Imperialist+China+-+Unit+1+Project+Grade+12

= Imperialism in China: = = = = The Open-Door Policy and Nationalist Rebellion =

Introduction

 * By 1800, China was a prosperous country with a highly developed agricultural system. China was not industrialized, but workers in small workshops were able to produce most of the goods the Chinese needed. Because China was practically self-sufficient, its emperors had little interest in trading with Europeans. For decades, Europeans could do business only at the port of Canton. Despite pleas from Britain and other nations, China refused to open other ports to foreigners. The Chinese regarded European goods as inferior to their own and bought few goods from the European merchants at Canton. ||  ||
 * European merchants were determined to find a product the Chinese would buy in large quantities. Eventually, the British East India company discovered such a product - opium. Opium is a habit forming narcotic made from the poppy plant. The Chinese government tried to stop the opium trade by appealing to British royalty. When those pleas went unanswered, the quarrel over opium grew into a war. ||
 * The Opium War and the peace that followed led to increased trading rights for Europeans in China. For a time it looked as though a scramble for China might follow the one for Africa... ||
 * This project will lead you though the major events and policies that effected life in China during the 1800s. After completing this project, you should have a complete understanding of the European-Chinese conflict of interest that shaped Chinese history during the 19th Century. ||

** Task **
Your group has just traveled back in time to the year 1900. You have arrived in China during a time of great turmoil. The United States has just proposed a policy that will allow equal access to China for all foreign merchants. As a result, a group of Chinese nationalists has taken to the streets and has pledged to rid the country of "foreign devils." You and your colleagues have been invited to a conference being held at the Chinese Imperial Palace. At this conference, European merchants and Chinese citizens will have the opportunity to present their visions for the future of China. Members of your group will be participating on both sides of the debate. After completing background research on China's recent history, you will be split up and asked to write a speech arguing on the side of either the European merchants or the Chinese nationalists. Your speeches will help the Empress Dowager Tsu Hsi decide whether the Chinese government should support trade with foreign nations or aid in the fight to isolate China from foreign influence.

Process

 * You will be researching the following topics relating to events in China in the 1800s: ▪ //**the Opium War, ▪ the Treaty of Nanking, ▪ the Taiping Rebellion, ▪ the Open-Door Policy, and ▪ the Boxer Rebellion**//.
 * Each class will be divided into four groups of two and one group of one. On Sunday, September 15, in both classes we will draw lots with each group for Group A and a topic or Group B and a topic.
 * Group A will focus on the European (specifically British) perspective on the events in China during the 1800s and will write a speech from the point- of-view of a British merchant arguing for extended trading rights in China.
 * Group B will focus on the Chinese (nationalist) perspective on the events in China during the 1800s and will write a speech from the point-of-view of a Boxer nationalist arguing for the expulsion of foreign merchants from China.
 * *Each group should cite specific examples from their research supporting their argument for or against European trade in China.
 * Once the speeches are complete, both Group A and Group B will design a visual aid or PowerPoint to complement their speech.
 * These links are there to help and should not be the ONLY source you will use in your research. If you fail to use other resources in preparation for your speech, the grade will reflect this lack of effort. Though you will not be reading a Work’s Cited (bibliography) it will be REQUIRED with your written speech.
 * Speeches should be prepared well enough that you will not need to read it word for word. If needed, I will help you on your presentation.
 * Each member of the group will prepare a speech that should complement their partner’s point of view. Both partners will be presenting in an A then B then A then B format.
 * You may if you want to share your partners visual aid or PowerPoint. The order of topic presentation will be drawn by lots on the day of the speeches.
 * **Speeches should be no longer than 5 minutes nor less than 3 minutes with visual aide**.
 * On the final day of the project, members of each group will dress in costume and present their speeches in front of an audience (to be determined later) (with visual).
 * On the final day of the project, members of each group will dress in costume and present their speeches in front of an audience (to be determined later) (with visual).

Resources
All sources below are links on the Wiki in the page titled “Unit 1 Project.” Note: [PSD]= Primary Source Document, [BI] = Background Information.

** The Opium Wars **

 * Trade War: Britain Acquires a Barren Rock - BI **
 * [|Ch'ing China: The Opium Wars - BI] **
 * The Opium Wars and Foreign Encroachment - BI **
 * [|Letter of Advice to Queen Victoria - PSD] **

** The Treaty of Nanking **

 * The Anglo-Chinese Treaty of Nanking (1842) PSD **
 * The Treaty of Naking - BI **

The Taiping Rebellion

 * The Taiping Rebellion: 1861-1864 - BI **
 * Ch'ing China: The Taiping Rebellion - BI **
 * The Taiping Rebellion with Primary Souce Documents Harvard University - BI **

** The Open-Door Policy **

 * Map-Spheres of Influence in China - BI **
 * The Open-Door Notes- BI **
 * The Open-Door Policy:1899 - BI **
 * John Hay's First Open-Door Note - PSD **

** The Boxer Rebellion **

 * The Boxer Rebellion - BI **
 * Ch'ing China: The Boxer Rebellion - BI **
 * Fei Ch'i-hao's: The Boxer Rebellion **

** Evaluation **
This project will have 3 grades. The first will be on your written speech that will be graded by both the 6+1 trait and by historical content using my Historical Paper Rubric attached. Your second grade with be on your actual performance and visual aide using the Debate Rubric attached. The final grade will be a group evaluation grade where your group-members will evaluate your participation and effort, Rubric is attached

** Conclusion **
Congratulations! You have completed the Imperialism in China: The Open-Door Policy and Nationalist Rebellions project. You should now have a better understanding of the policies and events that shaped China in the19th Century. This information should further help you to construct a complete view of world events during the Age of Imperialism (1870-1914). It also should help you understand the affect that European and American Imperialism had on a world which the Europeans believed to be “backward.”