Activity 1 - What was the Warlord Period?

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Activity Tasks

1. Connect - With a partner, create a mind-map using these headings to review what you already know about the Warlord Period: who? what? when? where? why?
2. Summarise - Use the Lesson Presentation, videos on this page, and the further reading, to add details.
3. Discuss - Examine the statement of inquiry. Does the warlord period illustrate or exemplify the statement of inquiry in anyway?
4. Debate - From what you’ve learnt so far, to what extent could the warlords be described as nationalists?

1. 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 2 - Who were the Warlords?

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Activity Tasks

1. Research - Using this worksheet, research the lives of the following key figures from the warlord period and summarise five key facts about the lives of each one. 
2. Discuss - With a partner, discuss the following questions about the warlords and share your ideas with the class:
   1. Which was the most powerful warlord?
   2. Which warlord did the most for his people?
   3. Which warlord was the least trustworthy?
   4. Which warlord was the most 'nationalist'?

Activity 3 - What were the 'Cliques'?

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Activity Tasks

1. Research - Using the worksheet, research the following cliques and record: when they existed, foreign support, and at least 5 key details about them:
   1. Beiyang Clique
   2. Anhui Clique
   3. Zhili Clique
   4. Fengtian Clique
   5. Constitutional Protection Movement
   6. The Guomindang Faction
2. ​​​Discuss - To what extent did foreign nations support the warlords? Did this perpetuate warlordism?

Activity 4 - What did they fight over?

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Activity Tasks

1. Research - Using the third page of the worksheet, research the details of the following warlord conflicts and try to find out what caused the conflict, what happened, and what its impact was on China.
2. Discuss - Could any of these conflict be described as wars for ‘national unification’?
   ​Reflect - What do the motives for these conflicts tell you about the influence of nationalism during the warlord period?

Activity 5 - What lessons can we draw?

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Activity Tasks

1. Research - Finally, use the last page of this worksheet to research the causes and effects of the warlord period. Some factors have been suggested, but feel free to add more as you research.
2. Discuss - As a class, discuss the following questions
   1. ​What was the underlying cause for warlordism in China?
   2. What was the catalyst for warlordism in China?
   3. What finally triggered the breakdown of central government in China?
   4. What was the most significant impact of warlordism on China?
3. Review - Using your research from this lesson, write a paragraph(s) explaining, ‘To what extent did nationalism survive the warlord period?’. 
   Extension - If you have time to extend your knowledge further, try answering these questions based upon pages 83-94 of Zarrow, P. (2005). China in War and Revolution: 1895-1949

Further Reading

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OBLIGATORY READING

1. Lynch, M. (2016). Access to History: China 1839-1997 (3rd ed), pp. 61-62

RECOMMENDED READING

1. Spence, J.D. (1990). The Search for Modern China, pp. 288-294

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

1. Zarrow, P. (2005). China in War and Revolution: 1895-1949, pp. 83-94

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