HIST-0028 Lecture Notes - Tokyo Bay, Paradigm Shift, Trans-Siberian Railway
Document Summary
The nuptial couch: asia and the us role in the world. Asia is critical to international relations, trade, ect. Opium war with europe opens up china and allow increased western trade with chinae. At the end of this war american merchants are screaming for trade with china. Chinese know that the americans can"t do to them what the british did during the opium war. China realizes that it can play powers off of each other. Initially trade is not a huge part of the american economy. However potential for the pacific unites american expansionist. Us sends large navy force to japan to open it for trade. Japanese saw what happened to chana in the 1840s. As they see a modern western military show up they realize that they cannot stop these people. Japan begins a process of rapid modernization. Us is a catalyst for change in this region even though other powers are more important.
