James+C's+WHAPwork

http://todaysmeet.com/JamesCH-JacobL-EuniceG

Compare and Contrast Thesis

Although they all started off with weak economies and late acceptance of European ideas and technologies, Japan quickly adopted such matters and emerged as a global power, whereas the Qing Dynasty and the Ottomans failed to do so and collapsed to European dominance.

Dear the Last Emperor of the Ming Dynasty

I am here to inform you that considering the current state of how the dynasty is being run, the collapse of the dynasty seems imminent. I am aware of your efforts and achievements of developing the dynasty's growth, yet there seems that the process might have been to rushed, creating many gaps in its way. The dynasty is weak internally, as weak, young rulers are unable of taking full authority, many eunichs and other government officials are constantly lurking upon for opportunities to take over. The excess expenses spent on the dynasty's defenses call for harsh taxes on the people, causing famine and hardships leading to rebellions. The internal corruption of the government combined with the agony of the people is encouraging the Manchus to attempt to take over the dynasty, and invasion seems highly possible. In order to put a stop to such deformities of the dynasty, I suggest that your highness strengthen the government with firm, stable rulers capable of taking strong control of the whole dynasty, and lessen the taxes put on the people to keep them content again. Also, I suggest your highness prepare for the attack of the Manchus as they are an apparent threat to the dynasty.

10/10

APPARTS for //The Way of the Samurai//

**Author:**

- The author of this source is Yamago Sokõ, supposedly a highly intelligent and independent man, who tried to combine the ethics of Confucianism and the Japanese feudal tradition.

**Place & Time:**

- The document was created in Japan during its Tokugawa period, more specifically between the years 1622~1685.

**Prior Knowledge:**

- I have learned in my Asian Studies class last semester and also in chapter 27 of our APWH book about the Tokugawa period. I knew that it was a time of strong centralization and complete isolation, with the exception of the port of Nagasaki being able to trade with Portuguese merchants and the British being able to have limited trade exclusively with the merchant guild of Guangzhou. More importantly, I knew that as the economy of Japan grew more stable and peace and stability came to the nation, the role of samurais and daimyos significantly diminished, which relates to the main topic of the document.

**Audience:**

- The audience of the creator of the source must have been mainly samurais, as he’s trying to suggest them a new role in society to fit the nation’s changed state that no longer required their former services that much.

**Reason:**

- As briefly explained in ‘Prior Knowledge’, the reason why the author created the source was to suggest a new role in society to the samurais of Tokugawa Japan. During the Tokugawa, great economic stability and peace along with a strict policy of isolationism allowed Japan to no longer require the defensive, military roles provided by the samurais anymore. To give meaning of life of the now quite useless samurais and to prevent them from becoming mere ‘idlers’, Sokõ wanted them to abandon their former defensive role and take new roles in society.

**The Main Idea:**

- Sokõ wanted the samurais to become government bureaucrats and political and intellectual leaders. He criticized samurais for not cultivating, not manufacturing, and not engaging in trade, yet praises their ability to uphold proper moral principles and punishing those who refuse to follow such moralities. Sokõ believes that the position of the samurai of fulfilling the Way is suitable for becoming the teacher of common people and earning their respect; thus, that samurais should take leading roles in cultural and intellectual aspects of the nation.

**Significance:**

- This document’s significance is that it created the basis of //bushido//, or the way of the warriors in Japan. It forever altered the roles of samurai in Japan, abandoning their roles as a military aristocracy.

**Consider:**

- The nature of Tokugawa Japan was very restrictive and sustained. A strict policy of isolationism shaped the society as all activities regarding contact with foreign matters were prohibited (except the port of Nagasaki and the merchant guild of Guangzhou). Heavy Confucian influences of the time required people to follow strict moral codes; thus, Sokõ encouraged samurai to take the roles monitoring the common people who had to follow these moral principles by becoming leaders of cultural and intellectual matters and respected teachers that commoners looked up to.

Brief, and to the point. For Audience and Reason, is the book written to suggest a new role TO the Samurai, or FOR them? In other words, was he trying to convince the Samurai to change, or trying to convince the population that the Samurai could transform themselves and play a role in "modern" Japan? 9.5/10