages of Zheng He

33. Zheng He’s fleet 1st expedition: 62 large ships 200 smaller ships
28000 men

34. Compared to Europeans Zheng He’s ships 400 feet long
Santa Maria 85 feet

35. Why did they stop? Interesting but not practical
Giraffes, zebras
Glamorous but expensive
Analogy: US cut back space program

36. Chinese/European point of view
Emperor: curious, ambitious
Merchants opposed—China is rich already
Scholar gentry opposed
waste of money
threat to their power
Confucian bias against merchants & trade
Europeans: wide support
Increase national & personal wealth, power
Spread Christianity

37. Fall of Ming Poor leadership Internal corruption Peasant revolts
Manchu (Northern nomads) invaded
Founded Qing dynasty

38. Qing Dynasty
Last dynasty
Kangxi Emperor