Question

source 10, 4.5 - c: adapted from captain john perry, the state of russia under the present czar, 1716
john perry served the british navy and later czar peter the great as naval engineer. in the year 1698, his czarist majesty was in england, making his observations of our arts in building and equipping out our fleets. i was recommended to him as a person capable of serving him on several occasions, relating to his new designs of establishing a fleet, making his rivers navigable, etc.
soon after my contract was made, i was sent directly to moscow, with orders for my being immediately dispatched from there into the province of astrakhan, about a thousand miles beyond moscow. there i was to survey a work, which his czarist majesty had before designed, and another person had been employed to make ships of war as well as trading vessels of burden, to pass between the caspian and the black sea. the said work was first begun by one colonel breckell, a german, who was a colonel in the czars army and who had the reputation of a very good engineer as to fortifications, and the like. but he had very little understanding of this business which he had taken upon him.

1. examine how emperor qianlong describes qing china and great britain in source 9. what is his tone throughout the letter?
2. in source 9, how do emperor qianlong’s words describing each country differ?
3. according to source 10, why did the russian government hire john perry from england?
4. according to the sources 8 and 9, how do russian czar peter the great and qing emperor qianlong differ in their views of britain?

please see the reverse. learning objective 4.5: compare the territorial expansion and foreign policies of early modern china and russia. 4.5 - c: russian and chinese engagement with the west. by the late 18th century, russian imperial policies promoted the importation of western goods, technology, and culture, while qing china continued to have relatively limited contact with the west.

Explanation:

1. Emperor Qianlong likely presents Qing China as a self - sufficient, superior empire and Great Britain as a foreign entity seeking trade. His tone may be one of haughtiness and a sense of imperial superiority.
2. When describing Qing China, he may use terms emphasizing its grandeur, self - sufficiency, and centrality in the world. For Great Britain, he might use words indicating a foreign power with a desire for trade, perhaps with a hint of dismissal.
3. The Russian government hired John Perry from England because he had naval engineering expertise, which was needed for establishing a fleet, making rivers navigable, and the ship - building work in Astrakhan.
4. Czar Peter the Great was interested in British naval and engineering knowledge, seeking to modernize Russia by importing Western expertise. Emperor Qianlong, on the other hand, likely saw Britain as a foreign power with a subordinate position, and was less interested in engaging with British knowledge or technology, maintaining a more isolationist and self - centered view.

Answer:

1. His tone is likely haughty and superior, seeing Qing China as self - sufficient and Great Britain as a foreign trading entity.
2. For Qing China, grand and self - sufficient terms; for Great Britain, terms indicating a trading - seeking foreign power with a hint of dismissal.
3. For his naval engineering expertise for fleet - building and river navigation projects.
4. Peter the Great sought British expertise for modernization; Qianlong saw Britain as a subordinate foreign power with less interest in engagement.