HIST 2604 Civilizations of Asia: Japan

Final Examination topics

The exam will be Thursday, May 12, 2016, 8:00 PM 10:00 PM, in room 100 PH (Philips Hall)

One section will have longer-answer questions based on the following questions. These may
be combined, or the wording may be somewhat different on the exam.
How did the role of the Japanese Emperor (Tenn) change between 1603 and 1970?
The emperor is the essential mediator between kami world and the human community
Between about 1850 and 1890 there were large and rapid political, social, and economic changes
In Japan. Explain what changed, who made the changes and how, and the main factors causing
these changes.
What changed politically, socially, and economically for Japan during the war that took place
between 1931 and 1945 (from the Manchurian Incident to the Japanese surrender) and the
American Occupation? What were the post-1952 effects of what happened to Japan between 1931
and 1952?
In 1868, Japan was a largely agricultural nation with little modern technology or international
trade. Yet it industrialized and modernized relatively quickly. After the Second World War the
Japanese economy grew even more rapidly to become the second largest in the world. What were
the factors that shaped the Japanese economy and its growth between 1868 and 1985?
How did Japanese political and cultural relations with China change between 1600 and 1970?
hierarchy of polities with China at top-center
China the cultural center; emperor the son of heaven ; human & political
hierarchical order mimics natural order
To maintain diplomatic & trade relations with China, foreign polities acknowledged this
order by tribute & ritual, eg prostration
Equality of states meaningless
essential elements of writing, material technology, socio-political system & ideology,
religion & culture part of Chinese world, eg emperor, bakufu legitimacy
Key ongoing factor was avoiding inferior relation with China; acknowledging Chinese
superiority (some kind of cultural rejection baked in)
Japanese hierarchical foreign relations mimics Chinas- superiority & control the only
option
1839 Commissioner Lin destroys 2.6 million pounds of opium- British demand
compensation (free trade)
1st Opium War 1839-1842, GB vs China

Describe the major events & changes in Japanese relations with the United States between 1853
and 1960. What were the principal factors and events that shaped this relationship?

Another section will have short-answer questions based on the following terms or names:
Daimyo
Castle town
Edo
Nagasaki
Sword Hunt
Satsuma
Sekigahara
21 Demands
Yasukuni

Baku-han system
treaty-port system
Shogunate (bakufu)
Kwantung Army
Dual economy
Iwakura Mission
Triple Intervention
Charter Oath
zaibatsu

Matsukata Deflation
It Hirobumi
Russo-Japanese War
Minamata
Satsuma Rebellion
Meiji Constitution
Pearl Harbor
Kishi Nobusuke
Unit 731

Manchurian (9-18) Incident

Marco Polo Bridge Incident
Alternate attendance/ sankin ktai
Liberal Democratic Party/ Jimint
South Manchuria Railway
Commodore Matthew Perry
Occupation of Japan
1st Sino-Japanese War (1894-95)
Popular Rights Movement

There will be another section that will ask to put items related to the above terms in
chronological order.