Russia,+Japan+&+The+West

1. What was the Decemberist uprising? What were its causes and effects?
 * Russia**
 * a revolt of western-oriented army officers in 1825
 * caused the new tsar nicholas I to be even more adamant about conservatism
 * political oppression
 * increased repression of politica competition
 * secret police expanded
 * newspapers & schools even more tightly supervised

2. What were the weaknesses of the Russian economy? 3. What caused the Crimean War? what were its major efects? 4. Why were serfs emancipated? how did their emancipation differ from the emancipation of slaves in the U.S.? What changes did it create? 5 What were the Zemstvoes? How successful were they? 6. What was the significance of the Trans-Siberian railroad? 7. What economic reforms were enaced by Sergei Witte 8. What were the signs that Russia was headed to revolution? (think about - intelligentsia, anarchists, Marxists, Bolsheviks.)
 * Russia didnt industrialize and thus fell behind in trade & technology
 * increased serf labor to gain ground in the export market, instead of improving techniques
 * caused by Russia provoking the Ottomans for religious reasons, but France & Britain came to the sultan's defense
 * France wanted glory, Britain wanted to limit Russia's power
 * Crimean War fought right next to Russia on the Red Sea -- FRANCE & BRITAIN WON
 * disturbed Russian leaders bc they knew the loss was because they didnt indistrialize --> made the decision to reform
 * led to issue of emancipating the serfs
 * more generous than American slave emancipation
 * serfs received most of the land but no new political rights on a national level
 * created a large urban labor force
 * increased peasant uprisings
 * local political councils creates by the tsar
 * no influence on national policy tsar still retained authority
 * connected European Russia w the Pacific
 * expanded iron and coal sectors
 * stimulated export of grain to the west
 * enacted high tariffs to protect new insudtries in russia
 * encouraged new technologiclaly advanced westernstyle factories
 * improved banking system
 * 1900 - half of russian industries foreign owned
 * marxist leaders
 * reform that had its limits --> unstable society
 * intellegentsia = articulate intellectuals that were active in politics & impatient with Russia's slow development
 * Bolsheviks - russian marxists

1. Explain major developments in Japan in the early 1800's.
 * Japan: Transformation without Revolution**

Shogunates weakened w/in Japanese state b/c the feudal system was too expensive agriculture-based taxes due to expanding commercialism Neo-Confucianism gained popularity in the ruling elite & led to secularized rich people academic expansion as schools were reformed tensions rose between traditional Japanese people and reformist intellectuals. economy improved when manufacturing and monopoly opportunities increased mid 1800s, economic growth moved back toward the West.

2. What effect did the actions of Commodore Perry have on Japan? (include details on Samurai discontent)

Commodore Perry was American, and convinced the United States to become part of the West politically. shogunate bureaucrats were irrelevant bc not effected. The shogunate depended on isolationist policies, the power of the shogunate would weaken if not for them. 1860s-- samurai attack on foreigners --> war 6 years later, ended in 1868 after the Mutsuhito reform group was formed. led to broader policy changes 3. List the actions taken by the Meiji State.


 * Shogunate was toppled Meiji soldiers who longed for competition with british,
 * political parties founded by old samurais
 * Diet - rights are given to emperor with limited powers for the lower house
 * Meiji advisors received representation in government

4. Explain how Japan Industrialized - (Private and government roles)

Government banks backed growing trade for industries. gov't built railroads that connected islands to increase efficency national markets were created establishment of western-style banks and post offices.

5. List ways that Industrialization changed Japan.


 * economic & education expansion
 * no longer isolationism or feudalism, more open to foreign influence
 * even became dependent on world trade
 * and global economic ties
 * Population becomes steadier
 * vastly improved technology

6. What division within Japanese society were created by modernization?

Modernization had some negative effects on Japan. It created poor living conditions in large, populated cities. There were often disputes between conservative thinking and modernized thinking. The parliament clashed with the emperor's minister on determining policy. The biggest division was in the ideas of the people. People who believed in traditional Japanese culture and society had problems with people who believed in modernization and industrialization. This division was noticeable in society.

1) Analyze the POV, reliability of Japanese views of westernization 2) Alternative Doc 3) Analyze Views --> AgreeDisagree
 * can't represent full Japanese views
 * specialized bc of personal background
 * public opinion poll of masses (statistics about how they feel about Western influence)
 * personal views of someone who's never been outside of Japan
 * trade logs of how many Western goods were imported & bought
 * agree, once they westernized & moved away from Confucianism they caught up to the West and more
 * now they're one of the leading economic and political powers