Meiji Restoration Study Notes

Internal Crisis: Japan faced political disorder and the Tenpō famine ( $1833$ - $1837$ ), resulting in over $150$ to $200$ daily deaths in Osaka.
Arrival of the "Black Ships": Commodore Matthew Perry of the US Navy arrived on July $8$ , $1853$ , demanding the opening of the country.
Treaty of Amity and Commerce: Signed March $31$ , $1854$ , forcing Japan to open the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate and protect stranded seamen.
Ideological Response: The treaty sparked the slogan "Revere the emperor, expel the barbarians," coined by Aizawa Seishisai.

Li Naosuke: Tairō (great elder) who led the Ansei Purge in $1858$ ; he was assassinated in $1860$ during the Sakuradamon Incident.
Takasugi Shinsaku: Leader of the Choshu samurai who issued the edict restoring imperial rule (ōsei fukko).
Saigo Takamori: Leader of the Satsuma samurai who formed the $1866$ alliance with Choshu and later led the Satsuma Rebellion in $1877$ .
Tokugawa Yoshinobu: The final Shogun of the bakufu who peacefully relinquished power to Emperor Meiji in $1867$ .
Emperor Meiji: Advocated for national unity via constitutionalism, industrialization, and military strength.
Ito Hirobumi: Sent on a European tour in $1881$ to study modern government systems.

Satsuma-Choshu Alliance ( $1866$ ): A secret coalition aimed at overthrowing the shogunate.
Boshin Civil War ( $1868$ - $1869$ ): Began with the Battle of Toba-Fushimi and ended with the shogunate surrender at Hakodate.
Charter Oath ( $1868$ ): A promise to unify social classes and seek global knowledge to strengthen imperial rule.
Prefecture System ( $1871$ ): Abolished feudal domains to create a unified political sphere.
Satsuma Rebellion ( $1877$ ): The final major samurai uprising, ending with the Battle of Tabaruzaka and the suicide of Saigo Takamori.
Meiji Constitution ( $1889$ ): Established the Imperial Diet, consisting of a House of Representatives and a House of Peers.

Tax Reform ( $1873$ ): Landowners were required to pay a tax rate of $3\%$ of land value in cash rather than rice.
Infrastructure: Rapid development of railways, telegraph systems, shipyards, and consumer industries (e.g., textiles, chemicals).
Social Equality: The government abolished class divisions (samurai, farmers, artisans, merchants).
Military Reform: Instituted compulsory $3\text{-year}$ military service for $20\text{-year-old}$ males.
Legal/Educational Reform: Established a national education system and revamped criminal/civil codes based on French and German models.

Political Success: Successfully transitioned from feudalism to a modern state and restored imperial power.
National Sovereignty: Achieved the goal of "Enrich the country, strengthen the army" (Fukoku kyōhei), preventing Japan from becoming a colony.
Failure of Exclusion: The goal to "expel the barbarians" failed, as Japan instead adopted Westernization to survive.
Limitations: Rights did not extend to women, who could not vote or control household property.