HH1002 Essay Outline
CHIN LI-CHENG U1630612C HISTORY T3
Topic
The role of Japanese foreign policy in relation to the 17th Century crisis
Research Question
Did the foreign policy adopted by the Tokugawa Bakufu help Japan to cope with the challenges of the ‘general crisis’ during the 17th Century, or did it worsen the problems faced by Japan?
Hypothesis
Hypothesis: The foreign policy adopted by the Tokugawa Bakufu served to help Japan to cope with the challenges of the ‘general crisis’ during the 17th Century.
Null Hypothesis: The foreign policy adopted by the Tokugawa Bakufu did not help Japan to cope with challenges of the ‘general crisis’ during the 17th Century, and instead served to worsen the situation.
Assumptions
In this essay, I will agree with certain scholars that there was indeed a ‘general crisis’ during the 17th Century, where many countries in the world suffered from decline in several aspects such as economy and politics. This ‘general crisis’ affected Japan as well, although Japan generally fared better than other countries in East Asia during the 17th Century.
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Chapter 19 Study Guide, Internal Troubles, External Threats: China, the Ottoman Empire, and Japan, 1800-1914, Study Guide (Original: pp. 559-586; With Sources: pp. 877-903)
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Avakian, Monique. The Meiji Restoration and the Rise of Modern Japan. Boston: Silver Burdett, 1991. 38-54.
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