31- Societies at Crossroads

Question 1

Muhammad Ali

Answer 1

Ruler of Egypt, took power after failed invasion by Napoleon. Seceded from Ottoman empire. Promoted military and industrial development (cotton industry).

Question 2

Capitulations and extraterritoriality

Answer 2

Grants allowing European to be governed by their own laws in Ottoman empire. Regarded as an intrusion of sovereignty; used to create tax havens.

Question 3

Ottoman military decline

Answer 3

Faced defeats by Russia and Austria, lagged behind Europe in technology and strategy. Janissaries neglected their training and revolted. Provincial governors took power, had own taxes.

Question 4

Ottoman economic decline

Answer 4

Merchants traded through Atlantic instead of overland Manufactured goods from Europe pressured Ottoman artisans. They depended on foreign capital for industrialization; lost money on expenditures. Faced corruption, rising taxes, agricultural declines. Interest took 1/2 of revenue, had to be administered by other nations

Question 5

Mahmud II

Answer 5

Ottoman tyrant, launched reform program. Killed Janissaries, modernized military, created new schools, strengthened central gov’t.

Question 6

Tanzimat

Answer 6

Reform era, followed Mahmud’s rule. Goals: Prevent future rebellions; reform military, legal, and education systems. Public trials and equality for all religions. Undermined the Ulama (Muslim law). Criticized by religious conservatives

Question 7

Abdul Hamid

Answer 7

Ottoman sultan after Tanzimat, installed after radical dissidents overthrew the bureaucracy. Got rid of parliament, exiled liberals, conducted executions. Continued Tanzimat reforms

Question 8

The Young Turks

Answer 8

Liberal dissident organization founded by exiles. Universal suffrage, equality, freedom of religion, secularization, women’s rights. Installed Mehmed Rashid as puppet ruler. Tried to strengthen hegemony, worsened tensions with subjects who sought autonomy.

Question 9

Crimean War

Answer 9

Russia upset the balance of power when expanding to Ottoman empire, defeated by a coalition of Britain, France, and Ottoman empire. Horrible loss.

Question 10

How was Russian society very different from Western Europe in the 19th century?

Answer 10

Orthodox church still in society. Tsars were autocratic leaders, no representative gov’t. Agrarian society w/ unfree labor.

Question 11

Zemstvos

Answer 11

Elected local assemblies w/ representatives. Could not override central tsar rule; nobles controlled most of the seats. Did not lead to change.

Question 12

To what extent did emancipation improve the life of serfs or of Russian society?

Answer 12

Serfs could still not own lands, they had few rights, had to pay redemption tax. Many peasants were in debt; emancipation led to little gains in productivity.

Question 13

Count Sergei Witte

Answer 13

Finance minister, led industrialization program. Protected new industries with tariffs and western capital.

Question 14

Trans-Siberia railway

Answer 14

Centrepiece of Russian industrialization program, opened Siberia to exploitation, settlement, industrialization, and economic development.

Question 15

How was industrialization similar and different for Russia compared to Western Europe?

Answer 15

Similar: Both developed railroads, steel, coal, and petroleum industries. Faced rebellion from workers who didn't like factories and low wages. Quality of life decreased. A wealthy owner class developed. 
Different: Capitalism was driven by political and military reform rather than free enterprise; they depended on foreign capital; businesspeople did not challenge tsar authority.

Question 16

Pogroms

Answer 16

Anti-Jewish rebellions, caused many Jews to flee Russia

Question 17

What were the ideas of the intelligentsia, especially the anarchists?

Answer 17

Did not like unbridled capitalism; sought political and social equality; worked toward a socialist system that still kept with Russia tradition. Anarchists believed freedom did not exist with government; used terrorism.

Question 18

How did the tsarist government respond to dissent?

Answer 18

Dissidents imprisoned; censored publications, led to further radicalization. Responded to separatist movements with Russification program to repress non-Russian languages and enforce tsarist education.

Question 19

Bloody Sunday

Answer 19

Works protested Nicholas for concessions; asked for popular elected assembly and political freedoms. Gov’t troops killed 130. Sparked labor unrest and rebellion.

Question 20

What factors led to the revolutionary turmoil of 1905 (Bloody Sunday)?

Answer 20

Political and social discontent; Land and Freedom party killed Alexander II, government vowed to enforce repression and police control. Faced military defeat against Japan at Port Arthur- sparked turmoil.

Question 21

Why did the British turn to the Opium trade?

Answer 21

They had trade imbalance with China. Used as an alternative to bullion

Question 22

What did the Opium War demonstrate?

Answer 22

Chinese attacked port of Canton angst. British for social problems caused by Opium. Showed difference in military prowess between Britain and China, as they were defeated easily.

Question 23

Treaty of Nanjing

Answer 23

Treaty signed at end of Opium war. Designed to curtail China’s sovereignty. Gave Hong Kong to Britain, opened ports to trade, granted extraterritorially, legalized Opium trade, promoted Christian missions, dismantled tributary states system.

Question 24

What were some factors causing discontent and rebellion in China?

Answer 24

Social problems such as poverty as a result of the growing population. Corruption, drug addiction, and inequality.

Question 25

Hong Xiuqan and Society of God

Answer 25

Leader of Taiping rebellion; campaigned out of Nanjing.

Question 26

Taiping reform program/rebellion

Answer 26

Called for fall of Manchu rulers, gov’t reforms, wealth and gender equality, education reform, and simplification of written Chinese.

Question 27

Empress Dowager Cixi

Answer 27

Conservative Qing ruler, suppressed Taiping rebellion by supporting military. Undermined Self-Strengthening movement.

Question 28

Self-strengthening movement

Answer 28

Promoted economic and military reform to save the Qing dynasty. Sought to blend Chinese values and agrarian society with western technology. Built shipyards, railroads, and weapons. Only brought superficial change.

Question 29

Hundred Days Reforms

Answer 29

Sought to make China an industrial powerhouse, get rid of agrarian society, and reinterpret Confucian values. Leaseback came from imperial house and gentry; only lasted 103 days.

Question 30

Boxer rebellion

Answer 30

Rebellion to expel foreign powers from China. Rebels killed foreigners, Christians, and attacked embassies. Western force soon suppressed rebellion, forced China to pay fines and open up more.

Question 31

Spheres of Influence

Answer 31

Individual countries took rights for railway and mineral development in different provinces. E.g. Russia took Manchuria

Question 32

Outcome of Taiping rebellion

Answer 32

Ended after Hong Xiuqan killed self; Nanjing fell and 100,000 Taipings were executed. 20-30 million deaths total, agricultural declines, unstable regions.

Question 33

Tokugawa Bakufu

Answer 33

Japanese ruling house, tried to promote economic development- provoked rebellion.

Question 34

Problems in 19th century Japan

Answer 34

Agricultural productivity declines, famines, harsh taxation. Samurai and daimyo were indebted to the wealthy merchant class.

Question 35

How did Japan open to foreign commerce?

Answer 35

Pressured by western powers (US) who wanted to use it as a refuelling port. They signed unequal treaties.

Question 36

Commodore Matthew Perry

Answer 36

US Naval commander, demanded Shogun that Japan open to diplomatic and economic relations. Signed treaties.

Question 37

What ended Tokugawa rule?

Answer 37

Resentment from conservative Daimyo and emperor when Shogun accepted unequal treaties. Dissidents armed w/ foreign weapons defeated bakufu.

Question 38

Meiji restoration

Answer 38

Returned authority to emperor instead of military gov’t of shogun and daimyo. New coalition of daimyo, princes, nobles, and samurai formed gov’t dedicated to prosperity. Followed US and European bureaucratic models.

Question 39

Diet

Answer 39

Japanese legislature, house of nobles and house of elected delegates. Did not have complete power over emperor. Laws limited individual rights. Seats were limited to prominent classes.

Question 40

Meiji social reforms

Answer 40

Centralized political power. Replaced daimyo lands with metropolitan districts and governors. Abolished samurai privilege and stipends. Samurai rebelled, but were crushed by national army.

Question 41

Japanese economic reforms

Answer 41

Modern transportation, communications, and education. Government funded enterprises and sold to zaibatsu. Made Japan level with the west industrially, but it weighed on working class. Peasantry paid 90% of gov’t revenues (rebelled). Starvation existed still, unions prohibited. .