Jericho Sadorra Period 4 CCOT Essay

Changes in Western Europe and East Asia from 1750 to 1914 involved changes in society and culture. Though there were several reforms to culture and society in Western Europe and East Asia, trade remained constant. Changes in culture in East Asia and Western Europe were bound to happen. With the invention of the steam engine in Western Europe, little villages brought in wealth and that lead to the expansion of the village. This brought in numerous amounts of new people and this changed how small villages functioned. Areas became more focused on industry and manufacturing products and less on agriculture and at the same time, death rates increased and life expectancy decreased. In East Asia, instead of being secluded and alone, they opened up their borders and accepted international trade. When opening their borders, Asian countries were severely behind in technology and the Qing Dynasty created the Hundred Days Reform which attempted to modernize Chinas culture. Though this was an attempt to better China by improving their military, education, government, and economy, it failed. The sudden change in culture by rushing industrialization forced a coup and thus ending the Hundred Days Reform. Society changed in vast amounts as new technologies were being invented. Inventions like the assembly line along with the cotton gin and steam engine ushered in a new era. This era changed the society of Western Europe by improving low social class peoples to the middle class and sometimes, middle class to upper class. Though this may seem good, in order to save money and be more efficient, factory owners hired women and children instead of men. This is a drastic

change in position for men, as for many centuries, provided for the family. This social unrest from the unemployed men brought in violence and thus jails- something unneeded before industrialization came to be. In Eastern China, a huge change in their society was in their government. In order to catch up with the rest of the world, Eastern China, namely the Qing Dynasty, changed their government structure from an absolute monarchy to a monarchy with democracy. Along with this, changes in the name of self-strengthening brought in a rushed industry and applications of foreign reasoning to better their economy. With many reforms taking place, the Qing Dynastys people rebelled against their emperor and thus ending the Hundred Days Reform. Though there were many changes in society and culture in Western Europe and East Asia, trade remained a continuity. East China stays a prominent exporter of goods such as cotton, ore, and silk. Through this Western Europe is able to attain those raw materials and trade their manufactured goods to countries interested. This flow in trade never ceases as without trade, services would become extremely crippled. In Central Asia, after the recovery of the first pandemics of the Black Plague, it resurfaces in the mid-19th century. The plague kills millions in China as well as India. Meanwhile in France, the lower and middle class overthrow their monarchy as the high class and nobles of France pay no attention of the dying and poor of the lower classes and have a king that also does nothing about it. After their coup, France becomes a republic through bloody means.