1. Warmup 5/14
What do the people of your role want Japan to do in response to the Perry Crisis?
What is important to them?

2. #1 Meiji Charter Oath
Meiji Charter Oath, issued by Meiji government 1868
By this oath, we set up as our aim the establishment of the national wealth on a broad basis and the framing of a constitution and laws.
Deliberative assemblies shall be widely established and all matters decided by open discussion.
All classes, high and low, shall be united in vigorously carrying out the administration of affairs of state.
The common people, no less than the civil and military officials, shall all be allowed to pursue their own calling so that there may be no discontent.
Evil customs of the past shall be broken off and everything based upon the just laws of Nature.
Knowledge shall be sought throughout the world so as to strengthen the foundation of imperial rule.[3]

3. #2 Gross Domestic Product
GDP per capita estimations from
Observe Japan from 1870

4. #3 Style changes
Reference the next 4 slides as part of “document 3”

5. #3 Style changes: Before Meiji

6. #3 Style changes: During Meiji

7. #3 Style changes: During Meiji

8. #3 Style changes: During Meiji

9. #4 The Emperor and Cabinet

10. #5 Anti-Samurai Laws A number of laws went into place in the 1870s
1870: Haitōrei: all classes forbidden from wearing swords in public.
1871: Danpatsurei: traditional hair and traditional clothes discouraged in favor of western styles.
1873: samurai salaries from the government abolished.
1873: Levee en Masse, conscription of all able- badied men into the army. Samurai lose monopoly on military service.

11. #6 Japan vs China

12. #7 Japan’s Empire Conquests by year: 1868: Hokkaido
1879: Ryukyu and Okinawa
1895: Taiwan
1905: small parts of China
1910: Korea
1914: Shangdong
More later

13. #8 The Last Samurai
Use following two slides as “document 7”

14. #8 The Last Samurai Imperial Japanese Army
Saigō Takamori and rebel soldiers
Imperial Japanese Army

15. #8 The Last Samurai
January 1877: many of the former Ishin Shishi rally behind Saigō Takamori, one of the generals who led them during the Boshin War.
They win a couple small wars
September 1877: the last of the rebels crushed by the army, Saigō Takamori commits seppuku.