1. Challenge & Transition in East Asia

2. Section 1: The Decline of the Qing Dynasty
Causes of the Decline
The Qing dynasty suffered from corruption, peasant unrest, and incompetence
Made worse by rapid growth in population
Population growth led to food shortages

3. The Opium War
To limit contact with outsiders, European merchants were restricted to Guangzhou, AKA Canton
British wanted to buy tea, silk, and porcelain from China
China only wanted silver
British want to fix their trade deficit, so they begin trading opium
Grown in India, opium is a highly addictive drug

4. Results of the Treaty of Nanjing
Chinese tried to blockade opium boats to stop trade, British responded with force and easily overpowered the Chinese
Results of the Treaty of Nanjing
Chinese had to open five coastal ports
Limit taxes on British imports
Pay for costs of war
In the 5 ports, Europeans were not subject to Chinese laws

5. The Taiping Rebellion
The goal of the Taiping Rebellion was to destroy the Qing Dynasty
Massacred 25,000 people in Nanjing
Over 14 years, 20 million people died
Europeans finally helped end rebellion
Treaty of Tianjin forced Chinese to legalize opium trade and open more ports to foreign trade

6. Efforts at Reform
China attempted reform, adopting western technology, but keeping Confucian values & institutions
Europeans began to create spheres of influence
Warlords began granting foreign powers exclusive trading rights, railroad, and mining privileges
Britain, France, Germany, Russia, & Japan all establish spheres of influence in China
Lost war with Japan over influence in Korea

7. The Impact of European Imperialism
During the Hundred Days of Reform, the emperor sought to:
Modernize government bureaucracy by following western models
New education system to replace civil service exams
Western style schools, banks, and a free press
Modern weapons for military, and western fighting techniques
Emperor gains popular support, but reforms are opposed by Empress Dowager CiXi, who had the emperor imprisoned

8. Responses to Imperialism
In 1899 the US requested an open door policy in China, establishing equal trading opportunities and eliminating spheres of influence dominated by individual countries
Boxers were members of a secret organization called the Society of Harmonious Fists, who believed they would not be hurt by bullets
Boxers were upset by economic distress and foreign takeover of Chinese lands
Wanted to push foreigners out of China
Slogan was, “destroy the foreigner”
Boxers were openly supported by Empress Dowager Ci Xi

9. 1900- Boxers began slaughtering foreigners & Chinese Christians
In response, troops from Britain, France, Germany, Russia, the US, and Japan put down the rebellion
Also forced China to pay indemnity
Allies execute everyone suspected of being a Boxer, China is humiliated

10. Section 2: Revolution in China
The Fall of the Qing
Dowager Empress Cixi finally accepts reforms, but conditions of peasants grew worse as taxes increased
Unrest grew as the dynasty ignored deep-seated resentment
Sun Yat-Sen, a young radical, developed a 3-stage reform process
Military takeover
Prepare people for democratic rule
Establish a constitutional democracy

11. His movement formed the Revolutionary Alliance
1911- Dynasty is overthrown by Sun Yat-Sen’s followers
Had neither military nor political strength to form a government
Ended dynasty, but produced no new political or social order
The Revolutionary Alliance was mostly supported by a small middle class, very few peasants supported the movement

12. General Yuan Shigai takes power because Revolutionary Alliance was unable to compete with his military
Traditional ruler, tries to establish new dynasty, didn’t attempt reform, very few supporters
Revolutionary Alliance changes name to Nationalist Party, or Kuomintang
Kuomintang starts rebellion but fails; civil war erupts, and military warlords seize power

13. Cultural Changes
Chinese industry grows as they develop a market for oil, copper, salt, & tea
Western investments modernized China’s economy
New crops -> increased food production, encouraged population growth
Westerners affected Chinese economy 3 ways:
Introduced modern means of transport & communication
Created export market
Integrated Chinese market into world economy

14. Imperialism made China dependent on the west, and many Chinese were exploited
Despite economic modernization, China was underdeveloped, its local industry was destroyed
Profit went to foreign countries, not the Chinese economy
Radical reformers wanted to eliminate traditional culture because it was oppressive
Wanted to create a new culture based on the modern west
Urban areas embraced modernization, but rural areas remained traditional

15. Section 3: The Rise of Modern Japan
Japan responds to foreign pressure
In the late 19th century Japan became a modern imperialist power, by following examples of western nations while preserving Japanese values
Japan mostly kept an isolationist policy, but western nations wanted to trade with Japan
The United States struck first, initially requesting better treatment and trade relations
Returned with gunboats to force an agreement

16. Japan signed similar treaties with other powers
Treaty of Kanagawa
Return shipwrecked American sailors
Open 2 ports to western traders
Establish US Consulate in Japan
Japan signed similar treaties with other powers
Samurai from Satsuma & Choshu try to force Shogun to end relations with the west; he refuses and is defeated
The shogunate system collapses, and the Meiji Restoration begins

17. The Meiji Restoration
Sat-Cho leaders mistrusted the west, but knew they must change to survive
Began a policy of reform that made Japan a modern industrial nation
Meiji means Enlightened Rule
2 factions appeared
Liberals wanted a legislative branch to have the most power
Progressives wanted the executive branch to have the most power
Progressive party won

18. The Prime Minister, not the emperor, held the real power
Government was democratic in form, but authoritarian in practice as power remained in the hands of the Sat-Cho leaders
Meiji rulers instituted land reform, taking land from daimyo and giving it to peasants
Levied new taxes, was a burden to farmers
Old way- tax was based on harvest
New way- tax based on value of land
Bad harvest -> Can’t pay taxes -> sell land -> become tenant farmer to new owners

19. Meiji government gave subsidies to promote and expand needy industries
New army- all Japanese men served for 3 years
Adopted American education model, women are allowed to seek education for the first time
Japanese adopted western fashion and culture, as a new generation imitated clothing styles, eating habits, and social practices of westerners
Workers were exploited, working up to 20 hours a day in unsafe conditions; escapees were shot
The 1889 constitution limited the right to vote to men only

20. Japanese Expansion
Japanese soon copied Western Imperialism to amass wealth and power
1874: Japan claimed control of Chinese-owned Ryuku island
1876: Japan forced Korea to open its ports to trade with Japan
1894: China and Japan went to war; Japan won and Korea was given independence from China
Victory over Russia in 1905 showed that Japan was now a major world power

21. Culture in an era of transition
1910- Japan annexed Korea
US began to fear Japan’s power
In 1907 President Theodore Roosevelt stopped Japanese immigration to the US
Japanese nationalism inspired many artists to return to older techniques, focusing on tradition
Japanese arts & crafts, porcelain, textiles, fans, folding screens, and woodblock prints became fashionable in the west