Unit 6: Imperialism and Industrialization in Asia
The Industrial Revolution came late to East Asia. By many accounts, China was more industrially developed than Western Europe before 1800, but England and the rest of Western Europe soon surged ahead with the aid of cheap coal, steam power, and the vast natural resources and markets provided by the Americas. Industrialized European states forced their way into traditionally limited markets in both China and Japan during the mid-19th century, flooding both countries with manufactured goods. Chinese officials bitterly resisted European imperial encroachments and lost a losing battle against economic and military imperialism, and Japanese leaders only grudgingly granted limited concessions to foreign interests. While China buckled under the weight of imperialism and domestic insurrection, Japan's government adopted the military and industrial technology of the West to build a strong, centralized state. By the end of the 19th century, Japan was an industrialized, imperialistic power able to successfully resist foreign pressure.
In this unit, we will examine the factors that contributed to two very different outcomes in China and Japan as the forces of industrialization began to affect them in the 19th century.
Completing this unit should take you approximately 4 hours.
Upon successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- explain the different outcomes of industrialization in China and Japan; and
- describe European colonial expansion under the New Imperialism.
6.1: Chinese Industry before 1900
6.1.1: Proto-Industrialization and Trade in Qing China
Listen to this lecture to learn about the basic path of industrialization in Asia.
Read this article to learn how trade was conducted between China and western European countries along with the United States.
6.1.2: The "Great Divergence"
Read this review of Kenneth Pomeranz's The Great Divergence: China, Europe, and the Making of the Modern World Economy to learn about the basic argument presented concerning the diverging development paths of China and Western Europe during the Industrial Revolution.
Read this three-page article to learn how the industrial trajectories of Europe and China diverged during the nineteenth century.
6.1.3: The Opium Wars and Western Imperialism
6.2: Japanese Industry before 1900
6.2.1: Japanese Economic Policy
6.2.1.1: Exclusion Acts
Read this article and the primary source excerpts that follow it to learn about the Japanese policy of seclusion from world trade.
6.2.1.2: The Opening of Japan
Read this article to learn about how Japan began to loosen restrictions on trade with the outside world.
6.2.2: Proto-Industrialization in Japan
Read this chapter on pages 533–549 to learn how Japanese officials viewed the evolution of industrialization in Japan before 1900.
6.3: Japan's Industrial Revolution
6.3.1: New Industrial Policies
Read this article to learn how the Meiji government approached the problem of industrialization.
6.4: European Imperialism
6.4.1: The Scramble for Africa
Read this article to learn how the economic imperatives of industrialization led European nations to expand their imperial control into Africa.
6.4.2: The New Imperialism
Watch this lecture to learn how increasing industrialization led to a new type of imperialism in the nineteenth century and how that imperialism set the stage for the First World War.
Unit 6 Assessment
- Receive a grade
This unit introduced you to the legacies of global industrialization in three different contexts: China, Japan, and Africa. These questions will serve as a review to help you identify the major themes and events of this unit.
- This assessment does not count towards your grade. It is just for practice!
- You will see the correct answers when you submit your answers. Use this to help you study for the final exam!
- You can take this assessment as many times as you want, whenever you want.
