Very detailed revision/summary notes on China () section of IGCSE edexcel history course. Used as revision notes to enable me to get a grade 9 in History IGCSE and consistent high scoring on essays.
All typed and includes causes, events and effects for all relevant events in the topic.
China : 1899 – 1934
China in 1900
Land, People, Beliefs :
Religion of Confucianism emphasises harmony + order
Whole of China ruled by the Qing since 1644
Qing rule via Mandate of Heaven, but are declining
Strict class structure, emphasis on obedience + women have no rights
Most of country are peasants
Qing = from outside China so viewed as foreign elite (resentment)
Downfall of Qing
Humiliating defeats : lose Opium Wars, first Sino-Japanese war + cede Hong Kong to Britain
Western industrialisation = more powerful so resented by China (but still needed west as a
trading partner ; realised China needed to catch up to west to stay a great power)
Christian missionaries = sent by west + Chinese suspicious of them as they try to divert from
Confucianism + Buddhism
Qing need western help to suppress rebellions (e.g Taiping rebellion) which makes them look
weak
Boxer rebellion
Causes : Anti-Western Feeling
Economic exploitation of China from west ; unequal treaties allowed west access to Chinese
ports + west set up new tech (railways etc) that Chinese didn’t trust
Christian missionaries seen as ‘foreign devils’ as preached against Confucianism
Military/diplomatic humiliation ; loss of land + unequal treaties = embarrassing
Role of Qing Dynasty
Emperor Guangxu plans ‘hundred day reforms’ to modernise China + address national issues
BUT Dowager Empress Cixi takes power + cancels reform, leaving Chinese issues
unaddressed (anger)
Cixi encourages attacks on ‘foreign devils’ to distract from Qing’s failures as rulers
Events
Boxers (peasants who hate foreigners) attack westerners + missionaries in 1899 in north-
eastern China
Uprising spreads to Beijing, where German ambassador is shot
Cixi supports Boxers
Eventually Boxers killed by British soldiers after being unable to overcome defences
Cixi + emperor flee to Xian disguised as peasants
Effects
Continuity :
Western presence in China
Qing still rulers, and still weak
Change :
Increased western presence ; 10 Chinese officials executed + British soldiers placed in Beijing
More humiliation ; China have to pay £67mil to west over 39 years
Qing get weaker ; Cixi not allowed back in Beijing until 1902 + tries to make reforms (e.g
introduction of provincial assemblies in 1909) but these don’t work + Qing remains
unpopular
Overall :
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller felicitysmithh1. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £7.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
