1. Causes and Consequences
The Tonghak rebellion
Causes and Consequences

2. Causes? Religious Peasant discontent
Desire to posthumously exonerate leaders of the cult
Demands of the followers
Peasant discontent
High taxes
Lack of justice
Japanese and Chinese presence in Korea
Resentment by Koreans
Japanese and Chinese vie for control of Korea

3. What was the Chinese response to the rebellion?
Support to Korean ruler and Yuan Shih Kai tried to put down the rebellion

4. What was the Japanese response?
Opposed China
Tried to reinstate theTaewongun
Japanese intervention because it claimed China’s actions violated treaty of Tientsin led directly to Sino Japanese war

5. Why did Japan win in the war?
Better trained troops
Planned attack.
The Japanese were ready for a war and the Tonghak rebellion gave them the excuse to attack

6. Why did China lose? Poor tactics
Lack of interest in defending Korea against Japan?
Southern Chinese governors did not want to get involved for they saw it as Li’s misadventure and no more
What it did achieve was: made it clear that China’s self strengthening movement had failed

7. Treaty of Shimonoseki Korea’s losses
China gave up its suzerainty over Korea which was now regarded as an independent state
How did this term affect Korea?

8. Impact of the treaty of Shimonoseki
Marked the end of an era. Chinese dominance of East Asia over
While it did not yet see the rise of Japan, it was clear who would take over
Japan’s dominant position in East Asia would remain until 1945
For Korea it meant that Korea was now a puppet regime controlled by the enlightened clique who wanted more contacts with Japan

9. How far did the treaty of Shimonoseki have an impact on Korea?
It allowed Japan a freer hand in Korea
It gave Japan greater control over the Korean economy
It also allowed Russia to get involved in Korea and for a time, King Kojong turned to the Russians for help against the Japanese

10. Historiography Read Ki Baik Lee’s assessment
What according to him are the main reasons for the Tonghak rebellion ?
How according to Dr Lee, is the situation a Korea a cause for a show down between Japan and Korea.
Read the historiography sheet. Which two historians see the Tonghak rebellion as a catalyst for the Sino Japanese war?
Which two historians see a similarity with the Taiping rebellion?