Napoleon
(1769-1821) Emperor of the French. Responsible for many French Revolution reforms as well as conquering most of Europe. He was defeated at Waterloo, and died several years later on the island of Saint Helena.
capitulations
Agreements with European powers that gave European bankers and merchants unfair advantages in the Empire
Mahmud II
Ottoman sultan; built a private, professional army; fomented revolution of Janissaries and crushed them with private army; destroyed power of Janissaries and their religious allies; initiated reform of Ottoman Empire on Western precedents
Young Ottomans
Movement of young intellectuals to institute liberal reforms and build a feeling of national identity in the Ottoman Empire in the second half of the nineteenth century.
Constitution of 1876
written in reaction to Davis's administration, this constitution stripped the governor and legislature of certain powers and set aside land grants for education
Alexander III
(1881) son of Alex II, increased use of secret police, censorship, exiles to Siberia, Russianunification to suppress non-Russians, pogroms
Crimean War
(1853-1856) Russian war against Ottomans for control of the Black Sea; intervention by Britain and France cause Russia to lose; Russians realize need to industiralize.
emancipation
(1862) an order issued by President Abraham Lincoln freeing the slaves in areas rebelling against the Union; took effect January 1, 1863
Sergei Witte
A tough finance minister who thought that Russia's industrial backwardness was threatening Russia's power and greatness
Russo-Japanese War
(1904-1905) War between Russia and Japan over imperial possessions. Japan emerges victorious.
Duma
The elected parliament. Though through establishing this is seemed like the Czar was giving his people power, in reality he could easily get rid of this if they made any laws or such that he didn't like.
Opium War
1839-1842. Chinese attempted to prohibit the opium trade, British declared war and won against Chinese. Treaty of Nanjing, agreed to open 5 ports to British trade and limit tariffs on British goods and gave Hong Kong.
unequal treaties
treaties between China and the Western powers after the Opium War that vastly favored the Western powers
tributary empire
An empire in which subjects rule themselves but make payments called tribute, to an imperial governement in return for protection and services.
Hong Xiuquan
Chinese religious leader who sparked the Taiping Uprising and won millions to his unique form of Christianity, according to which he himself was the younger brother of Jesus, sent to establish a "heavenly kingdom of great peace" on earth
Empress Cixi
Empress of China and mother of Emperor Guangxi. She put her son under house arrest, supported anti-foreign movements like the so-called Boxers, and resisted reforms of the Chinese government and armed forces.
Admiral Perry
went into Japan with 4 large ships with canons that astounded the Japanese, and brought a letter from president Fillmore asking to allow free trade with the U.S., gave this letter as if it was a threat
bakufu
Military government established by the Minamoto following the Gempei Wars; centered at Kamakura; retained emperor, but real power resided in military government and samurai
Imperial Diet
Meeting called at Augsburg by Charles V in 1530 to try to end religious shifts.
Muhammad Ali
Leader of Egyptian modernization in the early nineteenth century. He ruled Egypt as an Ottoman governor, but had imperial ambitions. His descendants ruled Egypt until overthrown in 1952.
Janissaries
Christian boys taken from families, converted to Islam, and then rigorously trained to serve the sultan
Tanzimat Reforms
Series of reforms in the Ottoman Empire between 1839 and 1876; established Western-style universities, state postal system, railways, extensive legal reforms; resulted in creation of new constitution in 1876
Young Turks
A coalition starting in the late 1870s of various groups favoring modernist liberal reform of the Ottoman Empire. It was against monarchy of Ottoman Sultan and instead favored a constitution. In 1908 they succeed in establishing a new constitutional era.
Tsar Alexander II
He was a Russian Tsar who attempted reform ("Emancipator") but his appeasement (emancipation of serfs and the establishment of Zemstvos) led to his assassination by the People's Will
Nicholas II
(r. 1894-1917) Tsar who took the throne after Alexander II's assassination, a weak ruler who used expansionist ventures to delfect attention fro domestic issues and neutralize revolutionary movements
Great Reforms
Emancipation of the Serfs; Institution of zemstvos; expansion of education; judicial statute of 1864; Universal Military Training Act of 1874; censorship relaxation
zemstvos
Alexander II created this in 1864 - a system of provincial and district councils which were elected by various groups including peasants. It was to deal with education, medical relief, public welfare, food supply, and roads in their areas. DID help develop civic sentiment and gave some administrative experience. Many liberals urged a similar body for all of Russia - a ZEMSKY SOBOR/DUMA, but Alexander II refused.
pogroms
Government supported attacks against Jews in Russia
Bloody Sunday
1905, peaceful protest to czar Nicholas II palace, led by Father Gapon, fired on by palace guards, 100s died
cohong system
Specially licensed Chinese firms that were under strict government regulation
Treaty of Nanjing
"unequal treaty" to end Opium War in which China had to accept British terms for peace
Hong Kong
A British colony in China, received after the first Opium War and returned to China in 1997
Taiping Rebellion
(1850-1864) A revolt by the people of China against the ruling Manchu Dynasty because of their failure to deal effectively with the opium problem and the interference of foreigners.
Self-Strengthening Movement
A late nineteenth century movement in which the Chinese modernized their army and encouraged Western investment in factories and railways
Boxer Rebellion
1899 rebellion in Beijing, China started by a secret society of Chinese who opposed the "foreign devils". The rebellion was ended by British troops.
Tokugawa
(1603-1867) Feudal Warlord rulers of Japan. Responisble for closing Japan off from the rest of the world. Overthrown during the Meiji Restoration.
Meiji Reforms
Brought the Tokugawa Shogunates to an end. It made Japan a great imperial power. Japan became modern.
zaibatsu
The large family-controlled banking and industrial groups that owned many companies in Japan before World War II.