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China, Japan & European Imperialism. World History - Libertyville HS. 19 th C: Foreign Pressure. Problems facing Manchu Economic stagnation ( agr based economy) Population explosion (famines) Antique gov’t system not strong Isolation from rest of world, esp. Europe.
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China, Japan & European Imperialism World History - Libertyville HS
19th C: Foreign Pressure • Problems facing Manchu • Economic stagnation (agr based economy) • Population explosion (famines) • Antique gov’t system not strong • Isolation from rest of world, esp. Europe Britain, Germans, Russians, French & Japanese divide China
Contact w/ European Nations • 1793: Brits attempted alliance w/ Manchu (refused) • After 1815, world trade, dominated by Europeans, expanded quickly • Massive Chinese markets drew Europeans • Chinese trade goods (silk, tea, ceramics) Caricature: “The Reception”
Chinese Trade w/ Europe • Chinese demanded silver bars in payment (didn’t want mfgr’d goods) • Brits, French didn’t want to give up their limited supply of silver • Brits, French sold opium into China from India (very addictive) for Chinese silver, then traded silver back to Chinese!
First Opium War (1838-1842) • Manchu gov’t outlawed opium in China (seized British opium at docks) • British gov’t declared war • Royal navy destroyed outdated Chinese wooden navy • British army, w/ rifles, artillery, crushed Chinese
First Opium War • Treaty of Nanking • Demanded reparations (payments) for Brit losses • Unrestricted access to Chinese markets for European countries • Annexed Hong Kong as British city
Second Opium War (1856-1860) • Brits tried to re-negotiate Treaty of Nanking • Allow Brit trade access to Chinese rivers • Est. permanent Brit embassy in Peking (capital) • Chinese refused to sign = war • Chinese crushed, again
Second Opium War • Treaty of Tianjin • All official Chinese docs to be written in English • British warships given unlimited access to Chinese rivers • Christian missionaries allowed • Other foreign embassies allowed • Opium importation legalized
The Empress Dowager • Tsu His started as peasant concubine of Emperor (1850-1861) • Very intelligent, clever, manipulative • Outwitted 8 regents to become regent to her son • After son died (1874), she continued to rule in nephew’s name, until her death in 1908 • Known as “Empress Dowager” or the “Dragon Lady” • Focused her reign on keeping China whole in face of foreign aggression
Boxer Rebellion (1900) • Righteous Harmony Society (“Boxers”) • Native Chinese focused on throwing “foreign devils” out of China • Believed that they could become invulnerable to European bullets • “Devils” included Catholic, Protestant missionaries & their Chinese converts • Empress Dowager attempted to remotely control the Boxers
Boxer Rebellion • German ambassador murdered by Boxers in Beijing • European delegations besieged in Beijing embassies by Boxers, Chinese troops, for 55 days • European nations, US allied vs Chinese to save their citizens
Boxer Rebellion • Eight European nations, Americans, & Japan (!), invaded and conquered Beijing • Dowager Empress fled city • Treaty ending fighting was harsh • Reparations • Permanent European, US presence in China
End of Manchu • After death of Empress Dowager, baby emperor took over • Regent council established • Rebellions broke out; regions est. indep. Gov’ts • 1912: Child Emperor forced to abdicate • Ended 2000 years of Chinese emperors, as local warlords ruled
Japan: Feudal and Isolated (1333-1868) • Daimyo (powerful noble clans) dominated Japan • Emperor was a figurehead • Shogun = military dictator, appointed by emperor • Usually most powerful daimyo
Feudal Japan • Samurai (military nobility) sworn to daimyo families, much like knights in feudal Europe • Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1868) • Placed samurai above commoners • Limited commoners’ freedom • Kept foreigners OUT! (exception: Dutch, once a year)
End of Isolation: “The Black Fleet” (1853) • Commodore Matthew Perry (USN) & four modern warships steamed into main port • Perry demanded Japan open to trade with USA • Forced Japanese shogun to sign trade and peace treaty • Example of “gunboat diplomacy”
Meiji Restoration & the Japanese Empire (1868-1945) • Shogun forced out of power; emperor took back over • Meiji Restoration • Period of intense nationalism & socio-economic restructuring • Japanese realized they needed to industrialize or else get taken over by West
“Empire of the Rising Sun” • Japan became industrial power within 25 years • Became imperialist • China-Japanese War (1894-5): they won, taking over Korea • Russo-Japanese War (1904-5): proved that East could defeat Western power • Helped stop Boxer Rebellion
Japan, Ascendant • Japanese ally with Great Britain, 1902 • Join WWI on side of British • Attack, seize German bases in Pacific, China • End of WWI = Japan was most powerful nation in Pacific