Download Notes 3: American Imperialism in East Asia

Notes 3: American Imperialism in
East Asia
Modern US History Unit 1-6
January 23, 2012
• Industrialization led to an increase in demand for
luxury goods in the United States and Europe.
Merchants wanted to trade with East Asia for
spices, perfumes, silks, and furniture.
China before Imperialism
• In 1800, China was ruled by the Qing dynasty
of the Manchus. This was a prosperous
dynasty that rapidly declined due to a
combination of internal problems and external
pressures. By 1800, Europeans had been
regularly trading with China for over 200
years, but they were restricted to a single port
city at Guangzhou (Canton).
China before Imperialism
• Much of this trade was controlled by the
British who wanted to expand beyond their
singular port. China was a large, self-sufficient
country and it traded mostly with itself. China
saw itself as the Middle Kingdom – the
highest civilization in the world surrounded by
barbarians. The Qing rulers favored an
isolationist policy, though Christian
missionaries were allowed into the kingdom.
England Solves their Trade
Problems with China
• The English wanted luxury goods (silk, spices,
and porcelain) and tea from China. It is
estimated that the average London worker spent
5% of their household budget on tea. Since
China was self-sufficient, England was
importing more goods from China than China
was importing from England. This was in
opposition to the current economic theory of
mercantilism at the time.
England Solves their Trade Problem
with China
• mercantilism: an economic system of
imperialist countries that had the imperialist
country export more goods to their colonies
than they imported from those colonies
England Solves their Trade
Problem with China
• To change the trade balance to their favor, the
English needed to find a good that they could
provide that China did not have. They found this in
their colony of India –opium The English began
exporting opium to China even though Chinese
officials made it illegal. The English fostered their
trade: they bribed officials, helped the Chinese
work out elaborate smuggling schemes to get the
opium into China's interior, and distributed free
samples of the drug to innocent victims.
England Solves their Trade Problem
with China
• The cost to China was enormous. The drug
weakened a large percentage of the
population (some estimate that 10 percent
of the population regularly used opium by
the late 1800’s), and silver began to flow
out of China to pay for the opium.
China Fights Back + Carving Up the
Melon
• Because opium addiction was
severely injuring China, the
Chinese government decided to
take action. The Chinese
government tried to confiscate
foreign stores. The Confiscation
of British opium under the new
laws was too much for the
English who decided to punish
China for interfering with their
trade.
China Fights Back + Carving Up the
Melon
• This was the beginning of the first Opium War
(1839-1842). The non-industrialized Chinese
lost both the first and second Opium Wars.
China Fights Back + Carving Up
the Melon
• After the two Opium wars, European countries
began to exert a stronger influence over China.
Treaties were signed that gave rights to the
Europeans and removed China’s rights to
govern European activity in their country. This
became known as the “treaty system.” Along
with being forced to agree with strong European
influence, pieces of China itself were also being
carved away by European nations.
Foreign
Spheres of
Influence
in China
(18421907)
The Open Door Policy
• By 1898, most of China had been partitioned into
“spheres of influence” which were controlled by
European powers. The United States realized that
they had missed the boat since they did not control
any piece of China.
• To protect American trade with China into the future,
the United States suggested creating an “Open Door
Policy” in China. This policy would leave China
independent (European countries could not
completely take over pieces of it) and it would allow
all countries free trade with China.
The Open Door Policy
• The United States sent their policy out to the
other nations that had influence in China. None
of these nations agreed to sign it, but since
none of the nations disagreed with the policy,
the U.S. announced that the Open Door Policy
was enacted
The Open Door Policy
• China tried to strengthen itself after this, but
conservatives in the government put a stop to
this. By 1911, China was very weak and could
not withstand a revolt led by followers of Sun
Yat-sen; the Qing dynasty collapsed. The
Revolution of 1911 ended imperial rule in
China. China is now ruled by a communist
system, although aspects of capitalism have
been introduced into the economy.
American Imperialism in
Japan
Japan before Imperialism
• Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate.
This was a hierarchical system of government
and society with four distinct classes – the
warriors, farmers, artisans, and merchants.
Japan traded with the English and Dutch and
allowed Christian missionaries during the
1500’s.
Japan Before Imperialism
• In 1639, the shogun (ruler of Japan under the emperor)
isolated Japan from the outside world. Christianity,
foreign trade, and the building of ocean traveling ships
(long distance) were outlawed. A policy of strict
isolationism took over as even foreign books were
banned. Some of the reasons for this include a fear that
the teachings of Christianity would cause the Japanese
people to follow the leadership of the Pope or Jesus
instead of the shogun – also some Jesuits destroyed
shrines which angered some Japanese. Only a tiny
Dutch (Netherlands) settlement was allowed in the city
of Nagasaki.
America Visits Japan
• The closure of Japan to foreign traders was a
challenge to the imperialists so Commodore
Matthew Perry was sent to Japan in 1853 to try
and establish trade between Japan and the
United States. Matthew Perry sailed four ships
into Edo Bay in July 1853 – 2 steam-powered
sailing ships which were pulling 2 sloops.
American Sketch of Perry’s Fleet
Perry’s original group only contained four ships. What is this painting trying
to show by exaggerating the number of boats?
American Ships surrounded by Japanese
Ships
Describe the difference between the American and Japanese ships.
Japanese Painting of an American
Steamship
What emotions did Perry’s ships inspire in the Japanese who saw them?
Samurai Gathering In Case the Arrival of the
Black Ships Means War
America Visits Japan
• On this trip Perry delivered a letter from the
president of the United States, Millard Fillmore,
and left shortly thereafter. Perry returned in
March 1854 with 9 ships to receive the Japanese
response. On this trip, Perry and his crew stayed
longer in Japan and exchanged gifts with
important noblemen. The high point of these
activities was a treaty signed on March 31, 1854
in Kanagawa which met all of the U.S.
government’s requests.
American Painting of American Gifts
Being Given to the Japanese
What gifts do you see being given to the Japanese? Why?
America Visits Japan
• The Treaty of Kanagawa guaranteed good treatment
of castaways opened two Japanese ports for
provisions and refuge, and laid the groundwork for
Japan’s reluctant acceptance of an American
“consul”—which broke down the remaining barriers
to Japan’s incorporation in the global political
economy. In 1858, U.S. consul to Japan, Townsend
Harris, signed the Harris treaty that called for the
opening of several new ports for US trade and
residence along with an exchange of ministers. After
Japan had agreed to this with the Americans,
European countries soon came to sign similar
treaties as well.
America Visits Japan
• After being “opened” by America, Japan
decided to quickly modernize themselves –
this process was known as the Meiji
restoration. Japan had seen what Europeans
had done to China and wanted to keep that
from happening in Japan.
America Visits Japan
• Therefore Japan began to change their system
of government, import technological ideas
such as the railroad and telegraph, and
strengthen and modernize their defense
system. This process led Japan to become a
world power in a short amount of time. By
1894, they had defeated China in the first SinoJapanese War over Korea. Japan’s increasing
desire for world power would lead to conflict
in the 20th century.
American Imperialism