Japanese Imperialism
AP World History
Parker T. Jarnigan
This lesson is designed to improve students’ skills of historical analysis based on primary sources, as well as teach students about the unique features of Japan’s foreign policy in the early 20 th century. As such, this lesson fulfills content and skill goals required by the Tennessee Department of Education’s social studies curriculum and the College Board’s AP World History framework. The majority of this lesson will be spent writing an in-class essay, specifically, one that is designed to somewhat mimic the Document
Based Question found on the AP World History Exam. However, the structure is slightly modified from the actual DBQ, so as to make the lesson more of a learning experience and writing workshop, and less of a pure practice exam. As such, a portion of the lesson time is devoted to discussing what students have written and highlighting areas for refinement and reinforcement to the whole class.
In terms of course sequencing, this lesson is designed to be taught in close proximity to – ideally, immediately before or after – a similar lesson on the Chinese experience of Westernization in the 20 th century. This fits with a classic paradigm of World History courses that contrasts the “success” of Japan with the “failure” of China to complete a timely modernization. While this dichotomy has been criticized by many as simplistic, and rightfully so, such a juxtaposition can still be a useful framing device for high school students. Perhaps even more obviously, this lesson would benefit from being taught after students had already had an opportunity to learn the history of Japanese industrialization at the turn of the century.
However, one can certainly make an argument for letting this lesson be the introductory piece for discussing Japanese advances, leaving the more detailed history for the days after the in-class essay.
Learning Standards
Tennessee World History and Geography Standards W.19 – Explain the growing influence of the West in
China.
W.45 – Compare the German, Italian, and Japanese drives to expand their empires in the 1930s
W.16 – Analyze the political, social, and industrial revolution in Japan (Meiji Restoration) and its growing role in international affairs.
AP World Central Concept 6.3 – New Conceptualizations of Global Economy, Society, and Culture
Time Required
This lesson will take one 50 minute period, with possible extension for discussion of common student strengths and weaknesses.
Student Objectives

Student Will Be Able To construct an argument concerning the results of Japanese modernization.
Procedures, overview
10 minutes of student reading OR group discussion
30 minutes of student writing
10 minutes of group sharing and critiquing
Procedures, detailed
Based on where the class is in terms of preparation and practice for the written portion of the AP World
History Exam, the Teacher should either give the students the document packet a day ahead of time so that students can read for homework, or simply let students take the first 10 minutes of class to read the documents. If this is one of the class’ first attempts at writing a DBQ, it would most likely be prudent to assign the documents as reading homework, as students may need to gradually build up their reading pace. If the Teacher chooses this option, the Teacher should use the first 10 minutes of class to remind students of the basic details of the document themes, as well as explain the day’s task in more detail.
To begin the lesson, the teacher should reveal the prompt: Based on the following documents, write a thesis sentence and body paragraphs only (not a full essay) that answers the following question: How had Japan changed by the first half of the 20 th century? This question is intentionally simplistic compared to the standard DBQ found on the AP World Exam. This more simplified task allows students to increase their historical interpretation faculties, as well as grow more comfortable in the somewhat arcane task of in-class, timed essay writing. The “essay” is limited to thesis sentence and body paragraphs only primarily as a timesaving feature. However, omitting introductory and conclusion paragraphs also allows students to focus in on the more substantive task of creating an analytical response to the question, as well as a response based on careful reading of the documents.
While the students are writing, the teacher should float around the room and discretely gather exemplars of student work, both those that illustrate techniques that students should mimic as well as those that students should avoid. The Teacher may want to explain they will do this prior to writing, so as to avoid distraction. The Teacher should write down, take photos with a smartphone or tablet, or type out the student work exemplars. If taking photos or typing with a tablet, the Teacher will be able to better facilitate class sharing later. Use a timer, and after 30 minutes has expired, instruct students to put their pens down.
When everyone is done writing, the Teacher should begin the process of sharing student work by reminding the class that the purpose of this sharing is to improve everyone’s writing skills by sharing examples of things to avoid and things to repeat. The Teacher should model positive criticism and instruct students to focus their critiques on the words on screen, and not on the authors. The Teacher should use every possible means to NOT identify the author of any writing sample. If the Teacher wrote down student examples, these can be read aloud to the class for group discussion and dissection, but it would be best if at least a few could be transcribed onto the board. If the Teacher took pictures with a phone or tablet, a number of apps can facilitate sharing those to the group, such as screen mirroring via Apple TV or
Chromecast. Certain models of wireless-enabled projectors, such as EasyMP for EPSON’s, also have software that allows wireless projecting of pictures. If the Teacher typed examples, simply plug a laptop into a projector and display the exemplars in a word document. This has the added benefit of allowing for class collaboration in improving examples. Alternatively, the Teacher could use a document cam to share the actual written work of the students.

First focusing on the thesis sentence, the Teacher should share three or four examples each of theses that directly respond to the question in a strong, analytical way; theses that indirectly respond to the question; and theses that really do not respond to the question at all. The Teacher can share these sequentially, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each, or randomly, allowing students to explain why each thesis is strong or weak.
The Teacher should then use any remaining time to share good examples of students making claims based on their interpretation of the various documents. To close out the lesson, remind students that this was only a practice, and that they will have many more opportunities for improving their speed and efficiency of analysis as time goes on.
Evaluation
The Teacher will use the materials created by students in class as the primary means of assessing the strength and success of the lesson in accomplishing the stated objectives. Specifically, the Teacher should grade using the standard AP rubric for responses to Document Based Questions. An essay that is evidence of mastery of the objective will have a clear thesis that makes a defensible, falsifiable response to the prompt
Student handouts
Suggested excerpts of the four documents are included below. The readings should be distributed as a single packet to each student, with the writing prompt at the top of the first page, in the same manner as the AP World History Exam. The one exception to this is, if the students are given readings as homework, the Teacher should not reveal the writing prompt.
Resources
Okuma. “From Fifty Years of New Japan, 1907-08”. East Asian Modern History Sourcebook, edited by
Paul Halsall. Database online. Updated 13 March 2007; accessed 17 March 2015. Available from http://legacy.fordham.edu/Halsall/eastasia/eastasiasbook.asp.
Roosevelt, Theodore. Letter to Senator Philander C. Knox, 1909. East Asian Modern History Sourcebook, edited by Paul Halsall. Database online. Updated 13 March 2007; accessed 17 March 2015.
Available from http://legacy.fordham.edu/Halsall/eastasia/eastasiasbook.asp.

“Taisei Corporation History of 120 Years.” Archived at East Asian Modern History Sourcebook, edited by
Paul Halsall. Database online. Updated 13 March 2007; accessed 17 March 2015. Available from http://legacy.fordham.edu/Halsall/eastasia/eastasiasbook.asp.
Tillman, F. “All Capitves Slain,” The New York Times. 18 December 1937, pp. 1, 10.

DOCUMENT 1
Okuma: from Fifty Years of New Japan, 1907-08
By comparing the Japan of fifty years ago with the Japan of today, it will be seen that she has gained considerably in the extent of her territory, as well as in her population, which now numbers nearly fifty million. Her government has become constitutional not only in name, but in fact, and her national education has attained to a high degree of excellence. In commerce and industry, the emblems of peace, she has also made rapid strides, until her import and export trades together amounted in 1907 to the enormous sum of 926,000,000 yen. Her general progress, during the short space of half a century, has been so sudden and swift that it presents a rare spectacle in the history of the world. This leap forward is the result of the stimulus which the country received on coming into contact with the civilization of Europe and America, and may well, in its broad sense, be regarded as a boon conferred by foreign intercourse. Foreign intercourse it was that animated the national consciousness of our people, who under the feudal system lived localized and disunited, and foreign intercourse it is that has enabled Japan to stand up as a world power. We possess today a powerful army and navy, but it was after Western models that we laid their foundations by establishing a system of conscription in pursuance of the principle "all our sons are soldiers," by promoting military education, and by encouraging the manufacture of arms and the art of shipbuilding. We have reorganized the systems of central and local administration, and effected reforms in the educational system of the empire. All this is nothing but the result of adopting the superior features of Western institutions. That Japan has been enabled to do so is a boon conferred on her by foreign intercourse, and it may be said that the nation has succeeded in this grand metamorphosis through the promptings and the influence of foreign civilization. For twenty centuries the nation has drunk freely of the civilizations of Korea, China, and India, being always open to the different influences impressed on her in succession. Yet we remain politically unaltered under one Imperial House and sovereign, that has descended in an unbroken line for a length of time absolutely unexampled in the world. We have welcomed Occidental civilization while preserving their old Oriental civilization. They have attached great importance to Bushido, and at the same time held in the highest respect the spirit of charity and humanity. They have ever made a point of choosing the middle course in everything, and have aimed at being always wellbalanced. We are conservative simultaneously with being progressive; we are aristocratic and at the same time democratic; we are individualistic while also being socialistic. In these respects we may be said to somewhat resemble the Anglo-Saxon race.
DOCUMENT 2
THEODORE ROOSEVELT: The Threat of Japan [1909]
Source: Papers of Theodore Roosevelt, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress, pp. 120-126.
My Dear Senator Knox:

You are soon to become secretary of state under Mr. Taft. At the outset both he and you will be overwhelmed with every kind of work; but there is one matter of foreign policy of such great and permanent importance that I wish to lay it before the President-to-be and yourself. I speak of the relations of the United States and Japan.
…It may be that there will be no ripple of trouble between Japan and the United States during your term of service. …
I do not believe that Germany has any designs that would bring her in conflict with the Monroe
Doctrine. … As for England, I cannot imagine serious trouble with her. The settlement of the
Alaskan boundary removed the one grave danger. …
But with Japan the case is different. She is a most formidable military power. Her people have peculiar fighting capacity. They are very proud, very warlike, very sensitive, and are influenced by two contradictory feelings; namely, a great self-confidence, both ferocious and conceited, due to their victory over the mighty empire of Russia; and a great touchiness because they would like to be considered as on a full equality with, as one of the brotherhood of, Occidental nations, and have been bitterly humiliated to find that even their allies, the English, and their friends, the
Americans, won't admit them to association and citizenship, as they admit the least advanced or most decadent European peoples.
…we should be thoroughly armed, so as to prevent the Japanese from feeling safe in attacking us. Unfortunately, great masses of our people show a foolish indifference to arming, and at the same time a foolish willingness to be offensive to the Japanese.
…
I do not believe that there will be war, but there is always the chance that war will come; and if it did come, the calamity would be very great. And while I believe we would win, there is at least a chance of disaster. We should therefore do everything in our power to guard against the possibility of war by preventing the occurrence of conditions which would invite war and by keeping our Navy so strong that war may not come or that we may be successful if it does come.
Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT

DOCUMENT 3
Okura Gumi Head Office Building (1915)
In 1914, Okura Gumi started construction of Japan's first ferro-concrete multistory building (five stories with a basement floor) in the Ginza Tokyo and completed it in 1915. The building survived the Great
Kanto Earthquake, winning a favorable reputation for its robust construction.
Introduction of the use of steam shovels by private companies (1916)
In 1916, Okura Gumi imported a steam shovel from Biairus for construction of the Sanyo Iron &
Steel Works. Steam shovels were rare and valuable in this day, and there were only three in
Japan.
DOCUMENT 4

The Japanese occupation of Nanking, the capital of the Republic of China, led to one of the greatest horrors of the century. This eyewitness report was filed by a New York Times reporter.
Aboard the U.S.S. Oahu at Shanghai, Dec. 17 [1937].
Through wholesale atrocities and vandalism at Nanking the Japanese Army has thrown away a rare opportunity to gain the respect and confidence of the Chinese inhabitants and of foreign opinion there....
The killing of civilians was widespread. Foreigners who traveled widely through the city
Wednesday found civilian dead on every street. Some of the victims were aged men, women and children. Policemen and firemen were special objects of attack. Many victims were bayoneted and some of the wounds were barbarously cruel. Any person who ran because of fear or excitement was likely to be killed on the spot as was anyone caught by roving patrols in streets or alleys after dark. Many slayings were witnessed by foreigners.
…The army men performing the gruesome job had invited navy men from the warships anchored off the Bund to view the scene. A large group of military spectators apparently greatly enjoyed the spectacle.
…
Many were killed where they were found, including men innocent of any army connection and many wounded soldiers and civilians. I witnessed three mass executions of prisoners within a few hours Wednesday. In one slaughter a tank gun was turned on a group of more than 100 soldiers at a bomb shelter near the Ministry of Communications.
…
Nanking's streets were littered with dead. Sometimes bodies had to be moved before automobiles could pass.
The capture of Hsiakwan Gate by the Japanese was accompanied by the mass killing of the defenders, who were piled up among the sandbags, forming a mound six feet high. Late
Wednesday the Japanese had not removed the dead, and two days of heavy military traffic had been passing through, grinding over the remains of men, dogs and horses.
The Japanese appear to want the horrors to remain as long as possible, to impress on the Chinese the terrible results of resisting Japan. …
From F. Tillman, "All Captives Slain,'' The New York Times, December 18, 1937, pp. 1, 10.