History of China

The beginning of modern China can be traced to its first encounter with the West in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Xinhai Revolution (1911): Overthrow of the Qing Dynasty, establishment of the Republic of China.

  • During 1839-42, the British won the first opium war in China and snatched power from the Qing dynasty. The second opium war was fought in 1856-60.
  • It revolves around three questions – a) How to regain Sovereignty b) End the humiliation of Foreign Occupation c) Bring out equality and development.
  • There were three views:
    1) Liang Qichao used traditional ideas in new and different ways to meet Western challenges. He popularised Chinese nationalism.
    2) Republican revolutionary Sun Yat Sen was inspired by the ideas from Japan and the West. He was the founder of the modern China and established a republic in 1911 AD.
    3) The Communist Party of China (CCP) wanted to end age-old inequalities and dispel foreigners.
  • May Fourth Movement (1919): Intellectual and cultural movement advocating for democracy and science.
  • Chinese Civil War (1927 – 1949): Nationalists (KMT) vs. Communists (CCP).
  • Founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) (1949) by Mao Zedong and the CCP.
  • Great Leap Forward (1958-1962): Famine caused by Mao’s radical economic policies.
  • Cultural Revolution (1966-1976): Chaotic sociopolitical movement launched by Mao.
  • Reform and Opening Up (1978 – Present): Economic reforms under Deng Xiaoping led to rapid growth and global integration.

List of important events during the path to Modernisation of China

Timeline

Event

1644 – 1911

Qing Dynasty

1839 – 1860

Two Opium Wars

1912

Sun Yat-Sen founds Guomingdang

1919

May Fourth Movement

1921

CCP founded

1926-49Civil

l Wars in China

1934

Long March

1949

People’sRepublicc of China Chiang Kia-Shek founds Republic of China in Taiwan

1962

China attacks India over border dispute

1966

Cultural Revolution

1976

Death of Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai

1997

Hong Kong returned to China by Britain

Class 11 Notes History-Paths to Modernisation: China

The modern history of China has revolved around the question of how to regain Independence end the humiliation of foreign occupation and bring about equality and development.

The beginning of modern China can be traced to its first encounter with the West in the sixteenth century when Jesuit missionaries introduced Western sciences such as Astronomy and mathematics.

In this article, You will get to learn about the History of China, the Establishment of the Republic in China, The Rise of the Communist Party of China, and much more about the Path to Modernisation of China.

Class 11 Notes History-Paths to Modernisation: China

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