The Chinese Revolution
The Chinese Revolution
A series of political upheavals between 1911-1949 that ended the
dynasties and led to communist rule.
Standard: 3.1.b
Internet Resources
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/hutchinson/m0005603.html:
Story of Chinese Revolution (Quick 1 Page
Summary)http://www.aasianst.org/EAA/10-3-supplemental.htm: Handouts
with primary Resources from Cultural Revolution
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/china/modern/long_stu.htm: Focus
on Mao ZedongPeople
1. Mao Zedong
2. Sun Yet-sen
3. Quing Emperors
4. Red Guard
5. Nationalist Party
Causes
1. Control of China by other countries
2. Unfair treatment of peasants
3. Young peoples desire to modernize China
Immediate Effects
1. End of Dynasties in China
2. Culture of Fear in China caused by Red Guard
3. Failing Economy because the Red Guard put so many workers out
of work.
4. Destruction of Schools in pursuit of stamping out any
reminder of the past.
Long Lasting Effects on the Modern World
1. Large amount of uneducated workers due to the destruction of
education- they play into many countries economies today.
2. Destroyed their art and anything that symbolized the old
world- we dont have it today
3. Current tensions between China and Tibet
Maps
http://unimaps.com/china1911/index.htmlhttp://users.erols.com/mwhite28/chin-rev.htmSummary
China had been under a Qing (Ching) Emperor since the mid-1600s
when in the 1900s little parts of China were being taken over by
outside countries. The young people of China at the time were very
upset with this and the emperor for not stopping it. This unrest
led to the development of the Peoples Nationalist Party, led by Sun
Yat-sen. In 1911 the Peoples Nationalist Party forced the emperor
out and created a republican government. The Peoples Nationalist
party was unable to unite China or force out the various countries
that were claiming land there.
When Sun Yat-sen died Chiang Kai-shek took his place and built
up the nationalist army. With his army he reclaimed Chinese land
from other countries. Then the Nationalist Party split forming a
Communist party who believed that the peasants should have a say in
the government. Chiang Kai-shek disagreed with this and sided with
the wealthy farmers. He then forced all the communists into a small
area in southern China. The exiled Communist started an exodus to
Yanan in Northwestern China. This 6,000-mile trek is known as the
Long March, and only 8,000 of the 100,00 communists survived.
During the Long March Nationalists attacked and the Communists
found a leader, Mao Zedong.
Mao and the Communists claimed the Northwest lowering taxes and
giving the peasants more power. As more and more Chinese heard of
Maos changes they joined the communists. Eventually a communist
army put together by Mao drove Chiang Kai-shek and the Nationalists
out of China and into Taiwan. Mao now started making changes all
over China. Economically he set up 5-year plans that focused on
making farming communes and growing industry. He also appointed
fellow communist believers to important government positions.
Around 1966 Mao decided that not enough people were supporting
his government, so he decided that the country needed a Cultural
Revolution. He got college students and young people involved in
destroying the past. The tore down architecture that was
representative of the past. The destroyed art and books from the
days of the emperors. Mao also put together the red guard which
questioned people about the allegiance to the communists and even
jailed or executed individuals who they thought were not good
communists. However in 1968 Mao put a stop to the Cultural
Revolution feeling it had gone too far.
