Japan, Australia, Canada, and more!

1. Japan, Australia, Canada, and more!

2. Japan(background/don’t write) • 1600 – Tokugawa shoguns gained power. They closed Japan to foreigners and forbade Japanese to travel overseas. • For more than 200 years, Japan developed in isolation. • By the 1800s, shoguns were no longer strong leaders, corruption was common, and discontent simmered throughout Japan.

3. Japan • 1853 – A fleet of well-armed American ships led by Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay. • Perry forced Japan to open ports to diplomatic and commercial exchange. • The U.S. and European countries soon had unequal treaties with Japan. • The Japanese bitterly resented these humiliating treaties, and many blamed the Shogun. • In 1867 a revolt unseated the Shogun and “restored” the 15-year-old emperor to power.

4. Japan– Meiji Restoration (1868-1912) • The young emperor and his advisors set out to strengthen Japan. (Meiji means “enlightened rule.”) • Their goal was to study western ways, adapt them to Japanese needs, and eventually beat westerners at their own game. • After studying various European governments, they adopted the German model (constitution, autocratic emperor, legislature/Diet, all citizens equal before the law) • The Meiji reformers industrialized and encouraged business class to follow western methods. By the 1890s, business was booming.

5. Japan -- Imperialism • As with western powers, Japan’s industrialization led to a need for resources and fed its imperialist desires. • 1894 – competition with China led to the Sino-Japanese War. Japan had benefitted from modernization and, to the surprise of China and the West, won easily. Japan gained trading rights in China and joined the West in the race for empire. • 1904 – a rivalry with Russia over Korea and Manchuria led to the Russo-Japanese War. Japan defeated Russia – for the first time in modern history, an Asian power had defeated a European nation. • Korea – After defeating rivals China and Russia, Japan made Korea a protectorate and officially became an imperialist power.

6. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand • All were British colonies. • Each had indigenous people who were mistreated and forced off their land in favor of western colonists. • These white settlers began demanding self-rule. • Each received independence/self-government by the early 1900s. They all kept close ties with the British monarchy, and all currently consider Queen Elizabeth II to be their queen. • Why was it so much easier for these countries to gain independence than other countries we have studied? • They had cultural roots in western-style governments. • Imperialist powers felt that whites were more capable of governing themselves than non-whites in places like India.

7. Latin America • Under the rule of Spain and Portugal, Latin America were economically dependent on their European masters. • Independence brought few changes. Britain and the U.S. replaced Spain and Portugal as major trading partners, but Latin America remained as economically dependent as ever. • Foreign investment led to interference. Investors pressured their own governments to take action if political events or reform movements in a Latin American country seemed to threaten their interests.

8. Latin America/U.S. • Monroe Doctrine (not on test, but you should know it for TAKS) – President James Monroe declared that the Americas were off limits to future European colonization. This will affect American policy in Latin America for decades. • A few examples of U.S. interference in Latin America: • Spanish-American War • Banana Republics • Panama Canal • The U.S. claimed international police power in the western hemisphere. • Most U.S. interference in Latin America was to protect American lives and investments. • Latin Americans generally resented the interference and the attitude of the U.S. toward them.