1. |
Focus Question: What factors led to the fail of the
Tokugawa Bakufu? |
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How many states (domains) existed in Japan during the Tokugawa Bakufu?
What was the role of the imperial court during the Tokugawa bakufu?
What event in 1858 sparked a change in Japan's international situation
and internal government? What was the imperial court's attitude toward
foreign contacts? Which group sponsored the "honor the emperor" movement
after 1858?
Which group within the major domains had come to make decisions?
What role did new military technology have in effecting a change of government? Through what process was the Tokugawa bakufu overthrown?
How did contact with the West change the traditional way
in which Japanese viewed themselves and the rest of the world? |
| 2. |
Focus Question: What was the nature of new Meiji government? |
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Who controlled the Meiji government? What were the goals of the
Meiji government? What was the fate of most samurai families under
the Meiji government? How did the Meiji government attempt to consolidate
its power? What economic changes did the Meiji government make to
secure that end? Which class was the mainstay of the early political
party movement? How did the government initially view the party movement?
On which country's constitution did the Japanese base their constitution?
What was the nature of the Meiji constitution? Who ruled in theory,
who in fact? |
| 3. |
Focus Question: How and why do the Japanese modernize? |
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During the Tokugawa period, what type of economic base did Japan have?
How did the tax system function during the Tokugawa period?
Prior to the 1930s, what was Japan's "wonder crop?" What impact did
land reform have on population? Who sponsored the new industries
in Japan during the 1870s? What role did the railroads have on the
development of the Japanese economy? When did primary education become
universal in Japan? What was the basic weakness in the political
democracy of the twenties? Why did Japan recover faster from the
Great Depression than an other industrial nation? |
| 4. |
Focus Question: What was the nature of the political system
of the Meiji Government? |
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How had the oligarchs viewed the Diet? What political right allowed
the Diet of of 1890 to challenge the political power of the government?
Why was the Seiyukai party formed? How did Japan establish its international
reputation after 1895? How did the Japanese manage to defeat the
Russians in the Russo-Japanese War? Why did Japan annex Korea in
1910 and other foreign territory? Which group was least penetrated
by Seiyukai influence? Why is the coalition of Kato Komei considered the
peak of parliamentarianism? In the period 1927-1945, which group
in Japan saw itself as the true guardian of Japanese traditions and founder
of the modern state? What factors led to the decline of the influence
of the oligarchs in Japanese politics? Why did Japan withdraw from
the League of Nations in 1933? |
| 5. |
Focus Question: Why did Japan go to war against the United
States? |
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Why did Japan's parliamentary coalition lose control of the government
after 1932? How does Japan's last election show that it opposed militarism?
What three decisions led Japan into WW2, and why did the Japanese government
make them? Over what issue was Japan and the U.S. most at odds?
Why did Japan sign the Tripartite Pact of 1940? Why did the Japanese
general staff propose a preemptive strike against the U.S. navy at Pearl
Harbor? What did they hope to accomplish? |
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Commodore Perry
Meiji Restoration
Ito Hirobumi
"Civilization and Enlightenment" Movement
Zaibatsu
oligarchs
daimyo
Seiyukai
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