Unit 20: Paper 3 (HL) — History of Asia & Oceania
Topic 20.9: Early modernization and imperial decline in East Asia (1860–1912) Questions
Practice 20 exam-style questions for IB History Topic 20.9. Review the question stems below, then unlock the full Question Bank to access markschemes, model answers, and AI grading.
1Analyse15 marks
2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q9
Analyse the significance of Li Hongzhang in the Self-Strengthening Movement and its ultimate failure.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q11
Which two officials acted as co-regents for the boy-emperor Tongzhi from 1861, launching the Self-Strengthening Movement?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q13
At which battle was China's Beiyang Fleet destroyed by Japan during the Sino-Japanese War?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.2 - Q17
What was the main purpose of the Iwakura Mission (1871-1873)?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.2 - Q20
What were the zaibatsu that emerged during the Meiji period?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q4
To what extent was Kang Youwei responsible for the failure of the Hundred Days' Reform of 1898?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q10
To what extent did the Self-Strengthening Movement and the Hundred Days' Reform differ in their approach to reforming the Qing state?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.2 - Q10
To what extent did Japan's rise as an imperial power depend on the weakness of its regional rivals rather than on its own strengths?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q14
Under the Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895), which territory did China cede to Japan?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.2 - Q16
In which year did the Meiji Restoration take place?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.2 - Q15
Compare and contrast the methods used by two Asian or Oceanian states, from different regions, to resist or respond to foreign domination in this period.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q12
What was the guiding principle of the Self-Strengthening Movement, as summed up by Qing officials?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q5
Compare and contrast the Self-Strengthening Movement (1861-1894) in Qing China with the Meiji Restoration in Japan as responses to the challenge of Western imperialism.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q1
Examine the reasons why the Self-Strengthening Movement (1861-1894) failed to transform Qing China into a modern state.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q3
Discuss the role played by Empress Dowager Cixi in shaping the course of Chinese reform between 1861 and 1898.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q6
Examine the consequences of the Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895) for China's relations with foreign powers.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q7
Evaluate the view that the Hundred Days' Reform of 1898 was doomed to fail from the outset.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q15
What action did Empress Dowager Cixi take in September 1898 in response to the Hundred Days' Reform?
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q8
Discuss the reasons why Qing China's defeat by Japan in 1894-1895 was such a shock to the Chinese court and reformers.
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2026• Aimnova original vault - 20.9.1 - Q2
Evaluate the impact of the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) on Qing China.
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