Industrialization in Egypt and Japan
Teacher Resources
Driving Question: What were the intended and unintended effects of industrialization in Egypt and Japan?
o What happens when industrialization goes global? We’ll look at how Japan confronted this reality, and compare that country’s experience to Egypt’s. Why was Japan able to industrialize so quickly while Egypt’s Industrial Revolution was cut short?
Learning Objectives
- Evaluate how industrialization spread.
- Use the historical thinking skill of comparison to explore how two different nations attempted to industrialize in the nineteenth century.
- Use a graphic biography to support, extend, or challenge the overarching narratives of this period.
Vocab Terms:
- capitalist
- factory
- imperialism
- industrialization
- manufacturing
- migration
- revolution
Opener: Industrialization in Egypt and Japan
Browse the Openers and Closers Guide to get tips for using these activities effectively to start and end your lessons.
The Industrial Revolution was undeniably transformative—but it also came with unexpected consequences. Get ready to dive deeper by reflecting on what you already know and looking ahead to what’s next.
Industrialization in Japan
We have a Three-Step Reading Tool just for graphic bios! It’ll guide your students to observe, understand, and connect.
Japan’s path to industrialization was unlike any other. Read the article to discover what made it unique, and then take a closer look at one key figure through a graphic biography. Finally, apply what you’ve learned by practicing how to use evidence to support your argument.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- Why was the arrival of American warships such a shock to the Japanese?
- What domestic problems did Matthew Perry’s arrival worsen?
- How was the political system after the restoration different from the previous political system?
- What steps did the reformers take to modernize Japan?
- Why was Japan’s victory over Russia so important?
After you read
Respond to the following questions:
- What effect did the Meiji Restoration have on communities?
- Was the Meiji Restoration a political revolution? Why or why not?
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the comic, paying attention to things like prominent colors, shapes, and types of text and fonts. How do you know where to start and in which direction to read? What’s in the gutters (the space between panels)? Who or what is the focus of the comic?
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- What were Iwasaki Yatarō’s origins?
- Why did many in late nineteenth-century Japan want to industrialize?
- What did Iwasaki Yatarō himself do, and how was he regarded by people in Nagasaki?
- What do you think is the meaning of the quote from Iwasaki’s biographer?
- How does the author use art to represent changes in both Japan and Iwasaki in this biography?
After you read
Respond to this question: How does this biography of Iwasaki Yatarō support, extend, or challenge what you have learned about industrialization in Japan specifically, and about the impact of industrialization on people and societies more generally?
Industrialization in Egypt
Get ready to teach this essential historical skill with the Comparison One-Pager, packed with helpful strategies and guidance.
How did industrialization take different forms around the world? Explore Egypt’s unique path in the article, then compare what you’ve learned about Egypt and Japan in the activity.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you read
Preview the questions below, and then skim the article. Be sure to look at the section headings and any images.
While you read
Look for answers to these questions:
- What steps did Muhammad Ali take to modernize Egypt?
- European banks loaned lots of money to help Muhammad Ali modernize Egypt. Why was this a bad thing for Egypt?
- What are the three explanations for this failure?
- How did some Islamic scholars react to Egypt’s failures?
After you read
Respond to these questions: Which of the three explanations given for the failure of Egypt’s industrialization is most convincing to you? Why?
Closer: Industrialization in Egypt and Japan
Time to revisit your Unit Notebook. What’s new? What’s stayed the same?