Nationalism in Japan

Let’s think back…• What was the thing that we studied about

Japan? – Absolute ruler– Tokugawa

• What kind of ruler was Tokugawa?– Military shogun

• Who was at the top of the feudal system in Japan but had no real power? – The emperor

• Do you remember the social class structure?– Emperor, shogun, daimyo, samurai,

peasants/artisans, merchants

Tokugawa Japan

• Social class:1. Emperor (figurehead)

2. Shogun

3. Daimyo (landholding samurai)

4. Samurai warriors

5. Peasants and Artisans 4/5 of the population!

6. Merchants

• What type of foreign interaction did Japan have during the Tokugawa shogunate?– Closed country policy

• Japan was isolated with the industrialized world except with the China and Dutch merchants

• How do you think this made Westerners feel?– Angry, frustrated!

• Westerners tried to convince the Japanese to open their ports– Japan repeatedly refused them

• In 1853, U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry took 4 ships into modern day Tokyo Harbor– Black wooden ships powered by steam

astounded the Japanese– Canons!

• Perry delivered President Millard Fillmore’s letter and threatened to come back with a larger fleet in a year

What do you think the Japanese shogun decided to do?

Treaty of Kanagawa – Japan agreed to open two ports for the U.S. to take on supplies

Turn to a partner

• What was the Treaty of Kanagawa?

• After the United States had pushed open the door, what do you think the other Western powers did?

• They soon followed. (In China as well)

• Foreigners were given permission to trade at several treaty ports

• The Japanese were angry that the shogun had given in to the foreigners’ demands.– Who should they turn to?

• Japan’s young emperor – Mutsuhito – symbolized the country’s sense of pride and nationalism

– In 1867, the Tokugawa shogun stepped down ending the military dictatorships that had lasted since the 12th century

• Mutsuhito chose the name MEIJI for his reign “enlightened rule”

• Ruled for 45 years – known as the Meiji era

• Moved capital back to Tokyo

• Goal was to combine “western advancements” with the traditional “eastern” values

• How would Meiji counter Western influence? What could he do?

• Write down 2 ideas of things he could do to compete with the West.

“Knowledge shall be sought throughout the

world so as to strengthen the foundations of

Imperial rule.”

--The Charter Oath (1868)

a promise by the emperor to institute political and social reforms and work to strengthen the nation

MODERNIZE• Sent diplomats to Europe and

N. America to study Western ways

• Used Germany’s constitution as a model for their own

• Attempted to modernize their military to imitate the German and British navy

• Adopted the American system of universal public education

• Sent students abroad to study; brought foreigners to teach

- Established a parliament called the Diet

Accelerated Industrialization

• Built its first railroad line that connected Tokyo with the port of Yokohama– 7,000 miles of railroad

• Coal production grew from .5 million in 1875 to 21 million in 1913

• Built thousands of factories; zaibatsus (large family-controlled businesses)

• Shipbuilding

• Tea processing and silk production increased

Summing it all up

•Answer the following question:

How did Emperor Meiji use and put into practice nationalist ideals

to unite the Japanese?