china and the far east prior to 1800s: chinese government strictly controlled trade wanted a...
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China and the Far East
Prior to 1800s: Chinese government strictly controlled trade
Wanted a favorable balance of trade: High exports (tea, porcelain, silk) Low imports (gold, silver)
The Opium War 1839-1842
Britain was trading opium grown in India for tea grown in China
Led to ADDICTS China lost:
Forced to pay Forced to open 5 ports Forced to give Hong Kong to Brits
UNEQUAL TREATY
Problems in China: poverty, famine, corruption, etc.
Peasant revolt lasted 14 years
20-30 million peasants were killed
Hurt the Qing Empire
Taiping Rebellion 1851-1864
Sino-Japanese War 1894-1895
Japan industrialized; put pressure on China to trade
China lost decidedly
Japan won Taiwan & coastal influence
Spheres of Influence
Qing Dynasty
Boxer Uprising 1899-1900
Three Principles of the People: nationalism, democracy & livelihood
Birth of a republic in 1911
Japan and Imperialism
Japan had closed off to the outside world for over 200 years (except the Dutch in Nagasaki Bay)
1853: Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Tokyo Bay with a letter from the U.S. President
American Impact
Demanded Japan open up to diplomatic & commercial exchange (trade)
Treaty of Kanagawa (1854): America was the “most favored nation” clause
Japanese were extremely unhappy
Meiji Restoration
Samurai led revolt to overthrow Japanese government – “restored” emperor
Known as the Meiji Restoration (1868-1912)
“Enlightened ruler” New motto: “a rich
country, a strong military”
Goal was to learn western ways & beat them at their own game
Meiji Reforms Strong central government with one legislature (Diet)
New constitution with equality
Reformed the military (all men served, not just samurai)
Industrialization – zaibatsu
Population boom Urbanization Nationalism grew Women largely ignored still
Homogeneous society
Growing Military
As industry grew, imperialism grew (just like Europeans)
Sino-Japanese War (1894) – Taiwan
Russo-Japanese War (1904) – Manchuria & Korea
Ruled Korea for 35 yrs – through end of WWII
Scramble of Southeast Asia
Europeans wanted: Raw materials New markets Christian converts
• Dutch, British & French colonizers
• Divide & conquer method
The Pacific Islands
Oceania Islands: Melanesia, Micronesia, & Polynesia
Interested in raw materials (whaling & fisheries) and converts
Samoa: US, British & Germany controlled
Hawaii: annexed by US 1898
The Philippines: first ruled by Spain, then by the US