3. Russian Imperialist Policies
(cf. USA)
• Recognition of difference
– vs. Protestant/white male ideal
• Dealt with the parts rather than the whole
– vs. Federal Law
• Tsar as source of change, reward, &
punishment
– vs. US Constitution and representative
bodies
4. ‘Enlightened’ Monarchs
• Peter the Great’s Westernization
projects Catherine the Great &
Voltaire
• French Revolution Legislative
Commission later conservatism
• 19th century missionary activity
6. Short- and Long-term Consequences
• Military history
• Emancipation of serfs, 1861
–Nobility’s power under question
–Land was reallocated, but concept of ‘free
labor’ and capitalism not fully accepted
with importance of family pedigree
• Makes serfs ‘mobile’ industrialization
–Cf. abolitionist movement
7.
8.
9. The length of the road with its projected extensions is so great
that even Americans, who are accustomed to deal with large
distances, will have some difficulty in comprehending the
scope of this undertaking. The longest continuous line on the
North American continent is the Canadian Pacific Railway. Its
main line from Montreal to Victoria is 2,990 miles in
length…[when] the [Russian railroad] will commence…[it will
have more than] 6,000 miles of track…
10. Global long-distance migration, 1840-1940
Destination Origins Amount Auxiliary Origins
Americas (65%
went to US)
Europe 55-58 million 2.5 million from
India, China,
Japan, Africa
SE Asia and
Indian Ocean
rim
India, S. China 48-52 million 5 million from
Africa, Europe,
NE Asia, Middle
East
Manchuria,
Siberia, Central
Asia, Japan
NE Asia, Russia 46-51 million
18. Read your assigned article and be ready to share its main
argument and TWO of the strongest pieces of evidence.
To what extent do you agree with one or the other
interpretation (what questions do you still have?)?
58. Reform…?
• To what extent was the Qing
Dynasty interested in reform?
–Self-strengthening movement
–Railroad
–1905 ending of civil service exams
Editor's Notes
Analyze the painting
Big question is: Who GROWS of the land empires and who DECLINES?
Remember how US expanded: purchase, treaties, and war. US gained lots of empty land and used it to industrialize – pushed natives living there onto reservations. Russia empire also expanded in three directions – how can we compare this?
- To west, involvement in Europe’s wars brought Baltic into its control (Poland/Lithuania). To the South, wars against Ottomans meant fighting over Caucasas (remember Russians saw themselves as third Rome – refused to call Istanbul anything but Constantinople). In last third of 19th century, Russia pushed against British in central Asia (India and Afghanistan). In East the Russians consolidated rule over Siberia and 18th century explorers even went into California and Alaska.
Didn’t make subjects conform to a single cultural style – left already existing social structures in place to get locals to carry out goals of policing, judging, and collecting.
America applied same rules wherever it went (federal law). Russians adjusted based on region – ex. Muslim law used in Muslim regions.
Tsar could change the rules at any time (petitions) while US had Consitutional procedures and representative bodies.
Russia already in contact with Europe since early 1700s due to Peter the Great’s selective Westernization projects
Catherine was tsaress during French Revolution. She considered herself an Enlightened monarch and even called a Legislative Commission that included representatives from various ranks (nobles, townspeople, peasants, ethnicities) to advise her on a new law code. This would have been unimaginable in Spanish, British, or American empires. But she also consolidated power by rewarding nobles who stayed loyal to her when a major rebellion broke out under her reign, including keeping serfs tied to the land.
In 19th century Orthodox missionaries got more aggressive in Russia, but a ‘Russian’ identity was not yet fostered or promulgated.
Russia wants access to Black Sea – Britain/France support Ottomans. Embarrassing defeat for Russia…sparks significant changes.
Ineffectiveness of cavalry and traditional ways of fighting with new military technology, especially in cannon and gunfire. Causes significant changes for Russia.
Intellectuals were seeing serfs as human beings (some of the most famous Russian authors are from this century)
Compare these images of freedom: Alexander II praised by former Russian serfs. A freed American ex-slave volunteers before President Lincoln to fight in the battle raging in the background.
Another point of comparison: trans-continental railroad. Lincoln signed the building of this railroad into place – as a way to unite the country, especially the frontier lands.
Built railroad by 1899 to help connect Russia – process of modernizing. One American article published upon its completion in 1899, at end of our unit, even exclaimed…so Russia is industrializing as we reach 1900, which includes all of the consequences we saw for Europe (and North America) after 1750.
See 1st and last rows!
The last time we had talked about the Ottomans, what were they like? (Consider Suleiman the Great, 16th century. Threatening Europe) By 1900 Ottomans were considered ‘sick man of Europe’. We will see if this term is valid today…
Look at all the Ottomans held at their largest extent (up to unit 5). By 1914 it’s only the area in brown. How did this happen? First, remember that throughout 18th century, Ottomans were constantly at war, especially with Russia.
Also remember that the European discovery of the New World way back in unit 4 had paved the way for Europe to avoid having to cut through the Middle East and Central Asia to reach the wealth of India and China. Thus the Ottomans (unlike Abbasids and Mughals) could not monopolize routes of trade, thus changing their ability to control the movement of wealth. Europe’s wealth increases throughout unit 4 as it gains new land and territory, while Ottomans rely on agriculture and crafts guilds.
Growth of confidence in Europe: Napoleon not only invading European countries, but invades Egypt in 1800. Wanted access to Red Sea and to establish French presence
READ BRITISH AUTHOR ON OTTOMANS
Breakaway provinces in North Africa, including Egypt under Muhammad Ali. Some modernizing is done there, and Ali will set a precedent of having a relationship with the Europeans to advance his country along European lines…although that will also leave Egypt indebted to Europe, which will leave it vulnerable to European economic/political control, as we will see after 1870…
Ottomans faced internal challenges as well: Wahhabism on the rise in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially as it gained support from the Al Saud family. They challenge Ottoman control over Hijaz.
READ WAHHABI TEXT
While Latin America undergoes revolution movements in 1800s, and especially 1820s, so does Balkans. It remained Orthodox and resentment of janissary corruption and firm control led to nationalist movements, supported by Britain and Russia to weaken Ottomans.
So how do we explain this? Was this the slow decline of a giant? Examine two ways of looking at this problem:
½ of class reads handout 1 on decline (refusing to change)
½ of class reads handout 2 on dynamism (aggressive reform) WHICH ONE IS A REASSESSMENT?
If the Ottomans were the sick man of Europe, was China the fallen dragon of Asia by 1900? Same debate: CLICK
What was the Qing dynasty like the last time we examined her?
Qing Dynasty had expanded during unit 4, in the same way Russia had also been expanding up through Peter the Great, especially East. These two empires had closed up the nomadic existence. (Ironically the Manchus were originally nomads). China was producing what the rest of the world wanted, and this continues through 18th century….
What items used by this 18th century British family would’ve been from China? PORCELAIN, TEA
Tea is more affordable for its stimulant properties, for tea time, and for growing CONSUMERISM.
So how did this work at the source of production? By 1750 Macau was in the hands of the Portuguese. Hong Kong was undeveloped. The heart of everything was Canton (Guangzhou)
There was no Ministry of Foreign Affairs-- relations with foreigners were completed with the attitude of superiority and indifference to the foreigners wishes
Visitors could not travel freely within China-- had to be escorted around and were expected to kowtow and pay tribute at the court [ a frequent visitor was Korea]
The European nations (including England) who had recently arrived in the region had often been forced to accept "tributary" status or receive nothing at all
Hong merchants had to pay lots of money to the court to have the right to trade with the foreigners
Many were not native Cantonese, but instead were Fujianese
Some became extremely rich-- millions of dollars in wealth, which was ridiculous back during those times!
Most Europeans and Hong merchants got along, despite the differences, as there was great wealth to be made on both parts
King George of England, the same King who the Americans rebelled against, sent Lord George Macartney in 1793 to Canton and then on to Tianjin with a warship with 66 guns and two ships full of the finest British products in order to have China further opened to British trade
[remember this is the same time at which the British are the supposed world Naval power-- though they had just recently been defeated by the Americans in the American Revolution] Macartney tries to impress Qianlong with British manufactured goods….Chinese aren’t interested.
The Emperor will reject MacCartney’s proposals. WHY?
When Macartney leaves, can you imagine his disappointment? Foreign desire for Chinese goods was immense. How are we going to keep tea coming in with growing demand by families like this?
There was also a worry for the BEIC. Can they remember? Britain was losing lots of silver, and Macartney’s trip proved that the Chinese didn’t want English manufactured goods. What to do, what to do….?
The British have settlements in India. India had been ruled by a powerful family called the Mughals, but it also has a lot of diversity. In the 1600s the BEIC had hired out their services as mercenaries and tax collectors to win land from the Mughals and other princes...
Opium plant. Opium had been used in China since the Tang dynasty, but simply as a medicinal tool
Indian land is used to grow opium – look at these contemporary images of how large an enterprise this was
Indian land is used to grow opium – look at these contemporary images of how large an enterprise this was
Fleets from India smuggle opium into China
Look at the exponential growth in the space of 100 years
By the middle of the 19th century, approximately 10% of everyone in China was addicted to opium, especially among the literati and military. 10% sounds small, but if the population of China was over 200 million, that’s 20 million people.
Why'd they get so addicted?:
Opium blurs one surroundings and slows it down-- initially caught on without that much to do:
Eunuchs, court officials, wealthy women, merchants, soldiers, and even students prepping for exams!
Spread to coolie laborers; their bosses soon realized, too, that it made their grunt work much easier if they gave it to their workers
Medicinal: could stop dysentery/diarrhea
the outflow of silver began increasing at a rate of 8 million silver dollars per year, much of it through Canton for British-imported opium. So economy is failing.
What should he do? BRAINSTORM. Some suggest legalizing opium to tax it and control it; others want to suppress it.
By 1838, after weighing his options, Emperor appointed Lin Zexu the job of ridding China of its opium.
-
Addicts were rounded up, forcibly treated, and taken off the habit, and domestic drug dealers were harshly punished.
Lin forced British official to give up 21000 chests of opium - public demonstration of destroying the chests.
Britain sent 4,000 troops with warships- war lasted from 1839-1842. Britain's troops had recently been toughened in the Napoleonic wars, and Britain could muster garrisons, warships, and provisions from its nearby colonies in Southeast Asia and India
The British prove themselves to be superior in weaponry – China caught off guard. Hadn’t had to deal with this kind of warfare/aggression before, and from the seas!
Read the Treaty of Nanking together
- Subsequently the Qing signs lots of other treaties with other states
EXAMPLE: don’t take notes
One year later, in 1843, a country that was just over 60 years old also did not want to be outdone. U.S. negotiators sought to conclude a similar treaty with the Chinese, to guarantee the United States many of the favorable terms awarded the British. The Chinese readily agreed in an effort to keep all foreigners on the same footing. Treaty gave
Americans tried in American courts of law
Could build churches, hospitals, cemeteries
Anyone could have the right to learn English if they wanted
Spheres of influence by 1914
Carving up the carcass of Qing dynasty? Why didn’t the British just take over?
Expensive undertaking
In interest of powers to keep Qing afloat so they could retain their treaty advantages.
Also, a long-simmering hatred of the Manchus began to emerge, as Han Chinese started to blame the Manchus for the weaknesses of their country and the defeat to the British
Remember the growing population? Why? (Success of Qing: safe roads; New World crops; stability). The very success is a problem. Despite large amount of territory, there isn’t enough farming to support this boom.
ALSO, too many people were studying for the scholar exams and the Qing established a quota, thus rendering huge numbers of aspiring degree holders with no means of acquiring suitable positions
For example, in 1800 there were 20,000 posts for officials with 1.4 million degree holders
Corruption was also a problem. For example, Heshan was a palace guard whom the Qianlong emperor took a liking to; he took half of the TOTAL imperial revenues collected by all of the Qing during this era.
Triads = secret societies whose purpose is to undermine Manchu. Like the Mafia/gangs: practiced extortion, robbery, and kidnappings-- rural poor often sought their help to solve disputes in the absence of a strong central government. Often who people turned to against foreigners.
Hong Xiuquan (pronounced shiou-chuan), Hakka from southern China. In 1847 failed the imperial examinations for the third time and was delirious for 30 days. When he recovered, he believed that the dream he had was God and Jesus, and that he too must be a Son of God-- younger brother to Jesus Christ-- he baptized himself as a Christian
Preached that he and his band of believers had been chosen to conquer China, destroy the demon Manchu rulers, and establish the Taiping Tianguo — the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Harmony.
Gathering followers first from the poor and outcast, he and his recruits destroy Confucian temples and sites. By 1849, he had grown his hair long, eschewing the Queue, and saw the Manchu [foreigners] as his sworn enemy-- he taught that the Manchus were just another in a long line of northerners who had conquered and subjegated the southern Chinese. Lin Zexu sent to quell rebellion; dies along the way.
Massive Famine/Drought in Northern Chinese provinces from 1876-1879 killed nearly 10% of the population in the region
Horrific images published in newspapers; cannibalism, selling of women and children for food.
More than 135 adult Protestant missionaries and fifty-three Western children were killed by the Boxers during 1900
The controversial legacy of missionaries: creating schools for women; fight against foot-binding. But to what extent should they change culture?
The emperor had many wives and concubines, but only Tzu-Hsi gave him a son.
1900 French magazine: how does it portray the Chinese empress? (bloody dagger: represents her support of Boxer Rebellion)
Compare with reassessment by Chang
Self-strengthening movement (1860s) = betraying Chinese culture? Read selection from Feng Guifen
(failed) Railroad in 1876
100 Days of Reform (failure) under Guangxu (1898)
1901 formal change
1905 ending of civil service exams
PAUSE
