China was economically self-sufficient and had advanced culture.
In the 19th century, after a long period of isolationism, China and then Japan came under pressure from the West to open to foreign trade and relations. The Industrial Revolution in Europe and the United States had created a wide gap between them and the West, leaving the two Asian nations behind technologically and military.
In that period, neither of them had the power to stand up to the Western nations, and eventually both had to sign unequal treaties that forced them to open their ports and cities to foreign merchants.
First of all, the way China and Japan reacted to the West’s increasing pressure to open to trade was very different. Both countries had long maintained isolationist tendencies, with limited commerce with the West. China welcomed foreign trade, but western merchants had no privileges there and were confined to Canton, where they could only deal with the Co-hong, a group of traders (Edwardes, 1973). Japan was even stricter, allowing commerce only with the Dutch, who had access to only one port, Dejima (Rosenberg, 1978).
History is one of those subjects that can cause a lot of headaches for many students. This is why students may describe their History classes as long and dull (especially if you have the wrong teacher!).
However, a good knowledge of history is essential for all students, not just because it’s a common subject but also because it provides actual context to the reality in which we each live in and can be applied to current affairs and everyday life. Here are 5 tips on how to study history shared by Goconqr.com.