Description

The overall description of the history short essay was as follows:

• Main Topic: “How Did Imperial Japan Colonize Korea?”
• Format: Chicago-style essay format (College-level)
• Major Source: Previous history lessons and extra online research
• Purpose: To devise own interpretation of historical events based on the knowledge acquired from the project, and to incorporate the knowledge into further research and translations

Main Ideas & Significance

The main ideas included were as follows:

• Yejin Choi: Division of Korea and the approach of Japanese colonization
  • Main ideas
    • Complexity of Japanese Colonization and the multifaceted nature of the colonization due to political, social, and economic factors
    • Social factors leading to vulnerability
    • Political weakness and instability in Korea
    • Economic exploitation and dependency
  • Significance
    • Provides a holistic view of the multifaceted reasons behind Japan's colonization of Korea
    • Explores the profound effects on Korean society, culture, economy, and politics due to Japanese rule
    • Demonstrates how internal vulnerabilities in Korea facilitated Japan's imperial control and aligns with broader patterns of global power dynamics in the early 20th century

History Eessay - Sophie Choi.pdf

• Myungseok Kim: Foreign Interventions and the Erosion of Joseon Korea's Sovereignty
  • Main ideas
    • Tributary relationship with the Qing dynasty
    • French expedition of 1866
    • Overall impact on Joseon’s sovereignty
  • Significance
    • Explores intricate factors contributing to Korea’s vulnerability to colonization
    • Highlights consequences of tribute obligations and foreign military expeditions on Joseon’s sovereignty
    • Shows how foreign interventions hampered modernization efforts, setting the stage for Japanese colonization

History Essay_ Myungseok Kim.pdf