6 Flashcards
The Opium War
-(1839-1842)
-Ended with unequal treaty of Nanjing (similar to 1858 treaty with Japan)
-Many atrocities committed against the Chinese
-Japan feared that what happened to the Chinese with the British would happen to them
-British won due to industrialization
shishi
-mid to late 1800s
–Sakamoto Ryoma (1862)
-“men of high purpose”
-the samurai “loyalists”
-expelled “barbarians”, used violence towards the west, even used violence towards Japanese officials who were “pro”-west
-propelled events forward with acts of political terror aimed at domestic opponents or foreign enemies
Satcho Alliance
-1866
-Between Satsuma and Choshu
-Facilitated/brokered by Sakamoto Ryoma (a shishi)
-Agreed not to go to war against the other, give troops to shogun in the event of the rebellion
-They both marched on Kyoto, took the emperor hostage to free him, and restored him to power, officially ending the Tokugawa shogunate
Boshin War
(1868-1869)
-1 ½ year battle against shogunate allies and forces to consolidate Meiji power
-3,000 died
-Toughest hold out was Aizu
-Domains distrustful of insurgents
-Dissatisfaction among nobles and samurai with the shogunate’s handling of foreign affairs following the opening of Japan during the prior decade.
-Alliance of western samurai domains of Choshu, satsuma, and tosa, and court officials, secured control of the imperial court and influenced emperor meiji.
-Tokugawa Yoshinobu, sitting shogun, realizing the bad situation, abdicated political power to the emperor. By doing this he hoped the at the Tokugawa house could be preserved and participate in the future gov.
-Satsuma and Choshu lied and decided to abolish the house of Tokugawa which led to Yoshinobu to launch a military campaign to seize the emperor’s court in Kyoto.
-People supported the imperial faction, which led to Yoshinobu to surrender.
Meiji Restoration
-began in jan. 1868
-A Top Down Revolution - cultural, social, and political change came from those already in power (the daimyo elite)
-Begins process of Westernization under new terms (also Meiji restoration would eventually lead to the end of many cultural activities, like kabuki and bunraku)
-Used authority of emperor Meiji to overthrow Tokugawa
