Japanese Imperialism

1. Matthew Perry: missionary sent by the United States with a letter from the US President to Japan saying that Japan must open its ports or they would use force

   1. Treaty of Kanagawa: the shogun agreed to open two ports for American ships to enter

   2. Meiji Restoration: Meiji aimed to bring Japan power and make social and political reforms to do so

   3. Russo-Japanese War: Japan fought Russia, who had been aiming to get Korea, and won

      1. Significance: first east asian country to defeat a European country

   4. Treaty of Portsmouth: Japan gained control of Korea and parts of Manchuria

2. Problems of Tokugawa Japan in the 1800s:

   1. Japanese isolation resulted in economic and social strains
   2. Merchants were considered the lowest class, so no matter how much money they made, they would always be at the lowest
   3. Money was needed, but the daiymo’s (wealthy landowners) wealth was in land

3. Why did Japan end 200 years of isolation?

   1. After hearing about China listing the Opium War to the British, Japan was afraid that they would not be able to resist western power
   2. The US pressured Japan into opening up ports- Japan had to accept because they would not win if they were to fight
   3. Other nations wanted the same rights as the US, so Japan had to open up more ports

4. Three ways in which Japan modernized:

   1. They adapted the German model of government

   2. They built infrastructure

   3. They attempted to eliminate social classes

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Textbook notes:

• Japan was pretty isolated 1600s
• 1800s tokugawa shoguns lose power… people unhappy
  • Merchants esp unhappy because they were lowest class no matter how much money they made
  • Govt tried to restore farming but not successful
• Shogun feared that british would try to take over japan’s economy after hearing about chinese opium war
• Treaty of kanagawa (1854): agreed to let american ships in (not for trade) so they won’t have to battle (can’t afford to set defenses)
  • Europeans wanted same thing as Americans
  • Japanese not happy with agreement
• Meiji restoration: determined to restore japan’s power
  • People set out to learn western ways
  • “A rich country, a strong military”
  • Change political system
  • Strong central govt
  • Meiji Constitution: all citizens are equal
  • Legislature: diet
  • Limited voting
  • All men needed to serve
  • Change economic:
  • Encouraged businesses to be like western
  • Banking, infrastructure
  • Zaibatsu: powerful banking and industrial fam
  • 1890s BOOM
  • Population ^
  • Social change:
  • Population ^
  • Meiji constitution: all citizens are equal
    • Tried to end class distinction- still remained
  • Schools
  • Ppl wanted womens rights govt said no
  • NATIONALISM- eventually resisted western influence
  • 1890s they powerful now
• Japan benefited from modernizing=> took over Taiwan
  • And part Russia (Russo- Japanese War: first time east asian over european nation)
  • And korea (treaty of portsmouth: japan gets korea

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