The Meiji Restoration THE MEIJI RESTORATION Japanese period

The Meiji Restoration

THE MEIJI RESTORATION • Japanese period beginning in 1853 when Japan went from a non-industrial feudal nation to a modern, industrial and imperial power.

Changes happened in Japan because of what was going on in China. Europeans were interested in China because its huge population offered a giant market for European manufactured goods. E. NAPP

In the early 1800 s, the Chinese imperial government tried to stop the British practice of selling opium from India to China. E. NAPP

However, China lacked the military technology to defy the British. The British easily defeated China in the Opium War (1839 -1842). E. NAPP

British leaders forced China to open several “treaty ports”, giving the British new trading privileges. In this way, the British established several spheres of influence or areas under British economic control. E. NAPP

China’s “Unequal Treaties” After the Opium War of 1839 -1842, Japan was convinced that it had to Open Up to the West. v

Japan was another Asian country to encounter Western influence in the late 19 th century. E. NAPP

Shoguns were military leaders of Japan. The Tokugawa Shoguns had isolated Japan. They had almost completely cut off Japan from European trade. The Japanese were forbidden to travel to other countries and foreigners were banned from Japan. E. NAPP

AMERICAN INTERVENTION • In 1853, the United States government sent Commodore Matthew Perry with a naval squadron to Japan to halt the mistreatment of shipwrecked American sailors. • Commodore Matthew Perry forces Japan to open it’s ports to American ships. • The Treaty of Kanagawa – 1854 - Japan agreed to open to the West and trade ideas.

CAUSES OF MEIJI PERIOD • Japanese saw what happened to their neighbor China. One Japanese visitor noted… “The Chinese have become servants to the foreigners. Sovereignty may belong to China but in fact it's no more than a colony of Great Britain and France”. The last Tokugawa Shogun (military leader) was criticized for opening Japan to the West. The Shogunate collapsed. The Meiji Restoration restored power to the Emperors of Japan.

The Emperor was suddenly restored to power. It is important to remember that during the Shogunate, the emperors had acted as mere puppets. E. NAPP

The Meiji Restoration restored power to the Emperors of Japan. Emperor Meiji realized that Japan had to adopt Western ways if Japan was to escape future domination by the West. E. NAPP

E. NAPP Emperor Meiji began the process of modernization. The Japanese became a modern nation with modern technology. One effect of the Meiji Restoration was that feudalism was abolished. The samurai lost their status. A modern military was established. The Japanese adopted Western technology. They built railroads and factories.

IN ORDER TO INDUSTRIALIZE YOU MUST… • Imperialism- when a strong countries takes over a weak country • Japan followed queue with other industrialized nations and went after an empire to get… resources to support their industries, factories and means of production

It is important to remember that Japan has few natural resources. The Japanese began to conquer colonies for raw materials for manufacturing.

The Japanese even developed an Imperial Empire.

STRAINS OF MODERNIZATION Problems: • Poor living standards existed in crowded cities • Political differences led to instability and frequent assassinations of leaders • Constant questioning and debate about. Westernization _______ • Disgruntled Samuarai _____ class • Need for raw materials

Final Thoughts technology was adopted which allowed Western ______ industrialize the Japanese to fully _______ in less than 50 years. By the end of the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese no longer feared that they would be imperialized _______. Rather, they set out to practice imperialism themselves to obtain power and __________. Japan was quickly emerging natural resources as a world-class power using western technology and methods while still maintaining its ______ values. traditional cultural Restoration This period was known as the _____Meiji _______.

The story of modernization and the struggle of the Samurai versus the modern Army is portrayed in the movie “The Last Samurai”