Activity 1 - Who was Yuan Shikai?

---

Activity Tasks

1. Think/Pair/Share - Who was Yuan Shikai? - Think about your prior knowledge about Yuan Shikai, then share your ideas with a partner, then the class.
2. Timeline - Using some brief internet research and your textbooks, make a brief timeline of Yuan Shikai's life, choosing ten key events.
3. Significance - Identify the three most significant events that Yuan Shikai was involved in prior to 1911. 
4. Discuss - How did Yuan become so powerful? What was his route to power?

Activity 2 - What problems did Yuan face?

---

Activity Tasks

1. List - With a partner, discuss the problems that China faced post-revolution in 1912. 
2. Sort - Organise your ideas about China's problems into categories. Use thematic headings to group information such as: economic, political, society etc...
3. Rank - Explain the top three most pressing issues.
4. Connect - Based on what you know already about Yuan Shikai, how do you think he would solve these issues?

Activity 3 - Did Yuan betray the Republic?

---

Activity Tasks

1. ​Identify - Using the sources below, research and identify Yuan's policies whilst in government on this worksheet. Was he effective as a leader?
2. Significance - Pick three key events that illustrate well his betrayal of the Republic. What impact did his actions have on the nationalist movement?
3. Perspective - For each of his three actions you identified in task 2, could you try to re-interpret his actions in a more positive way? Were his actions necessary?

Activity 4 - What was Yuan's ideology?

---

Activity Tasks

1. Analysis - Read this excerpt from a speech by Yuan Shikai in 1913. In reference to its origin, purpose, and content, what are the values and limitations of this source for the historian studying Yuan's Presidency?
2. Inference - From the speech, how could we describe Yuan's attitude to the Republic movement? 
3. Debate - Read the statement of inquiry below. To what extent did Yuan Shikai help or hinder the growth of nationalism?

Statement of Inquiry - Nationalism is a form of group identity which can grow in reaction to new social, cultural and political ideas - or threats - to an existing community

Activity 5 - Was Yuan a hero or villain?

---

Activity Tasks

1. ​Groups - Divide your class into two groups. One group will research evidence to suggest Yuan was a hero. The other group will try to find evidence he was a villain.
2. Research - Try to research evidence to prove your group's perspective about Yuan Shikai. Use this worksheet to record all your evidence.
3. Visualise - Run to the whiteboard and add the evidence you collect to the class mind-map.
4. Silent Debate - Now comment on at least one other points from the other side of the debate.

Further Reading

---

OBLIGATORY READING

1. Lynch, M. (2016). Access to History: China 1839-1997 (3rd ed), pp. 56-61
2. Shan, P.F. (2018). Yuan Shikai: A Reappraisal, pp. 3-9

RECOMMENDED READING

1. Zarrow, P. (2005). China in War and Revolution: 1895-1949, pp. 75-83

​SUPPLEMENTARY READING

1. Hsu, I.C.Y. (2000). The Rise of Modern China (6th ed), pp. 475-481
2. Chapter 4 - Politics in the Aftermath of Revolution: The Era of Yuan Shih-k'ai, 1912-1916. In Fairbank, J.K. (2008). The Cambridge History of China, Vol 13, Republic China 1912-1949 (pp. 208-255)

---

BACK TO UNIT MENU - WHAT ACCOUNTS FOR THE RISE OF NATIONALISM?

NEXT LESSON - WHAT DID SUN YIXIAN DO TO PROMOTE NATIONALISM?