Post on 12-Jun-2015
description
Nationalism in Japan
Let’s think back…• What was the thing that we studied about
Japan? – Absolute ruler– Tokugawa
• What kind of ruler was Tokugawa?– Military shogun
• Who was at the top of the feudal system in Japan but had no real power? – The emperor
• Do you remember the social class structure?– Emperor, shogun, daimyo, samurai,
peasants/artisans, merchants
Tokugawa Japan
• Social class:1. Emperor (figurehead)
2. Shogun
3. Daimyo (landholding samurai)
4. Samurai warriors
5. Peasants and Artisans 4/5 of the population!
6. Merchants
• What type of foreign interaction did Japan have during the Tokugawa shogunate?– Closed country policy
• Japan was isolated with the industrialized world except with the China and Dutch merchants
• How do you think this made Westerners feel?– Angry, frustrated!
• Westerners tried to convince the Japanese to open their ports– Japan repeatedly refused them
• In 1853, U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry took 4 ships into modern day Tokyo Harbor– Black wooden ships powered by steam
astounded the Japanese– Canons!
• Perry delivered President Millard Fillmore’s letter and threatened to come back with a larger fleet in a year
What do you think the Japanese shogun decided to do?
Treaty of Kanagawa – Japan agreed to open two ports for the U.S. to take on supplies
Turn to a partner
• What was the Treaty of Kanagawa?
• After the United States had pushed open the door, what do you think the other Western powers did?
• They soon followed. (In China as well)
• Foreigners were given permission to trade at several treaty ports
• The Japanese were angry that the shogun had given in to the foreigners’ demands.– Who should they turn to?
• Japan’s young emperor – Mutsuhito – symbolized the country’s sense of pride and nationalism
– In 1867, the Tokugawa shogun stepped down ending the military dictatorships that had lasted since the 12th century
• Mutsuhito chose the name MEIJI for his reign “enlightened rule”
• Ruled for 45 years – known as the Meiji era
• Moved capital back to Tokyo
• Goal was to combine “western advancements” with the traditional “eastern” values
• How would Meiji counter Western influence? What could he do?
• Write down 2 ideas of things he could do to compete with the West.
“Knowledge shall be sought throughout the
world so as to strengthen the foundations of
Imperial rule.”
--The Charter Oath (1868)
a promise by the emperor to institute political and social reforms and work to strengthen the nation
MODERNIZE• Sent diplomats to Europe and
N. America to study Western ways
• Used Germany’s constitution as a model for their own
• Attempted to modernize their military to imitate the German and British navy
• Adopted the American system of universal public education
• Sent students abroad to study; brought foreigners to teach
- Established a parliament called the Diet
Accelerated Industrialization
• Built its first railroad line that connected Tokyo with the port of Yokohama– 7,000 miles of railroad
• Coal production grew from .5 million in 1875 to 21 million in 1913
• Built thousands of factories; zaibatsus (large family-controlled businesses)
• Shipbuilding
• Tea processing and silk production increased
Summing it all up
•Answer the following question:
How did Emperor Meiji use and put into practice nationalist ideals
to unite the Japanese?