The revolution which saw the end of the Qing Dynasty and the creation of the Republic of China

Causes:

• Weak Government

  • Regent Chun was inexperienced working on behalf of a 2 year old

• Failure of Reform

  • reforms had little impact, people wanted quicker outcomes

• Consequences of Army Reform

  • taxes were raised to fund the reforms => unpopular

• Yuan Shikai was sacked

  • Chun thought he was becoming too powerful

    => strong enemy + potential alternate leader

• The Spread of Revolutionary Ideas

  • Sun Yat-sen’s ideas became popular with those studying abroad

• Nationalisation of Railways

  • owners not fully compensated

  • Qing were ‘partners’ with the ‘foreign devils’

Events:

• Accidental explosion made people think a revolution had started

  => outbreaks of discontent across the country

• Wuhan soldiers started a mutiny => Double 10th Uprising

  => mutiny spread rapidly

• Within 6 weeks, all but 3 provinces declared independence

• Qing recalled General Yuan as Prime Minister to put down the rebellion

  => he switched sides to support it

• Sun Yat-sen returned from exile to become president of the Republic of China (RoC)

Consequences:

• 2200 years of imperial rule ended

• Yuan Shikai replaced Sun Yat-sen as president

  • in return for the removal of the imperial system

• Forced abdication of Puyi by General Yuan

  => power vacuum

• Yuan tried to become emperor after having become dictator

• Army revolted against Yuan

• Yuan Shikai died

  => power vacuum