3. China Resists Outside Influence
• Chinese traditionally looked down on all foreigners
• 1793 Chinese emperor sent letter to King George of
England saying they did not need their goods
• China could reject Western goods because they were
largely self-sufficient
• Basis of self-sufficiency was agricultural productivity
• They developed a quick growing strain of rice and had
imported sweet potatoes, corn and peanuts
• This allowed the Chinese to effectively feed their
growing population
• China also had mining and manufacturing industries
• They also produced silks and porcelain that were
desired by Europeans
• Foreigners could only do business in the port city of
Guangzhou
• The balance of trade (earned more exporting than
spending on importing ) was in China’s favor
4. China Resists Outside Influence
• Tea- Opium Connection
• Opium was one product that the Chinese would buy in large quantities,
trade it for tea
• Opium was a habit forming narcotic that had been used for centuries a
pain reliever
• By the late 1700s it was being smuggled into China for non-medicinal
use
• By 1835 as many as 12 million Chinese were addicted to the drug
• The British were responsible for selling much of the opium in China
because it was grown and processed in British India
• The Qing Emperor wanted the British to stop selling the drug
• Opium War
• 1839 battles, mostly at sea, took place between the British and Chinese
• Britain's better, more advanced navy easily defeated the Chinese and
• 1842 the Treaty of Nanjing ended the war
• The British received the island of Hong Kong because of the treaty
• 1844 Foreign citizens were granted extraterritorial rights in Guangzhou
and other Chinese ports
• The foreigners were not subject to Chinese law in these areas
• This led to resentment by the Chinese toward foreigners
5. China Resists Outside Influence
• Growing Internal Problems
• In the first half of the 1800s China’s population expanded by 30% to over 450 million
• Food production barely increased and there was famine
• Opium addiction was growing
• People began to rebel against the Qing Dynasty
Taiping Rebellion
• Late 1830s a movement began in Southern China called the Taiping Rebellion
• The goal to share China’s wealth and no one would live in poverty
• By the 1850s an army of peasants took control of large areas of southern China and they
declared Nanjing their capital
• 1860s The leaders began to feud among themselves
• Combination of Qing Imperial troops, British and French forces put down the rebellion
• By the time the rebellion was over at least 20 million Chinese were dead
6. China Resists Outside Influence
• Foreign Influence Grows
• Some reformers in in the government
wanted to adopt Western ways, some
wanted to maintain a traditional way of life
• Person in command at the Imperial Palace
was the Dowager Empress Cixi
• She held power from 1862-1908
• She supported some reform (education,
military, industrial) with mixed results
7. China Resists Outside Influence
• European countries and Japan took advantage
of the situation in China
• Many gained “spheres of influence” areas
where foreign nations controlled trade and
investment
• Americans worried that these nations would
divide up China and leave out US traders
• 1899 US declared the Open Door Policy for
China to be open to all merchants of all
nations
• This protected US economic interests and
protected China from becoming a colony
8.
9. China Resists Outside Influence
An Upsurge in Chinese Nationalism
• Many Chinese wanted stronger reforms
• Frustration erupted into violence
• Boxer Rebellion
• Many resented special privileges given to foreigners and resented Chinese
Christians
• They formed a secret organization called the Society of the Righteous and
Harmonious Fists (Boxers) to fight against the Dowager Empresses’ rule and
foreigner privilege
• Spring 1900 the Boxers surrounded the European section of Beijing
• In August the Boxers were defeated by a multinational force of troops
10. China Resists Outside Influence
Results of the Boxer Rebellion
1. The rebellion was the beginning of Chinese nationalism
2. They realized that they needed to resist foreign intervention
3. Many wanted the government to be more responsive to the
needs of the people
• Chinese officials went on a world tour to see how different
governments operated
• They suggested that China become a constitutional monarchy
and have a national assembly
12. Modernizationin Japan
• Before the 1800s Japan had very little contact with the
outside world
• They were ruled by the Tokugawa Shoguns that gave out land
to daimyo
• Peasant farmers worked for these daimyo and were protected
by the samurai
• This feudal system kept Japan relatively peaceful and
prosperous
• The Japanese did trade with China and Dutch merchants from
Indonesia
13. Modernizationin Japan
Japan Ends Isolation
• By the early 1800s many other countries wanted
the Japanese to open their ports for trade and
Japan refused to allow it
• 1853 the U.S. sends four warships into Tokyo
Harbor and the Tokugawa Shoguns realized he
had no choice but to receive them
• A letter from the president of the US asked the
Japanese to open trade
• One year later the US navy returned and Japan
signed the Treaty of Kanagawa
• Japan opened two ports where the US could trade
and take on supplies
• Other Western powers soon followed
• By 1860 Japan allowed foreigners from many
countries permission to trade at several ports
and it extended extraterritorial rights to many
nations
14. Modernizationin Japan
• Japanese were angry that the country was opened to
foreigners and the Tokugawa shogun stepped down
• This ended the military dictatorship that had lasted for
500 years
• The new emperor was Mutsuhito, his reign lasted for 45
years and was called the Meiji Era
• The Meiji emperor knew that Japan had to modernize
• He sent officials to other countries to find western ways
that could be adopted
• Led reform of the government, military and education
system
I. Japan began to industrialize
II. Built railroads
III. Developed Silk and tea processing industries to give
them unique products to trade
• Developed other industries to make them competitive
with European countries
15. Modernizationin Japan
Imperial Japan
• By 1890 Japan had the strongest military in Asia
• As they gained economic, political and military strength
they wanted to get rid of the extraterritorial rights of
foreign countries
• 1894 all extraterritorial rights were abolished
• Japan become more imperialistic and national pride
increased
• 1876 Japan attacked Korea to force Korea to open ports to
foreign trade
• 1885 Japan and China signed an agreement to keep both
of their armies out of Korea
• 1894 China breaks the agreement
• Japan sends troops to Korea
• The Sino Japanese War lasted only a few months and the
Japanese were the victors
• Japan destroyed the Chinese navy, gained a foothold in
Manchuria and gained colonies in Taiwan
16. Modernizationin Japan
Russo-Japanese War
• Russia and Japan were the two major
powers in East Asia
• 1903 the countries went to war over
Manchuria (a region in northeast
China)
• 1904 Japan launched a surprise
attack on the Russian navy
• Japan defeated Russian troops and
destroyed most of their navy
• 1905 the Treaty of Portsmouth gave
Japan Manchuria and forced the
Russians out of the region
17. Modernizationin Japan
• After defeating Russia Japan took more
control over Korea
• 1907 the Korean king gave up control
of the country and disbanded the army
• 1910 Japan officially annexed Korea
(put the country under their control)
• Japan shut down newspapers and
replaced the Korean language with
Japanese in schools
• They encouraged Japanese businesses
and forbid Koreans to go into business
for themselves
