UNIDAD EDUCATIVA BILINGÜE EDUCAMUNDO
IB HISTORY. TOPIC: The emergence of Mao and the CCP
NAME: Anabella Portugal Barquet
COURSE: 2nd B DATE: 24. 09. 2024
WORKSHEET# 1
SECTION A) Based on your IB HISTORY BOOK: Authoritarian States (Edit. Oxford) p, 116-119,
develop :
1. A graphic organizer about: The emergence of Mao and the CCP
2. A graphic organizer about: The First United Front
4. An infographic about the Northern Expedition, 1926-1928
SECTION B) Based on your History Book and online sources elaborate:
1. Cixi profile
Full Name: Empress Dowager Cixi ()
Birth Year: 1835
Death Year: 1908
Reign: 1861-1908 (De facto ruler of China for 47 years)
Cixi was born in 1835 to a Manchu family of the Bordered Blue Banner and rose to power after
becoming a concubine of Emperor Xianfeng. She gave birth to his only surviving son, Emperor
Tongzhi, which elevated her status in the court. Upon Xianfeng’s death in 1861, Cixi, alongside
Empress Dowager Ci’an, became the regent for her son, marking the start of her 47-year control over
the Qing Dynasty. Though never an official ruler, she was the de facto leader, exercising immense
power over the Chinese government during her son’s reign and that of her nephew, Emperor
Guangxu.
Cixi is remembered for her conservative and cautious rule. She was deeply resistant to Western
ideas and reforms, preferring to maintain traditional Chinese values and imperial systems. Her reign
coincided with a period of significant internal turmoil and external threats, including wars and
uprisings. The Self-Strengthening Movement, which aimed to modernize China’s military and
infrastructure through Western technology, was largely stifled under her rule, as she remained
skeptical of these changes.
One of the most critical moments in her rule was the Hundred Days of Reform in 1898. Spearheaded
by Emperor Guangxu, this brief period of intense reform aimed to modernize China’s institutions.
However, fearing the reforms threatened her power and the imperial order, Cixi staged a coup,
placing Guangxu under house arrest and halting the changes. Though she recognized the need for
modernization later in life, the reforms she implemented came too late to prevent the collapse of the
Qing Dynasty.
In 1908, shortly before her death, Cixi named the infant Puyi as her successor. Puyi would go on to
become the last emperor of China, as the Qing Dynasty fell just a few years later in 1912. Cixi’s
legacy remains controversial—some see her as a stabilizing force in a time of crisis, while others
criticize her reluctance to reform, which many argue hastened the fall of the Qing Dynasty. Despite
this, her rule marks the end of imperial China and the beginning of modern Chinese history.
2. Sun Yat Sen profile
Full Name: Sun Yat-sen ( / )
Birth Year: 1866
Death Year: 1925
Known as: “Father of the Nation” in the Republic of China
Sun Yat-sen was born into a peasant family in Guangdong province but would become one of the
most influential figures in modern Chinese history. Despite his modest beginnings, Sun received a
Western education in Hawaii and Hong Kong, where he was introduced to democratic and republican
ideas. His exposure to Western political thought and his conversion to Christianity set him apart from
many of his contemporaries in China, fueling his vision for a modernized, republican China.
In 1894, Sun founded the Revive China Society (Xingzhonghui), the first anti-imperial organization
aimed at overthrowing the Qing Dynasty and establishing a republic. He was a passionate advocate
of republicanism, believing that imperial rule had failed China and that only a democratic government
could modernize the nation and rid it of foreign interference. Sun's revolutionary activities laid the
groundwork for the eventual collapse of the Qing Dynasty.
Sun Yat-sen played a key role in the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which brought an end to over two
thousand years of imperial rule in China. After the revolution, he became the Provisional President of
the newly established Republic of China on January 1, 1912. However, his presidency was short-
lived; in March 1912, Sun resigned in favor of Yuan Shikai, a powerful military leader, in an effort to
prevent civil war and stabilize the nascent republic.
In August 1912, Sun founded the Guomindang (GMD), or Nationalist Party, which sought to unite
China under a republican government. The GMD was built on Sun’s political philosophy, known as
the Three Principles of the People: nationalism, democracy, and people’s livelihood. These principles
aimed to create a modern, sovereign state that could stand up to foreign powers while ensuring the
well-being of its people.
Sun Yat-sen’s legacy as the "Father of Modern China" is profound. Both the Republic of China
(Taiwan) and the People’s Republic of China (Mainland China) regard him as a pivotal figure in their
histories. His ideas about nationalism, democracy, and economic reform inspired generations of
Chinese revolutionaries, including both Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong, and continue to shape
Chinese political thought to this day.
3. Yian Shikai profile
Full Name: Yuan Shikai ()
Born: September 16, 1859, in Xiangcheng, Henan Province, Qing Empire
Died: June 6, 1916, in Beijing, Republic of China
Position: General, politician, first formal President of the Republic of China, Emperor of China
(briefly)
Yuan Shikai (1859-1916) was a significant figure in China's transition from the Qing dynasty to the
Republic of China. Born into a wealthy family in Xiangcheng, Henan Province, Yuan received a
classical Confucian education but quickly shifted to a military career. He first gained prominence
during his service in Korea in the 1880s, where his military expertise and strategic acumen helped
stabilize the region. His success in Korea earned him influence within the Qing government, leading
to his appointment as the commander of the Beiyang Army, one of China's most modernized military
forces at the time.
During the late Qing period, Yuan Shikai became a key player in Chinese politics. In 1898, he was
instrumental in suppressing the 100 Days’ Reform, a political movement aimed at modernizing China,
by siding with the conservative Empress Dowager Cixi. This move bolstered his standing among the
Qing leadership. His power grew further during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, when he protected key
regions from the uprising and strengthened his control over the military. These events set the stage
for Yuan’s rise to power in the chaotic years ahead.
As the Qing Dynasty began to collapse in the face of internal rebellion and external pressures, Yuan
Shikai played a crucial role in its final days. When the Wuchang Uprising in 1911 sparked a full-scale
revolution, Yuan was called upon to negotiate a peaceful end to the Qing rule. Through his influence
and control over the Beiyang Army, he brokered the abdication of the last emperor, Puyi, in 1912, and
became the first president of the newly formed Republic of China. However, Yuan’s authoritarian rule
and preference for centralized power made him unpopular with revolutionaries and reformers alike.
In 1915, Yuan Shikai made a fatal political miscalculation when he declared himself the Emperor of
China, attempting to establish a new dynasty, the "Hongxian Emperor" period. This move triggered
widespread opposition from various political factions and regional warlords. His imperial ambitions
were met with revolt, most notably the National Protection War, forcing him to renounce the title within
months. Yuan's health declined rapidly after this, and he died in June 1916. His death marked the
beginning of the Warlord Era, a period of fragmentation and instability in China.
Yuan Shikai’s legacy is highly controversial. On one hand, he was a skilled military leader and played
a central role in ending the Qing Dynasty and establishing the Republic of China. On the other hand,
his dictatorial tendencies and failed attempt to become emperor destabilized the country and
contributed to the rise of warlordism. His actions, particularly his brief imperial reign, are often seen
as a betrayal of the republican ideals he initially supported.
References
● Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Cixi. Kids Britannica.
https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Cixi/277481
● Wikipedia contributors. (2023, October 26). Empress Dowager Cixi. Wikipedia, The Free
Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Dowager_Cixi
● Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). Sun Yat-sen. In Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/question/What-is-Sun-Yat-sen-remembered-for
● Wikipedia contributors. (2023, September 18). Sun Yat-sen. Simple English Wikipedia.
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Yat-sen
● Encyclopædia Britannica. (2023, October 18). Yuan Shikai.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yuan-Shikai
● Wikipedia contributors. (2023, October 24). Yuan Shikai. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Shikai
● Brian Gray et al. (2015) Oxford IB Diploma Programme - Authoritarian States. Oxford: Oxford
UP.
