NCERT Summary: The Early Societies (Theme 11: Paths to Modernization) | NCERT Video Summary: Class 6 to Class 12 (English) - UPSC PDF Download

Paths to Modernization

• China and Japan present a marked physical contrast.
• China is a vast continental country with many climatic zones.
• China and Japan are situated in far East Asia.
• China dominated the East in the beginning of the 19th century.
• China is dominated by three major rivers. These rivers are Huang He, the Yangtse and the Pearl river.
• A large part of China is mountainous.
• The most dominant ethnic group of China is ‘Han’ and the major language is Chinese ‘Putonghua’.
• Chinese foods reflect the regional diversity. The best known is southern or cantonese cuisine.
• Japan was divided into more than 250 domains under the rule of lords called daimyo.
• Japan is situated in the Pacific ocean.
• Japan is a string of islands. It is an archipelago consisting of more than 3,000 islands. Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku and Hokkaido are the four largest islands of Japan.
• Japan is also known as the ‘Land of Rising Sun’.
• The Shoguns made Edo, the capital of Japan.
• The tradition of animal rearing is not prevalent.
• Edo is modem Tokyo.
• Japanese emperor was known as Mikado.
• Uighur, Hui, Manchu and Tibetan are the other nationalities of the Chinese.
• The Samurai were warriors and helped the Shogun in running the administration.
• Printing was done with wood blocks in Japan. The Japanese were not interested in European printing.
• Edo, the capital city of Japan became the most populated city in the middle of the 17th century.
• The Meiji restoration is termed as one of the most momentous events in the Japanese history.
• In 1871, under Meiji’s rule feudalism was abolished.
• Tokyo University was established under the rule of Meiji in 1877.
• Military reforms were also introduced during Meiji rule.
• In 1872, modem banking institutions were launched.
• Under Meiji’s rule new constitution was introduced.
• In 1889, Japan adopted the new constitution.
• Miyake Setsurei was a well-known Japanese philosopher.
• Miyake Setsurei believed that every nation must develop its special talent in the interest of the world civilization.
• In Sino-Japanese War in 1894-95, China faced a humiliating defeat at the hands of Japanese.
• On April 17, 1895, Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed between China and Japan.
• Defeat of China at the hands of Japan made China vulnerable.
• The Chinese declared after the war that both China and Japan needed reforms for modernization.
• Sino-Japanese war served the basis for the Anglo-Japanese alliance in 1902.
• Two opium wars were fought between China and England between 1839-42 and 1856-60 respectively.
• After the decline of Manchu empire, a republic was established in 1911 in China.
• In 1912, Dr. Sun Yat-sen formed a national party of China. It was known as Guomindang.
• The People’s Republic of China came into existence in 1949.
• In 1949, Communist Government was established in China and began a new age in the history of China.

Important terms

• Soviet: Elected council of peasants and workers
• Daimyo: Lords of the domain under their possession.
• Shogun: Official title of sell-Taishogun.
• Zaibatsu: Large business houses controlled by individual families.
• Triangular trade: Trade carried out among three countries.
• Comintern: Communist International
• Meiji: Enlightened rule
• Fukoku Kyohei: Government slogan given during Meiji period, which means rich country and strong army.
• Dim sum: Touch your heart.

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