Imperialism

Great Trek

1836 when ten thousand Afrikaner farmers marched to abolish the color-blind rule Diamond mines Over the next 30 years Afrikaners and British reached a mutually advantageous division of southern Africa British ruled strategically valuable coastlines, and Afrikaners controlled their ranch-land in the interior Zulu and others lost a lot of land but continued to be the majority

Taiping Rebellion (1851-1864)

20 million people lost their lives in the most destructive rebellion in Chinese history Rebellion was initiated by Hong Xiuquan, a man who studied for civil service exam, but didn't pass He was a religious leader, thought he was Jesus' younger brother 1851, declared himself king of Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace (aka Taiping) Women and men lived separately (no reason to procreate if the Second Coming was coming) Wanted peasants to have land Distribution of wealth Tiny feet THIS REBELLION WAS PUT DOWN BY CHINESE GOVT Captured boxers were put in boxes and died

Who was the most responsible for the Boxer Uprising and resulting war?

4 Options

Reasons for Imperialism in Africa

5 Reasons

J.A. Hobson

A forceful attack was delivered in 1902 after South African War. He believed that the rush to acquire colony was due to economic needs of unregulated capitalism. The quest for empire diverted gap between rich and poor in homeland But most people were sold on the idea that imperialism was economically profitable for the homeland

Imperialism

A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force; rule by an emperor

Three-Cornered Battle

After 1815 powerful African chiefs, Dutch settlers (first known as Boers, then Afrikaners) and British colonial forces waged a three-cornered battle to build strong states in southern Africa

Humane Reason for Expansion

An idea was that Europeans and Americans could and should civilize primitive non-Western people Africans and Asians would receive benefits of modern economies, cities, advanced medicine, and higher standards of living and eventually might be ready for self government and western democracy Imperial government protected colonized people from ethnic warfare and slave trade, as well as from cruder forms of exploitation by white settlers and business people French's "civilizing mission"

Premier Jules Ferry of France and Chancellor Otto von Bismarck of Germany

Arranged a European conference to lay down some rules for this imperialist competition

The Evolution of British Rule: —How did British rule evolve from the time that the British East India Company moved in on the "decaying" Mughal empire in the eighteenth century until Queen Victoria styled herself Empress of India in 1877? —Why did it evolve?

At first they set up a government based on the power systems already in place in india, they ruled using local princes (rajas) The company didn't control india completely The Indian people started to fight against the British, which allowed the British government to realize they needed to take over because they could easily stomp out these rebellions like "The Great Revolt/ Mutiny" This revolt happened because the east india company was using pig fat and cow fat to grease their rifles which offended the hindus (cows) and Muslims (pigs) The rebellion was stomped out by the British

Strait of Malacca

Became important to British trade from India to China

Effects of Great Mutiny / Great Revolt

Because of this, Britain ruled India tighter British in India acted more like an occupying power and mixed less with Indian elite After 1858, India was ruled by British Parliament in London and administered by civil service in India, the upper echelons of which were ALL white 1900 this group consisted of fewer than 3500 top officials 1877 Queen Victoria adopted title Empress of India

Britain

Began enlarging their West African enclaves and pushed northward and westward British were blocked by independant Muslims in eastern Sudan, who had felt the force of Islamic revival

Color-Blind Legislation

Beginning in 1834 the British gradually abolished slavery in the Cape and introduced color-blind legislation (WHITES AND BLACKS WERE EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW) to protect African labor

Scramble for Africa

Between 1880 and 1914, Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Italy worried that they would not get a piece of Africa

Union of South Africa

Boers are defeated but British offer them a deal in 1910 where all the white people have opportunity to participate in government and the blacks can't do anything. One set of laws for the blacks and for the whites

India

British East India Company quickly arrived in India after the fall of the Mughal Empire (outsmarted Dutch and French rivals) In 1757, company had gained control over much of India During the 19th century, the British government: Replaced the company Progressively unified the subcontinent Harnessed its economy to British interests Travel and communication between Britain and India became faster, safer and more predictable Clipper ships cut voyage from Europe to India from 6 months to 3 By 1850's steamships competed with clipper ships, and they made ocean travel more predictable After 1869 Suez Canal opening, which connected Mediterranean and Red Seas, voyage by steamship from England to India took only 3 weeks Advance were cables that were laid on the ocean floor in 1860's, allowing telegrams to be sent from England to India

The British and the Indian Educated Elite: The British decided to offer a western education to Indians with academic promise. What effects did this decision have on Indians? For the British?

British gave Indians education (teach them English) Benefited because it brought Indians together They thought it would help assimilate the Indians The negative was it allowed them to realize they deserved their own rights By educating Indians, they would be able to come up with more innovative ideas, and the British could benefit from that

British in China

British merchants wanted to create a market for their goods in China and get tea cheaper by trading closer to its source in central China British wanted a European-like relationship with China, with envoys and ambassadors, commercial treaties, and published tariffs

Concentration Camps

British put the Afrikaners into concentration camps. Disaster because there were lots of diseases. Many died

Opium War

British sent an expeditionary force from India with 42 warships, many leased from the major opium trader, Jardine, Matheson and Company British easily shut down key Chinese ports and forced them to negotiate Dissatisfied, British sent a second larger force, which took more coastal cities (ie Shanghai) War was settled at gunpoint in 1842 Resulting treaties opened 5 ports to international trade, fixed tariff on imported goods at 5%, imposed an indemnity of 21 million ounces of silver on China to cover Britain's war expenses, and ceded the island of Hong Kong to Britain Through clause on extraterritoriality, British subjects in China became answerable only to British law, even in disputes with Chinese Treaties didn't satisfy either side China refused to accept foreign diplomats in Beijing, and expansion of trade fell short Between 1856 and 1860, Britain and France renewed hostilities with China British and French troops occupied Beijing and set emperor's summer palace on fire Forced Chinese to open more cities for trade

Rudyard Kipling

British writer who wrote "The White Man's Burden" in 1899. Written in response to seizure of Philippines by Americans following the Spanish-American War. Agreed that Americans should rule rather than liberate the Philippines because America had reached unprecedented heights and wanted to bestow unique benefits on less-advantaged people

Industrialization in Japan

Brought foreign experts, and Japanese were encouraged to study abroad Government got railroads, mines and factories started Coal mines were doing well Japan started competing with China regarding tea and silk, and Japan's technology of reeling silk increased their trade Yawata Iron and Steel Works (heavy industry)

"African Fever"

By 1833, the race for African territory was on

Internal Problems in China

By 1850, population grew, farm size shrank, forests were destroyed, and surplus labor suppressed wages Conflicts over rights to water and tenancy increased Increase female infanticide, because families could not afford to raise more than 2 or 3 children, and saw sons as necessities Shortage of marriageable women resulted, reducing incentive for young men to stay near home and do as elders told them

What privileges did the British gain for themselves?

China was allowed to impose tariffs because Britain didn't want China to totally collapse They benefited from China so a collapse would be negative Concessions over a few ports British trading area where their laws applied Extraterritoriality - they were subject to British law in China British leased Hong Kong

Social Tensions and Domestic Political Conflicts

Contributed to overseas expansion Conservative political leaders often manipulated colonial issues in order to divert popular attention from domestic conflicts and to create a false sense of national unity Imperial propagandists relentlessly stressed that colonies benefited workers as well as capitalists, and encouraged masses to savor foreign triumphs and glory in supposed increase in national prestige

Burma

Country in South-East Asia

Christian Missionaries

Demanded the Manchu government to punish Chinese villages who had been fighting christian converts for possession of a temple. Brought in Christian ideals of the western world modernizing the country

Cecil Rhodes

Discovery of diamonds in 1867 and of gold in 1880's revolutionized economy of southern Africa, making large scale industrial capitalism and transforming lives of the people small scale diamond diggers gave way to him and other powerful financiers behind his De Beers mining company Required big foreign investment, European engineering expertise and enormous labor force Whites usually had upper hand because they could speak English; they lived in subsidized housing Blacks had dangerous jobs under Earth's surface; lived in all male prison-like dorms

Indian Civil Service

Elite bureaucracy that administered the Indian government and exam was in ENGLAND 1870 only 1 Indian could afford to go to England, being the only of 916, which shows that they will NEVER REACH AND OVERPOWER THE WHITES Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were places of intellect

Social Hierarchy in Japan

Emperor in Kyoto had no power Tokugawa shogun in Edo had power for more than 200 years Country was divided into many domains, each ruled by a daimyo Daimyo → Samurai → Merchants → Peasants Social mobility from peasant to merchant or merchant to samurai was impossible 200 years of peace, there were many samurai then required so they lived modest lives

How did Japan's "opening" lead to changes in each of the following areas: leadership; legal status of different social groups; army recruitment; representative institutions; the economy?

Emperor was now in charge (Meiji Oligarchs) Samurai used to be the only people that fought, but Japan learned from the French and decided to have commoners fight as well (very nationalistic) Training was imported (mainly from Prussia) Samurai lost power and privileges People can move up and down classes (PEOPLE ARE EQUAL ABOVE THE LAW) Constitutional Monarchy adopted from the Germans (but emperor was still considered divine) They lost their culture as a whole (hair) Created the Diet (parliament) two house (one of lord's, other of commoners) Controlled over spending (Parliament couldn't do much) THEY STARTED INDUSTRIALIZING Traditional products High taxes on peasants

Germany

Established protectorates over a number of small African kingdoms/societies in southwest Africa and East Africa

Berlin Conference

Established the principle that European claims to African territory had to rest on effective occupation in order to be recognized by other states (Africans were not invited to conference) This meant that Europeans would push relentlessly into interior regions from all sides and that no single European power would be able to claim the entire continent A nation could establish a colony only if it had effectively taken possession of the territory through signed treaties and begun to develop economically Representatives of the conference recognized Leopold's Congo State and agreed to stop slavery and the slave trade END SLAVERY AND BRING CHRISTIANITY AND CIVILIZATION TO AFRICA Their primary goal was to hold on to their old markets and exploit new ones

Asia

Europeans extended political control in Asia British expanded from their base in India, and in 1880's French took Indochina (modern Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos) India and China experienced a profound imperialist impact

Why were the Africans unable to stop much of this?

Europeans had technology (machine guns, steam boats, etc.) Many divisions in Africa, and Europeans were able to exploit that (black man beating a black man) Imbangala - native African tribe

Should monogamy be a universal value? Or does it depend on the culture? Explain.

Every culture is different so polygamy in Africa for the reason of child care and financial stability might make sense. In contrast, polygamy in the USA where the government subsidizes poor families doesn't. Values and culture are the main factors in deciding which type of relationship is most beneficial

France

Expanded into West Africa and formed protectorate on Congo

Import Substitution

Factories (cotton mills) were set up to help cut importation of Western consumer goods

At the time that the event depicted above occurred, how did Japanese society in many ways resemble the society of early modern Europe?

Feudal system (levels to society that you are born into) Daimyo Legal statuses Split into domains The kingdom was very spread out The shogun was centralized and was largely an agricultural society

Samurai Embarrassment and Action

Foreign diplomats and merchants began settling in Yokohama after 1858, and radical samurai reacted with a wave of anti foreign terrorism and anti government assassinations Western response was swift; sent American, British, Dutch and French warships to Japan's forts (weakening the power of shogun's government)

Indian National Congress

Group of educated Indians who demanded equality and self-government

King Leopold II of Belgium

His agents signed treaties with African chiefs and planted his flag on the Congo River, and intentionally misled other European nations to gain their support by promising to promote Christianity and civilization in Congo Free State

German Influence on Japan

Improved training of soldiers (along German lines; Germans were instructors) Schools open to all 1872 Discipline, patriotism and morality 1884 police schools were established 1889 Japan adopted constitutional form of government (first non-Western place) Prefectural assemblies gave gave elites experience in debating political issues German constitutional monarchy was best for Japan (not as democratic as America, Britain and France)

China

In 1800 Chinese didn't question China as the central kingdom China had more people, products were in greater foreign demand, and borders had recently expanded 1900, China's world standing had dropped In 1900, foreign troops marched into China's capital to protect foreign nationals MORE CHINESE PEOPLE BEGAN TO THINK THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT, SOCIETY, AND CULTURAL VALUES NEEDED TO BE RADICALLY CHANGED

Meiji Oligarchs

In 1857 modernized daimyo led a coup to get rid of Tokugawa

Edmund Morel

In 1900's he exposed the terrible truth about C.F.S., and Leopold was forced to turn over his private territory to Belgium

John Dunlop

In mid 1880's he created a process to make inflatable rubber tires for his son's tricycle C.F.S. had an abundant amount of wild rubber vines, so that quickly surpassed ivory Violence and brutality increased as the hunger for rubber from the Europeans became insatiable Europeans terrorized regions, cutting off hands, feet, and heads TO SHOW THAT AFRICANS MUST WORK FOR THEM OR THEY WILL DIE

South Africa

In southern Africa, whites settled in large numbers, modern capitalist industry took off, and British imperialists had to wage all-out war 1652 Dutch East India Company established a supply station in Cape Town for Dutch ships sailing between Amsterdam and Indonesia Colony expanded because of climate and scarce population of blacks British took over after Napoleonic wars Community was now mixed (lots of whites and blacks)

The Socioeconomic Effects of British Rule: —What "multifaceted" effects did British rule have on the economy of India (i.e. what was good and what was bad)?

Increased agricultural production (cotton) Stress on India because they put a lot of people out of work (British had machines) Big infrastructures Railroad network expanded (problem because of cholera) Caste System - your role in society; religious dimension Linked to Hinduism - you move from one level to the next by dying and reincarnating Outlaw Sati - widow who commit suicide once her husband dies Telegrams

Technology

Industrial world's unprecedented technology and military superiority also caused expansion Rapidly firing machine gun was an ultimate weapon in many other unequal battle Newly discovered quinine (a bitter crystalline compound present in cinchona bark, used as a tonic and formerly as an antimalarial drug) proved effective in controlling attacks of malaria, which previously decimated Europeans in the tropics Introduction of steam power and international telegraph permitted Western powers to quickly concentrate their firepower in a given area when it was needed Steamships with long cargos made round-trip journeys to far colonies quick and economic Small steamboats could travel back and forth along the coast and carry goods up and down Africa's great rivers Train cars pulled by powerful steam engines replaced thousands of Africans (who were responsible for carrying raw materials from interior to coast) Never before - and never again after 1914 - would the technological gap between West and non-West regions be so great

Japan

Japan's standing in the world was rising Europeans arrived in Japan in 1700's, but in 1800's (because of missionaries) Japan expelled them One single port for trading (Nagasaki) which was open to only the Dutch Japanese could not travel abroad

French Influence on Japan

Japanese saw from the French that regular people had to be trained to fight as well Conscription Law issued in 1872 Exempted first sons

Gunpoint Diplomacy

Japanese were under threat of Gunpoint Diplomacy and after consulting with daimyo (major lords), they signed a treaty with US which opened 2 ports and permitted trade

Which two arguments against polygamy do you find most compelling and why?

Jealousy from the perspective of the women and it is sexist that only men could have multiple partners. these are compelling because

4th Reason

Keeping a Balance: Competition among European colonies, trying to make sure one country does not get too strong Huge competition to get as many places as possible (even US joins)

Concessions

Large areas in some of the treaty ports that were leased in perpetuity to foreign powers

Why were conditions in the Belgian Congo particularly brutal? And what do you imagine the Belgians did with all that ivory and rubber?

Leopold promised to spread christianity and civilization, but did not do so They were forced to work for Europeans Would be hurt if they disobeyed

Two Independent African Nations by 1914

Liberia and Ethiopia

3rd Reason

Money: Cecil Rhodes - founded de Beers (the diamond corporation) People want to get rich and advance their companies Quote is saying that donation is good, but getting money back while helping people is even better One foot on Egypt, another on South Africa, and in his hands he has telegraph wires (connecting Cape with Cairo) British will dominate Africa Company motto = "A diamond is forever"

Tzu Hsi and Manchu Royal Court

Must react to uprising. Only taking action in accordance to revolts and the missionaries. The value of the court was minimized, and the Manchu acted solely on self interest

Colonies

New colonies were too poor to buy much, and they offered few immediately profitable investments Nonetheless, colonies became important for political and diplomatic reasons Colonies were crucial to national security, military power, and international prestige Colonial rivalries reflected increasing aggressiveness of Social Darwinism theories of brutal competition among races European nations (mainly white race) had to seize colonies to show they were strong and virile

Opium

Opium was grown legally in British-occupied India, and smuggled into China (it was illegal in China) People were addicted At this point China suffered a drain of silver, IMPORTING MORE THAN IT WAS EXPORTING

Afrikaners (Boer)

People of South Africa pushed north by Brits and eventually got into a war with Britain because they did not approve of blacks being equal with them, and they lost

Muhammad Ahmad

Pious leader who led a revolt against foreign control of Egypt In 1885 his army massacred British force and took Khartoum, forcing British to go to Cairo 1895 British returned, building railroads to supply arms and reinforcements as it went 1898, at Omdurman, Sudanese Muslims armed with spears charged at the British, but were beat by machine gun

Polygany

Polygamy (marrying multiple spouses) in which a man has more than one wife

David Livingstone and Catholic White Fathers

Protestant missionaries who brought to life the innocent Africans who were being traded in the slave trade. PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT EUROPEAN CONQUEST AND COLONIZATION WOULD LEAD TO AN END OF THE SLAVE TRADE

European Nations

Put pressure on china economically to deal with the state it was currently in. Imposed strict treaties to oppress with modernization

How were China's elites divided in their response to modernization after China's defeat by Japan in 1894?

Railroads were brought in and that resulted in split opinions about westernization Elites of China were divided Europeans were modern, and that was bad for China Others thought modernizing would be good

Queen Victoria of England

Reigned the longest of any monarch until Queen Elizabeth

All European Nations Resorted to VIOLENCE to...

Retain control, subdue population, appropriate land, and force African laborers to work long hours at physically demanding and dangerous jobs

Rammohan Roy

Rose to the top of the ranks in British East India Company. Founded a college that offered instruction in Western languages and subjects. Founded a society to reform traditional customs (CHILD MARRIAGE, CASTE SYSTEM, RESTRICTIONS ON WIDOWS) People wanted to combine values of West with their own traditions

Fukuzawa Yukichi

Said to learn Western languages, learn from the West, conform to Western taste, eat meat, wear Western clothes, and drop customs Westerners found odd (ie married women blackening their teeth)

Trade in China

Seeing little to gain from trading with the Europeans, the Qing emperors (ruled China since 1644) permitted Europeans to trade only at port of Guangzhou and only through licensed Chinese merchants Balance of trade was in China's favor Great Britain and other places used silver to pay for tea because they couldn't find anything else that the Chinese would want to buy 1820's, British found something: opium

Great Mutiny / Great Revolt

Sepoys were an Indian revolt group, well-trained, and armed with modern rifles Sepoys grievances: Use of fat from cows to grease rifle cartridges (cows are sacred) Use of pigs to grease rifle cartridges (pigs are filthy by Muslims) High tax rates Incorporation of low-caste soldiers into army This was crushed by the native troops who were loyal to the British

Special-Interest Groups

Shipping companies wanted lucrative subsidies White settlers wanted more land, and missionaries and humanitarians wanted to spread religion and stop slave trade Military men and colonial officials foresaw rapid advancement and high-paid positions in growing empires; actions of such groups pushed course of empire forward

Future of South Africa

South Africa, under a joint British-Afrikaner government within British Empire, began the creation of a modern segregated society that culminated in an even harsher system of radical separation, or apartheid, after World War II

Anglo-Boer War

South African War of 1899-1902 Britain's greatest campaign on African soil Afrikaners got representative government in return for surrender in 1902 Cape Colony (Former Afrikaner colony Natal and two Afrikaner republics) formed a new self-governing Union of South Africa After peace settlement, Afrikaners began to gain what they had lost

Khoihoi

South African tribe

Why was the Chinese government unable to prevent China from being carved up like a melon or a cheese?

Spheres of influence - different European countries had certain places where they could trade and have privileges on Chinese territory Internal problems they had to deal with (infanticide, opium, etc.) Modern technology and military that they got from the Europeans It was such a large colony that a government did not have the power to completely control all of china Had extremely large population Starving peasants Infanticide

1st Reason

Strategic Positioning: Disraeli (British Prime Minister) said that getting the Suez Canal can help politically because it gives them straight access to India and make British Empire stronger

5th Reason

Survival of the Fittest: Get colonies because it is important to establish yourself greater than the other countries/races, and survival of the fittest Social Darwinism - the social order is accounted as the product of natural selection of those persons best suited to existing living conditions and in accord with which a position of laissez-faire is advocated US President hunted elephant (Teddy Roosevelt)

Shaka

Talented Zulu leader who revolutionized African warfare and managed to create largest and most powerful African society in southern Africa in 19th century Zulu soldiers were drafted by age and placed in disciplined regiments, and perfected the use of the stabbing spear in hand-to-hand combat Zulu armies often destroyed African enemies

What happened to the Manchu dynasty in 1911?

The Manchu was taken down as a result of the boxer rebellion

What two reasons given in favor of polygamy do you find most compelling and why?

The argument that took into account a scenario in which someone's first wife was barren, so this type of relationship would allow the male to still become a father, and the idea of joint responsibility over a child can be beneficial to everyone involved in the relationship. these are compelling because it allows the family to still grow if one wife cannot have a child, which means more people to help with domestic chores, and more people to help and grow the family lineage

Boxers

The boxers were imposing their opinion on how china should be run (without) foreign rule and running ramped through china, without them there would be know war and they wanted to revolt The Boxers were the most responsible for the Boxer Uprising because they were the ones with the idea to revolt and they instigated the first fight by cutting down telegraph wires and destroying railroads, which ended up including many other nations in the resulting war

British Rule Over India

To assert authority, British disbanded and disarmed local armies, introduced simpler private property laws, and enhanced the powers of local princes and religious leaders (Hindu and Muslim) British administrators, as a whole, cared about the well-being of Indian slaves Slavery was outlawed, banditry was suppressed, and they were new laws to improve women's position in society Sati (widow suicide) was outlawed in 1829, legal protection of remarriage of widows was extended till 1856, and infanticide (intentional killing of infants) was banned in 1870

Lin Zexu

To deal with the Opium crisis, Chinese government dispatched him to Guangzhou in 1839 He dealt harshly with Chinese who purchased opium, and seized opium stores from the British He wrote a letter to Queen Victoria When Lin pressured Portuguese to expel British from their trading post at Macao, British settled on the barren island of Hong Kong

2nd Reason

Trade and Work: Chamberlain is suggesting that they need this land because then they have more places to sell stuff If people are happily employed in Great Britain, there will be no revolts/revolution Keep factories up and running to keep workers at bay

British Influence on Japan

Two house parliament called Diet Upper house of lords and nobles, and lower house was elected by limited electorate Emperor could elect prime minister and cabinet Imperial Household Ministry - dealt with emperor's money; did not have to ask Diet for money

Jardine and Matheson

Two merchants that brought opium to China

Matthew Perry

US forced Japan to share their ports and behave as "civilized" nation 1853 Commodore Matthew Perry steamed into Edo Bay and demanded diplomatic negotiations with the emperor Some samurai urged resistance, but senior officials knew what happened when the Chinese were defeated by naval ships

Leopold's Congo Free State (aka "Red Rubber Colony")

Violence was the worst Rather than promoting Christianity and civilization, he introduced slavery, savagery and terror Profits in C.F.S. came mainly from the trading of ivory, but in the 1890's, when many elephant herds decimated, a new cash crop arose

Why did Otto von Bismarck host a conference on Africa in Berlin in 1884-1885? (It wasn't only about Africa.) What was decided, and by whom?

Way for Bismarck to say that Germany is now in power (rather than people going to France) In order to obtain land you had to have a treaty, make a protectorate (promise to protect indigenous people), and begin to develop economically, to eliminate the slave trade (didn't really happen)

Empress Dowager Cixi and Her Marble Boat

Widow of previous emperor She had very long fingernails (didn't do housework) There was money set aside to get a modern navy, but she made a marble boat (if they had made the navy, they would have been destroyed by Japanese)

English People (Post 1815)

Year Napoleon was defeated

Was the Boxer Treaty of 1901 fair? Why or why not?

Yes, because China had to repay the Boxers and the common people for the unjust actions they took against them (murder). The treaty was fair because China was responsible for what the Boxers (and those who secretly worked with them) did, and it was only fair that the other nations be compensated for China's inability to deal with radicals. Also, because of the war, China severed many relationships with foreign nations, which they needed to fix.

Meiji Restoration

getting emperor Meiji back into power Very young emperor (for years the Oligarch had real power) "Strong army, rich nation" Leaders of Meiji Japan dropped anti foreign attacks (they could not beat the West until they mastered secrets of its military and industrial might) INITIATED A SERIES OF MEASURES TO REFORM JAPAN ALONG MODERN WESTERN LINES By elevating emperor, oligarchs were able to CENTRALIZE the government 1871 abolished domains and merged the domain armies Dismantled 4-class legal system and declared everyone equal Stripped samurai of their privileges Reduced stipends (salary) Stipends were then replaced by one time grants of income-bearing bonds Samurai had to find jobs or start businesses They could not wear swords Both samurai and commoners were drafted into army There were uprisings, but they didn't make a difference (like not using guns)