I. Restoration and Revolution: The Meiji Reinvention of the Imperial System

    A. Stanford historian Peter Duus' Interpretation of the Meiji Restoration

        1. Duus calls it "an aristocratic revolution," a "revolution from above"

        2. At the same time, the "revolutionaries" followed policies the Tokugawa would have continued

        3. No resort to revolutionary rhetoric: Duus says the revolutionaries
            "wrapped themselves in the 'brocade banner of imperial authority'"

    B. Traditionally, the Meiji transition has been characterized as a "restoration" of imperial rule

II. Restoring Imperial Honor: The Charter Oath (proclaimed April 1868)

    A. Creation of a national assembly to settle state policy via "public discussion"

    B. Unification of all classes high and low

    C. Abolition of "absurd customs of olden times"

    D. Pursuit of knowledge throughout the world"
    E. The Unstated Purpose: Fukoku kyohei "Enrich the nation, strengthen it militarily"

III. Meiji Politics

    A. Abolition of the old domains (han), establishment of prefectures (ken)

    B. daimyo replaced by provencial governors

    C. Freedom and People's Rights Movement (Jiyu minken undo)

    D. Meiji Constitution promulgated 1889

        1. Ito Hirobumi the architect

        2. Prussian model emphasizing state sovereignty followed

        3. British and American models considered too liberal

        4. Emperor defined as "sacred, inviolable, and sovereign"

        5. Meiji military under the emperor's exclusive control

    E. Bicameral Diet opened 1890

    F. Tokyo the new capital

IV. Meiji Economy

    A. National Land Tax ---- 3% of value of land

        1. Yen created as national currency

        2. Bank of Japan created as a Japanese "Federal Reserve Board"

    B. Government sponsored industrialization--- railroads, telegraphs, mining, shipping

    C. Rampant inflation controlled by Matsukata Masayoshi's deflationary policies

    D. Zaibatsu "financial conglomerates" emerge --- Mitsu, Mitsubishi, Yasuda, Sumitomo, etc.

    E. Silk exports

V. Meiji Intellectual Life

    A. Massive influx of Western ideas ---- Fukuzawa Yukichi & bunmei kaika

    B. Creation of a national school system, compulsory education, imperial universities, etc.

    C. Freedom and People's Rights' Movement inspired by French, British, & American political theory

    D. Late-Meiji conservative reaction --- revival of "traditional" values

    E. Imperial Rescript on Education and Imperial Rescript for Soldiers and Sailors

VI. Meiji Social Life

    A. Abolition of the hereditary social system of Tokugawa Japan (1871)

    B. Samurai still dominated most arenas, despite open-to-talent system

    C. Western styles in dress, manners, entertainment, etc

VII. Meiji Military

    A. Conscript army replaced hereditary samurai elite

        1. French model followed initially

        2. Franco-Prussian War led to rise of Prussian discipline, organization, etc.

    B. 1877 Satsuma Rebellion--- an enormous victory for the Meiji military

    C. Yamagata Aritomo (1838-1922) architect of the new Meiji military

    D. Sino-Japanese War (1894-95) & the Treaty of Shimonoseki

        1. Korean "independence" recognized

        2. Taiwan, the Pescadores, & Liaodong peninsula awarded

        3. 200 million taels in gold indemnity

        4. Economic concessions, Most Favored Nation Status

    E. Triple Intervention

    F. Anglo-Japanese Alliance (1902)

    G. Russo-Japanese War (1904-05) & Treaty of Portsmouth

        1. Japanese primacy in Korea recognized

        2. Russian surrender of Liaodong to Japan

        3. Southern half of Sakhalin ceded

        4. No indemnity