Government- Peasant Rebellions Flashcards
(30 cards)
Describe the role of Confucianism in maintaining social order in China.
Confucianism maintained social order by promoting obedience to authority, including the emperor, parents, and husbands. It emphasized acceptance of the status quo and a harmonious life, which was believed to lead to human happiness.
Explain the concept of the Mandate of Heaven in Confucianism.
The Mandate of Heaven is a principle that explains the legitimacy of rulers. If a dynasty was overthrown, the new ruler was seen as legitimate if they were successful, as they were believed to have received the Mandate of Heaven.
How did Confucianism view change and rebellion?
Confucianism acknowledged that change was inevitable and explained it through the Mandate of Heaven, which allowed for the replacement of emperors or dynasties if the challenge was successful.
Define the role of Mandarins in the context of Confucianism.
Mandarins were the influential social class in China responsible for interpreting Confucian teachings and running the government. They maintained their privileges through rigorous examinations and upheld the authority of the emperor.
Do Confucian teachings support democracy or representative government?
No, Confucian teachings do not support democracy or representative government; they emphasize a hierarchical structure where obedience to authority is paramount.
Explain the consequences for those who challenged the established order in Confucian society.
Those who challenged the established order faced severe punishments, as Confucianism valued social harmony and obedience to authority.
Describe the concept of harmony as taught by Confucius.
Harmony, as taught by Confucius, is the idea that human happiness is achieved by living in accordance with established social roles and maintaining a balanced relationship with others.
How did Confucianism influence the governance of China in the twentieth century?
Confucianism’s bureaucratic and centralized control, as practiced by the Mandarins, paralleled the governance style of the Communist Party in twentieth-century China.
Describe the nature of peasant rebellions in China throughout history.
Peasant rebellions in China were often movements that provided hope for a different life and aimed to end suffering. They were met with suspicion by authorities, who were alert to any challenges to traditional beliefs in family and state.
Explain the challenges faced by the Chinese state during the nineteenth century.
The Chinese state faced numerous challenges in the nineteenth century, including an increase in local uprisings, demographic disasters, and foreign encroachment, which disrupted politics, society, and economic life.
Define the Taiping Rebellion and its origins.
The Taiping Rebellion (1850-64) originated in Guangdong province among the Hakka people, protesting against poor economic conditions caused by harvest failures and heavy taxation.
How did Hong Xiuquan influence the Taiping Rebellion?
Hong Xiuquan, a charismatic leader, influenced the Taiping Rebellion by combining nationalist resentment against the Manchu Dynasty with demands for improved peasant conditions, while also promoting a religious ideology.
What role did religion play in the Taiping Rebellion?
Religion played a significant role in the Taiping Rebellion as Hong Xiuquan claimed to usher in a new era and preached against the Manchu as oppressive forces, which attracted followers despite their limited understanding of his theology.
Discuss the demographic and economic factors that contributed to the Taiping Rebellion.
Demographic factors such as population pressure and economic factors like harvest failures and heavy taxation contributed to widespread discontent among peasants, leading to the Taiping Rebellion.
Identify the social impact of peasant uprisings on Chinese society.
Peasant uprisings disrupted social structures, challenged traditional beliefs, and often incorporated new ideas, reflecting the deep-seated grievances and aspirations of the populace.
How did the Chinese authorities respond to peasant rebellions historically?
Historically, Chinese authorities responded to peasant rebellions with suspicion and alertness, often seeking to suppress any movements that threatened traditional beliefs in family and state.
Describe the initial success of the Taiping army by 1853.
By 1853, the Taiping army had grown in numbers and strength, successfully repulsing government attempts to contain them and capturing Nanjing, where they killed 30,000 Manchu prisoners.
Explain the community structure established by Hong Xiuquan in Nanjing.
In Nanjing, Hong Xiuquan constructed a communist community based on strict notions of equality and shared resources, although this was maintained through severe methods of control.
How did the Taiping’s methods of control affect their rule in southern China?
The Taiping’s use of torture and beheadings as methods of control contributed to the severity of their rule, allowing them to impose control over a large area of southern China.
Discuss the initial foreign perception of the Taiping movement.
Initially, the Taiping movement attracted sympathy from foreign missionaries and Westerners, who viewed the rebellion as a potential threat to the Manchu government that could increase Western influence.
What caused the shift in attitude among Westerners towards the Taiping rebellion?
Western sympathy for the Taiping rebellion diminished as the brutal methods used by the rebels to enforce control became evident, and the disorder threatened Western interests.
Identify the response of the imperial government to the Taiping rebellion.
Initially slow to react, the imperial government eventually organized a large army under Zeng Guofan, utilizing foreign mercenaries to combat the Taiping forces.
How did the Taiping army’s attempts to seize Shanghai in the early 1860s end?
The Taiping army’s attempts to seize Shanghai in 1860 and 1862 failed, largely due to the presence of British forces, marking a significant turning point in the rebellion.
Define the role of Charles Gordon in the Taiping rebellion.
Charles Gordon, an English commander, played a crucial role in organizing the Manchu forces that successfully repelled the Taiping attempts to capture Shanghai.
