Module: Imperialism Topic Content: Imperialism in China ... · During the 1700s, China was a powerful and influential nation. It was ruled by the Qing Dynasty, which was established

Module: Imperialism Topic Content: Imperialism in China and Japan

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Qing Dynasty in China

During the 1700s, China was a powerful and influential nation. It was ruled by the Qing Dynasty, which was established in 1644 A.D (C.E.). China was an important center for international trade. Chinese goods like porcelain, silk, and tea were in high demand. Despite this demand, international trade was restricted to foreign enclaves. Almost all foreign trade came through the city of Canton, which is now known as Guangzhou.


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Foreign Challenges

In the 1800s, China began to face more pressure from imperialist powers. These foreign powers wanted greater access to Chinese goods and markets. Great Britain imported more goods from China than it exported to China. This was because of Chinese restrictions on foreign trade. To make up for the trade deficit, the British started smuggling opium into China. The British East India Company grew the opium in India and shipped it to China illegally.


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Opium Wars

Opium is a dangerous and addictive drug. Many Chinese people became addicted to opium as it poured into the country. The British East India Company made more money as the Chinese population became more addicted. The Qing government tried to stop opium trafficking by shutting down foreign trade in Canton. This led to the First Opium War, which lasted from 1839 to 1842. The British Navy was far more advanced and dominated the conflict. The Qing government signed the Treaty of Nanking (Nanjing) after losing the First Opium War. The treaty opened four more Chinese ports to British trade. In these ports, Great Britain could follow its own laws instead of China's. This is called extraterritoriality. The treaty also ceded Hong Kong to Great Britain and reduced taxes on British goods imported to China. The Treaty of Nanking did not end the opium trade. This led to the Second Opium War, which also involved France. China lost this war too and was forced to open more ports and legalize the opium trade.


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Internal Challenges

The Qing government also had to deal with internal challenges. Rapid population growth caused food shortages and economic problems. The government also had to deal with several rebellions. Some of these include the White Lotus Rebellion, the Taiping Rebellion, and the Nian Rebellion. Each of these rebellions weakened the power of the Qing government. After the losing the Opium Wars and dealing with a series of rebellions, the Qing government tried to make reforms. This was known as the Self-Strengthening Movement. The goal was to embrace Western technology, but keep traditional Confucian values. The Chinese military and economy modernized as a result. The government was not interested in social reforms, however, and internal problems continued.


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Spheres of Influence

The Qing Dynasty struggled to deal with domestic and foreign pressure. Great Britain, France, Germany, and Russia all established spheres of influence in China. The European nations had exclusive trading rights in these areas. In 1895, Japan defeated China in the First Sino-Japanese War. Japan annexed Taiwan and established its own sphere of influence in China.


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Proposed Reforms

In 1898, the Emperor Guangxu tried to make radical reforms to preserve the Qing Dynasty. He made political, cultural, and educational changes modeled after Western governments. Conservative Chinese leaders opposed the reforms. One of these leaders was Guangxu’s aunt, Empress Dowager Cixi. She led a coup against her nephew and placed him under house arrest. This prevented many of the reforms from being implemented.


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Boxer Rebellion

The Boxers were members of a secret society in China. It was known as the Righteous and Harmonious Fists. The Boxers opposed imperialism and foreign influence in China. They wanted to rid the country of everything foreign, including Christianity. In 1900, the Boxers began murdering foreign missionaries and Chinese Christians. The rebellion grew and the Boxers moved toward the capital of Beijing. An international alliance was formed to put an end to the Boxer Rebellion. Twenty thousand foreign troops were sent to defend Beijing. The troops came from Europe, Japan, and the United States. The foreign alliance defeated the Boxers and occupied the capital. They demanded payment from the Qing government for stopping the rebellion. The Qing government also surrendered more control to foreign powers.


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Fall of the Qing Dynasty

After the Boxer Rebellion, it was clear that the Qing government had little control of China. They attempted to hold on to power by making social and political reforms. Local assemblies were formed. The Chinese education system was changed based on Western models. Despite these reforms, many people in China were discontent with the Qing dynasty. Sun Yat-sen wanted to replace the imperial government. He promoted nationalism, democracy, and welfare of the people. Sun and other leaders launched several uprisings against the Qing government. Many of these uprisings failed; however, an uprising in 1911 led to a full scale revolution. In 1912, the Qing Dynasty was overthrown and replaced with a republic. This marked the end of 2,000 years of imperial rule in China. The new Chinese republic faced many challenges. The country quickly split into warring factions and would later be torn apart by a deadly civil war.


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Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan

The Tokugawa Shogunate had ruled Japan since 1603 A.D. (C.E.). To maintain stability, the Tokugawa Shogunate pursued isolationism. They only traded with China and the Netherlands. All foreign trade was conducted in the city of Nagasaki. Isolation helped Japanese society remain stable for 250 years; however, it also remained stagnant. Japan fell behind Europe in technology, science, and military power.


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Opening Japan to Trade

In 1854, Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Tokyo harbor with a fleet of warships. The United States government sent Perry to establish trade with Japan. With outdated military technology, the Japanese had no choice but to agree. They signed the Treaty of Kanagawa. The treaty opened two Japanese ports to American traders. It also set up an American consulate in Japan. Soon after the Kanagawa Treaty was signed, other European nations signed similar treaties with Japan. The country was now open to foreign trade and influence.


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Meiji Restoration

Japan was concerned about the threat of imperialism. A group of influential Japanese leaders believed the only way to save Japan was to restore the Emperor to power. In 1868, the Tokugawa Shogunate came to an end and Emperor Meiji came to power. Emperor Meiji’s rule lasted until 1912. During this time, Japan underwent dramatic change at a rapid pace. This era is known as the Meiji Restoration.


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Changes in Japan

During the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese government became a constitutional monarchy. It was based on the government of the German Empire. It had a powerful Emperor and a Parliament. The Emperor was considered a divine ruler who served as the head of state. The Parliament was led by a Prime Minister who served as the head of the government. Japan embraced Western thought and technology during the Meiji Restoration. They sent people to various countries to study Western society. They learned about modern industry and military tactics. The Japanese used this knowledge to reform society. Within thirty years, Japan made the shift from a feudal society to an industrialized one. It operated large industrial centers. It developed modern infrastructure. It provided public education to all Japanese people. It also formed a modern military to defend itself.


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Imperial Japan

Japan was eager to compete with other imperial powers. It wanted the wealth, power, and prestige associated with a large empire. Japan was now able to use its army and navy to establish colonies of its own. Imperial Japan began to expand in the late 1800s. It established spheres of influence on the Korean Peninsula. Competition with China over influence in Korea led to the First Sino-Japanese War. Japan won the war in 1895. It annexed the island of Taiwan and expanded its influence in Korea. A territory dispute in Korea and Manchuria led to a war between Japan and Russia. The Russo-Japanese War began in 1904 and lasted until 1905. During the war, Japan devastated the Russian Navy. U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt mediated a peace treaty that ended the fighting. Japan was undeniably a world power after this victory. In 1910, Imperial Japan annexed the entire Korean Peninsula with no resistance from other imperial powers.

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Module: Imperialism Topic Content: Imperialism in China ... · During the 1700s, China was a powerful and influential nation. It was ruled by the Qing Dynasty, which was established