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World History Project - 1750 to the Present
Course: World History Project - 1750 to the Present > Unit 3
Lesson 3: Global Industrialization | 3.2- READ: The Global Transformations of the Industrial Revolution
- READ: Japan's Industrial Revolution
- READ: Meiji Restoration
- READ: Iwasaki Yatarō (Graphic Biography)
- READ: Egypt's Industrial Revolution
- READ: Imperialism and De-Industrialization in India
- READ: Industrialization and Migration
- BEFORE YOU WATCH: Railroads and the Industrial Revolution
- WATCH: Railroads and the Industrial Revolution
- Global Industrialization
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READ: Iwasaki Yatarō (Graphic Biography)
A petty samurai by birth, Iwasaki Yatarō seized the opportunities of industrialization to create the Mitsubishi corporation and to help industrialize the city of Nagasaki.
The Graphic Biography below uses “Three Close Reads”. If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.
First read: skimming for gist
This will be your quickest read. It should help you get the general idea of what the graphic biography will be about. Pay attention to the title, headings, images, and layout. Ask yourself: what is this graphic biography going to be about?
Second read: understanding content
For this reading, you should be looking for unfamiliar vocabulary words, the major claim and key supporting details, and analysis and evidence. You should also spend some time looking at the images and the way in which the page is designed.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
- What were Iwasaki Yatarō’s origins?
- Why did many in Japan want to industrialize in the late nineteenth century?
- 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 Isawaki’s biographer?
- How does the artist represent changes in both Japan and Isawaki using art in this biography?
Third read: evaluating and corroborating
In this read, you should use the graphic biography as evidence to support, extend, or challenge claims made in the course.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
- How does this biography of Iwasaki Yatarō support, extend, or challenge what you have learned about industrialization in Japan? About the impact of industrialization on people and societies more generally?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to read! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished reading.
TIwasaki Yatarō (Graphic Biography)
Writer: Sean Bloch
Artist: Liz Clarke
A petty samurai by birth, Iwasaki Yatarō seized the opportunities of industrialization to create the Mitsubishi corporation and to help industrialize the city of Nagasaki.
Download the Graphic Biography PDF here or click on the image above.
