Chapter 20 - Something to do with Japan, China and Russia

I'm typing this at school, so you'll have to forgive the fact that I can't remember the title of the chapter. I should have written it down with my notes, but I didn't. Oh well.

Japan

• After the daimyo (Japanese warlords) civil war, Hideyosi became the supreme warlord and invaded Korea & China

• When Hideyoshi died, the Tokugawa Shogunate took over, moving the capitol to Edo

• Despite political unity and economic expansion, the Tokugawa failed to control commerce

• Regular trade with Europe but rising suspicion about their motives cause the Tokugawa to restrict trade

• New merchant class, but samurai deteriorated under economic pressure

• 47 Ronin - The story tells of a group of samurai who were left leaderless (becoming ronin) after their daimyo Asano Naganori had to commit seppuku (ritual suicide - it's an honor thing) for assaulting a court official named Kira Yoshinaka. The ronin avenged their master by killing Kira, after plotting for almost two years. In turn, the ronin were themselves obliged to commit seppuku for committing murder. 

China

• After 1500, financial, environmental and administration problems weakened the Ming and they fell to the Manchu (aka the Qing) 

• The Qing ruler Kangxi expanded the borders, subdued rivals, and encouraged a flourishing culture and economy

• The Qing trading system mainly benefited the merchants of China. This prompted the Macartney mission (by England) and other diplomatic pressures, but all requests to fix the trading system were denied

• Decline in the later 1700's

Russia

• Muscovy became the center of Russian political power and started a movement against the Mongols

• Ivan IV expanded Muscovy & the Stroganovs sponsored the exploration of Siberia

• Time of Troubles - Swedes and Poles in Moscow ended Muscovite rule. The boyars (wealthy) put the Romanov faily in charge, which allowed for a central authority

• Peter the Great accelerated Russia's Westernization and expanded its power

• Catherine the Great continued expansion both Eastward and Westward