Industrialization in Egypt and Japan

Driving Question: What were the intended and unintended effects of industrialization in Egypt and Japan?

While the Industrial Revolution started in the late eighteenth century, not all societies industrialized at once. All around the world, different factors such as access to resources and colonialism enabled some societies to industrialize faster and more efficiently than others. In this lesson, you will compare two societies that began the process of industrialization in the late nineteenth century.

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

STEP 1

Opener: Industrialization in Egypt and Japan

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.

STEP 2

Industrialization in Japan

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.

Guiding Questions: 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?

Guiding Questions: 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?

STEP 3