WORLD HISTORY
SECTION II
Part A
(Suggested writing time—40 minutes)
Directions: The following is based on the accompanying Documents 1-5. (The documents have been
edited for the purpose of this exercise.) Write your answer on the lined pages of the Section II-free response
booklet.
This question is designed to test your ability to work with and understand historical documents. Write an
essay that:
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Has a relevant thesis and supports that thesis with evidence from the documents.
Uses all or all but one of the documents.
Analyzes the documents by grouping them in as many appropriate ways as possible. Does not
simply summarize the documents individually.
Takes into account both the sources of the documents and the authors’ points of view.
You may refer to relevant historical information not mentioned in the documents.
1.
Using the documents, compare the impact of both political and economic crises on the Qing
and Ottoman empires in the nineteenth century.
Document 1
Source: Letter to George III of England from Emperor Qianlong, China, 1792.
You, O King, from afar have yearned after the blessings of our civilization, and in your eagerness
to come into touch with our converting influence have sent an Embassy across the sea bearing a memorial.
I have already taken note of your respectful spirit of submission, have treated your mission with extreme
favor and loaded it with gifts, besides issuing a mandate to you, O King, and honoring you with the
bestowal of valuable presents. Thus has my indulgence been manifested.
Yesterday your Ambassador petitioned my Ministers to memorialize me regarding your trade with
China, but his proposal is not consistent with our dynastic usage and cannot be entertained. Hitherto, all
European nations, including your own country’s barbarian merchants, have carried on their trade with our
Celestial Empire at Guangzhou. Such has been the procedure for many years, although our Celestial
Empire possesses all things in prolific abundance and lacks no product within its own borders. There was
therefore no need to import the manufactures of outside barbarians in exchange for our own produce. . . .
If after the receipt of this explicit decree, you lightly give ear to the representations of your
subordinates and allow your barbarian merchants to proceed to Zhejiang and Tianjin, with the object of
landing and trading there, the ordinances of my Celestial Empire are strict in the extreme, and the local
officials, both civil and military, are bound reverently to obey the law of the land. Should your vessels
touch the shore, your merchants will assuredly never be permitted to land or to reside there, but will be
subject to instant expulsion. In that event your barbarian merchants will have had a long journey for
nothing. Do not say that you were not warned in due time! Tremblingly obey and show no negligence! A
special mandate!
From Andrea & Overfield, The Human Record, vol. II, 4th ed., pp. 245-247.
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Document 2
Source: Memorandum to Emperor Xianfeng by Zeng Guofan, China, 1852.
The danger to a nation is not so much the paucity of material wealth as the lack of coherence
among its people. In the course of our history rarely was a time so prosperous as the Sui Dynasty during
Wendi’s reign. Yet the country was soon plunged into chaos, and the Sui regime eventually came to an end.
Why? Because the people had lost faith in their government despite the country’s material wealth.
Conversely, seldom was the nation so poor as she was during the reign of Han Chaodi. Yet the country was
peaceful and her people secure. Why? Because the people had faith and confidence in their own
government. . . .
Though Your Majesty undeniably loves your subjects, . . . local officials, being indifferent to the
plight of their charges, have failed in conveying your compassionate sentiments to the people and bringing
to your attention their grievances. Because of this lack of communication, your humble servant wishes to
take this opportunity to describe in some detail the ills from which our people suffer most.
The first ill concerns the high price of silver which affects adversely the peasants’ ability to fulfill
their tax obligations. . . . The second ill of our nation is the great number of bandits which threaten the
security of our law-abiding citizens. . . . The third ill which your humble servant wishes to stress is the
great number of cases in which innocent men are condemned and the inability on the part of the people to
have a wrong redressed. . . .
These three ills are the most serious the nation faces today, and the search for their cure is our
most urgent task. Insofar as the second and third ills—the widespread banditry and the condemnation of
innocent men—are concerned, Your Majesty is hereby requested to issue a strict order to all the governorsgeneral and governors to think carefully about them and to devise ways for their cure. As for the first ill or
the increasingly higher price of silver, we should find remedies in terms of stabilizing the existing price.
Your humble servant is at present drafting a proposal aimed at the attainment of this goal, which, when
completed, will be presented to Your Majesty for reference purposes.
From Andrea & Overfield, The Human Record, vol. II, 4th ed., pp. 349-352.
Document 3
Source: Journal published by Liang Qichao, China, 1902.
If we wish to make our nation strong, we must investigate extensively the methods followed by
other nations in becoming independent. We should select their superior points and appropriate them to
make up our own shortcomings. . . . Economic competition is one of the big problems of the world today. It
is the method whereby the powers attempt to conquer us. It is also the method whereby we should fight for
our existence.
The importance of improving our foreign trade has been recognized by all. But in order to promote
foreign trade, it is necessary to protect the rights of our domestic trade and industry; and in order to protect
these rights, it is necessary to issue a set of commercial laws. Commercial laws, however, cannot stand by
themselves, and so it is necessary to complement them with other laws. . . . If those who violate the law are
not punished, laws will become void as soon as they are proclaimed; therefore, the duties of the judiciary
must by defined.
When all these are carried to the logical conclusion, it will be seen that foreign trade cannot be
promoted without a constitution, a parliament, and a responsible government. . . . What, then, is the way to
effect our salvation and to achieve progress? The answer is that we must shatter at a blow the despotic and
confused governmental system of some thousands of years; we must sweep away the corrupt and
sycophantic learning of these thousands of years.
From Stearns, World Civilizations, 3rd ed., p. 803.
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Document 4
Source: Imperial proclamation by Sultan Abdul Mejid, Ottoman Empire, 1856.
Let it be done as herein set forth. . . . It being now my desire to renew and enlarge still more the
new Institutions ordained with the view of establishing a state of things conformable with the dignity of my
Empire and . . . by the kind and friendly assistance of the Great Powers, my noble Allies, . . . The
guarantees promised on our part . . . in conformity with the Tanzimat, . . . are today confirmed and
consolidated , and efficacious measures shall be taken in order that they may have their full and entire
effect.
All the priviledges and spiritual immunities granted by my ancestors from time immemorial, and
at subsequent dates, to all Christian communities or other non-Muslim persuasions established in my
empire, under my protection, shall be confirmed and maintained. . .
All commercial, correctional, and criminal suits between Muslims and Christian or other nonMuslim subjects, or between Christian or other non-Muslims of differing sects, shall be referred to Mixed
Tribunals. The proceedings of these Tribunals shall be public; the parties shall be confronted, and shall
produce their witnesses, whose testimony shall be received, without distinction, upon an oath taken
according to the religious law of each sect. . .
As the laws regulating the purchase, sale, and disposal of real property are common to all the
subjects of my Empire, it shall be lawful for foreigners to possess landed property in my dominions. . .
Everything that can impede commerce or agriculture shall be abolished. To accomplish these objects means
shall be sought to profit by science, the art, and the funds of Europe, and thus gradually to execute them.
From Andrea & Overfield, The Human Record, vol. II, 4th ed., pp. 324-326.
Document 5
Source: Letter to Hasan Shirazi from Jamal ad-Din, Ottoman Empire, 1891.
Religious leader of the people, Ray of the Imams’ Light, Pillar of the edifice of Religion, Tongue
attuned to the exposition of the Unhidden Law, Your Reverence . . . Hasan Shirazi—may God protect by
your means the fold of Islam, and avert the plots of the vile unbelievers! . . . O most mighty Religious
Guide! Verily the Shah’s purpose wavers, his character is impure, his perceptions are failing and his heart
is corrupt. He is incapable of governing the land, or managing the affairs of his people. . . Moreover since
his return from Europe he has taken the bit between his teeth, drinks wine openly, associates with
unbelievers and displays enmity toward the virtuous.
Such is his private conduct; but in addition to this he has sold to the foes of our Faith the greater
part of the Persian lands and the profits derived from them, for example, the mines. . . . He has similarly
disposed of the grapes used for making wine, and the shops, factories, and winepresses pertaining to this
trade throughout the whole of Persia; and so likewise soap, candles, and sugar, and the factories connected
with their manufacture. Lastly there is the Bank: what must you understand about the Bank? It means the
complete handing over of the reins of government to the enemy of Islam, the enslaving of the people to that
enemy, the surrendering of them and of all dominion and authority into the hands of the foreign foe. . .
Is there no hand able to pluck up this evil root and so to appease the wrathful indignation of the
Muslims, and avenge the descendants of the Chief of God’s Apostles (upon whom and whose household be
blessings and salutation)? . . . Peace be upon thee, and the Mercy of God, and His Blessings.
From Andrea & Overfield, The Human Record, vol. II, 4th ed., pp. 326-328.
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