MR SPENCE HISTORY
Key Content
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Nature of the Wan-li Government and Ming Society
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Political and Economic Rationale for Conquest
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Technology and Peacemaking During the Course of the War
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Social and Political Consequences of the War
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Opposition and Rebellion to Qing Rule.
The Conquest of the Ming
The Ming represents an almost perfect example of a state in decline. In almost every facet, it faced challenges to which it responded inadequately. It was only its size, and the social harmony Confucian ideals instilled that allowed the country to continue to function. The Ming empire remained non-competitive with other nations, militarily and economically. Therefore, it was not concerned with administrative efficiency. Even as governmental institutions degenerated, there was no immediate crisis, for the population exhibited remarkable tolerance of mismanagement. There is a habit of western historians to view the systems in comparison with European models and make judgements on backwardness vs modernity. This approach can be problematic as there were inefficiencies that were incomparable with Europe. At the same time, China possessed complex organisational the West would not replicate until the 20th Century. Chinese institutions were so embedded that they remained unchanged decades after they were no longer fit for purpose. We will need to be aware of the debates between historians on what was the true reason for the Ming failure. Some blame successive bad emperors, while others emphasise societal changes that caused the bureaucracy to lose control. It is also possible to blame either too little reform or changes that aroused the hostility of those wishing to return to traditional values. What was clear is that nobody was able to reform the existing system, and after 1590 nobody tried.
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State in Decline: China under the Wan-li Emperor
We have already answered most of the possible questions that could be asked about the causes or course of Early Modern Wars in our studies of the Aztec fall and the English Civil War. Consequently, there is no need to study the entire 26 year war between the Ming and the Qing. I have barely mentioned the concurrent peasant rebellions, the role of Korea, the Mongols, or detailed the divisions within the Ming Court. I have tried to keep as focussed as much as possible on the role of technology in the outcome of the war and the successes and failures of peacemaking. With the role of technology you need to focus specifically on the role of Manchu cavalry and the role of artillery. In particular you need to closely examine whether it was the increased access of the Qing to European technology which gave them the decisive advantage they needed to successfully besiege the Ming fortresses. With Peacemaking you will need to examine who was as at fault for the failure to come to an arrangement between the two courts as well as looking at Hong Taiji's more successful attempts to come to agreements with individual Ming commanders. With causes the remaining questions to study is only political and economic factors.
Course of the War
One part of the syllabus avoided during the study of New Spain was the challenges to power faced by the occupying reign. You will need to look at the seriousness of the challenges to Qing Rule. Opposition came from three areas: the Manchu bannermen, Ming loyalists in the Yangtse Delta, and the warlords in the southern Three Feudatories. For each, you will need to assess how serious their rebellion was. When preparing for essays be sure to differentiate between challenges to power and rebellions. For the consequences of Early Modern Wars, so far, we have only completely finished religious changes.
In the syllabus it is combined as Social and Religious Change.We will keep Social and Religious separate. Religious we focussed on Aztec and the English Civil War, but for Social Change stick to the Qing and the Aztec.
In the booklet you will find information to answer these questions.
Early Modern Wars
Economic Impact (partially)
Social Impact
Demographic and Population Changes
Early Modern States
Structures and Methods of Government (partially)
Societies in Transition
Changing Social Structures and Systems
Role of Women
Population Expansion and Movements
Treatment of Minority or Indigenous Peoples
Economic Change through changing patterns of Trade
Opposition to the Qing
Potential IA Questions
How far did examination standards decline in the sixteenth century?
How significant was the 1449 Tumu disaster?
How corrupt was Zhang Juzheng?
How significant was the promotion of the Wan-li Emperor's promotion of Madame Zheng?
Who was the victor in the Korean Wars of the 1590s?
How perceptive was Hua Rui?
How effective were the reforms of the Donglin Academy?
How debaucherous was the Wan-li emperor?
How great was the increase in power of the Court Eunuchs under _______________?
How much reform was possible in Ming China?
How far does adherence to Confucianism explain the Ming's decline?
How far had China commercialised by the end of the sixteenth century?
How inefficient was the late-Ming tax system?
How mistaken was the move of the Ming capital from Nanjing to Beijing?
How far was the military economy functioning by the end of the sixteenth century?
Did the Ming elite squander their money?
How great a role did the influx of Spanish silver play in the decline of the Ming?
How rigid were sixteenth-century Chinese social structures?
How extensive was female infanticide in Ming China?
Why did Huo Tao attack Buddhist nuns?
How tolerant was Ming society of non-traditional sexual relationships?
How great was the Northern advantage in the Ming examination system?
Why were missionaries unsuccessful in Ming China?
How far did tactical mistakes explain the Ming's inability to counter Nurhaci?
Was Hong Taichi's peace overtures sincere?
How far can we say that the Ming was a defensive pacifistic state?
Why were Xu Guanqi's military reforms rejected?
How important was artillery to Hong Taiji's victory at Dalinghe?
What explained the massacre at Yongping?
How far did the Qing conquest improve social mobility in China?
How extensive was slavery in Qing China?
How far did the Qing conquest improve women's status in China?
How great were Chinese demographic changes in the Seventeenth Century?
How far did the Qing encourage a fetishisation of ethnic minorities?
How threatening were Chinese secret societies in the Seventeenth Century?
How far was the change of allegiance from Ming officials to the Qing motivated by fear?
How far did Dorgon return China to normality after his conquest?
How successful were Qing reforms to China's financial system?
How successful were Qing reforms to China's education system?
How far was the resistance of the Yangtse Delta caused by the implementation of the Queue?
How serious was the Three Feudatories Rebellion?