HIST 0430 notes Lecture 5 2 5 14 page 1 De Coningh romanticized view of Decima first chapter in contrast with early days in Yokohama o friendly vs arsonists France Britain too busy to protect relieved when Russian marines come to protect them in early years gold way under market price o British flipped for quick cash theme lack of protection Bakumatsu Japan education rangaku Dutch studies yogaku Western studies didn t want to hire foreigners at first Bansho Shirabasho Bureau for Investigation of Barbarian Books o couldn t be called a school because of Confucian conflict after Boshin War Nanko Daigaku University o began learning from foreigners directly Treaties with Western Powers US first British by 1860s o British man killed demanded reparations given by Tokugawa but not Sashama o Sir Harry Parkes dominated scene 50 of bakumatsu 75 Meiji trade dominant over Civil War and the Meiji Emperor 1855 Tokugawa created foreigners magistrate divisions in Japan o 3 prong war o war preceded by other conflicts 1866 Civil War over influx of guns in market arming peasants resurgence of nobility kind of united under dislike of Tokugawa foreign powers technically neutral exceptions shogun resigns before war o but believes he ll still be important in new government domains o Tosa o Choshu o Satsuma Meiji Restoration early 1868 1890 1890 1912 Boshin Katsu Kaishu Saigo Takamori only thing that changes after Restoration who treaty is addressed to HIST 0430 notes Lecture 5 2 5 14 page 2 charter oath April 7 1868 o 5 points 1 deliberative assemblies and open discussion 2 all classes involved in state affairs nationalism 3 common people pursue own calling 4 past evil customs broken off just laws of nature vaguely Confucian 5 knowledge sought throughout the world to strengthen imperial rule basis of Japanese openness to world How was it a restoration o removed shogun restored emperor s role o moved capital from Kyoto to Edo Tokyo o went back to Nara Heian system of government at least in name How was it not a restoration o 16 y o emperor not really ruling o genro older statesmen really had power Satsuma Saigo Takamori Okubo Choshu Kido Yamagata Saga Okuma Ito father of Japanese constitution o called sat cho government heroes of Meiji Restoration o emphasized central not domain governments o Q who gained the most from the Meiji Restoration How was it a revolution o not called revolution but viewed as one o aristocratic revolution from above of frustrated sub elite for many reasons 1 domains prefectures land tax 1873 peasants assessed by value of land not harvest 2 samurai commoners shigoku separate class on paper but really just commoners 1876 got rid of sword bearing 3 untouchables commoners o 1873 mandatory to buy bonds that decreased income 10 75 o gradual education increase at least 4 years for most even women by 1890s 4 new imperial authority new peerage system issuing rescripts 5 new approach to West Western style imperialism rich country strong military Iwakura Embassy to the West similar to Peter the Great s HIST 0430 notes Lecture 5 2 5 14 page 3 Western technology got rid of proscriptions against Christianity edicts slowly disappeared