Japan

Question 1

Early Japan

Answer 1

Declining agriculture production; High taxation; Starvation; Samurai + Daimyo went into debt to merchant class; Peasant rebellions

Question 2

Tokugawa bakufu

Answer 2

Military government / leader of Japan; Resigned office after dissent from unequal treaties → civil war

Question 3

Tokugawa response to inner problems

Answer 3

Few reforms made by Mizuno Tadakuni - unsuccessful

Question 4

Mizuno Tadakuni

Answer 4

Shogun’s chief advisor; Tried to stop social + economic decline + strengthen gov through reforms:
Canceled samurai + daimyo debt; Abolished merchant guilds; Encouraged peasants to return to farming

Question 5

Tokugawa outlook on Europeans

Answer 5

Exclusion of Europeans + Americans
except for Dutch merchants in controlled trade in Nagasaki

Question 6

Foreign influence to Tokugawa

Answer 6

British, French, US wanted to start relations; US wanted ports for merchants + whalers but Japanese gov refused; US invasion

Question 7

What event marked the beginning of Japan’s opening to foreign trade?

Answer 7

US warships led by Commodore Matthew Perry demanded permission to trade with Japan + initiating diplomatic + commercial relations

Question 8

Commodore Matthew Perry

Answer 8

American commander who forced Japan to open diplomatic and commercial relations with US through warships –> Ended Japan’s policy of isolation –> Forced signing of unequal treaties –> Discontent led to Meiji Restoration

Question 9

Unequal treaties

Answer 9

Limited Japanese control over tariffs; Granted extraterritorial rights to foreigners - Similar to China

Question 10

What was the impact of foreign pressure on the Tokugawa Shogunate?

Answer 10

Internal opposition from daimyo + samurai + emperor –> Overthrow of the Tokugawa Bakufu –> Meiji Restoration.

Question 11

Mutsuhito / Meiji

Answer 11

Enlightened Rule

Question 12

Meiji Restoration

Answer 12

Restored power to Emperor; Ended military governments; Aimed to modernize Japan politically, militarily, and economically to achieve equality with foreign powers

Question 13

Conservative Coalition

Answer 13

Daimyo + imperial princes + court nobles + samurai; Goal of “rich country, strong army”

Question 14

Inspirations for Meiji government

Answer 14

European + US industrialization; Sent students + officials to travel abroad; Hired foreign experts for economic development

Question 15

Fukuzawa Yukichi

Answer 15

Travelled to US + Europe; Reported observations; Advocated for constitutional government + modern education systems + equality before law

Question 16

Ito Hirobumi

Answer 16

Studied constitutions + administrative systems in Europe; Drafted the Meiji Constitution - inspired by German unification

Question 17

Goal of the Meiji reforms

Answer 17

Centralize political powers - destruction of old social order; Economic stability - tax

Question 18

How did the Meiji government centralize power?

Answer 18

Exchange daimyo lands for nobility (removed power) → Creating new prefectures + districts controlled by government; New governors to prevent old loyalties; Abolished samurai class (banning swords + topknots)

Question 19

What reforms were made to Japan’s tax system under the Meiji government?

Answer 19

Replace grain tax to fixed money tax - ensure stable revenue; Tax on land - ensure landowners to maximize production

Question 20

What was the structure of the government under the Meiji Constitution?

Answer 20

Diet - comprising a house of nobles + elected lower house (based on property qualifications); Emperor retained significant executive power

Question 21

Diet

Answer 21

Constitutional monarchy with a legislature - Consist of a house of nobles + elected lower house; Limit authority of Diet; Power belong to the emperor

Question 22

Power of emperor under Diet

Answer 22

Control over the military; Appoint prime minister + cabinet; Can dissolve parliament

Question 23

Japan vs European parliament

Answer 23

Cabinet responsible to emperor rather than lower house; Power lay within emperor - parliament can advise but never control

Question 24

Meji constitution

Answer 24

Individual rights - limited to the state; Property restrictions

Question 25

Japan industrialization

Answer 25

Caused by economic reforms (telegraphs, railroads, steamship lines, remove restrictions on commerce + trade

Question 26

Education

Answer 26

Government established universal primary + secondary education + universities; Supported industrialization

Question 27

Zaibatsu

Answer 27

Financial group formed when Meiji government sold its enterprises to private investors; Contains large economic powers

Question 28

How did industrialization affect Japanese peasants and workers?

Answer 28

Peasants faced heavy land taxes + poor working conditions in textile industry; Gov. hated labor unions + strikes; Suppressed uprisings

Question 29

Government reaction to peasant + worker suffering

Answer 29

Did nothing to help them - Deployed military police + army; imprisoned + executed leaders of rebellions

Question 30

What marked Japan’s emergence as a global power by the early 20th century?

Answer 30

End of extraterritoriality; Military alliance with Britain; Victories against China + Russia

Question 31

Kukutai

Answer 31

National policy / National identity

Question 32

Shinto

Answer 32

Japanese religious that believes Emperor is the descendant of the Sun Goddess; State Shinto → Reshape religion for political purpose / gave political legitimacy; Reason for absolute monarch; Root for Japanese nationalism

Question 33

Townsend Harris

Answer 33

Diplomat that negotiates unequal treaty