edHelper.com
The 1900's
 The Boxer Rebellion

The Boxer Rebellion
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 6 to 8
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   6.34

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    proficient, rout, well-armed, abide, assured, starvation, countryside, rebellion, destruction, expulsion, military, dowager, emperor, society, martial, armed
     content words:    Tsu Hsi, Ch'ing Dynasty, Great Britain, United States, Spanish-American War, Philippine Islands, John Hay, United States Secretary, Secretary Hay, Empress Tsu Hsi

Print The Boxer Rebellion
     Print The Boxer Rebellion  (font options, pick words for additional puzzles, and more)

Quickly Print - PDF format
     Quickly Print: PDF (2 columns per page)
     Quickly Print: PDF (full page)

Quickly Print - HTML format
     Quickly Print: HTML

Proofreading Activity
     Print a proofreading activity

Feedback on The Boxer Rebellion
     Leave your feedback on The Boxer Rebellion  (use this link if you found an error in the story)

The Boxer Rebellion
By Jane Runyon 		  
1     As the twentieth century dawned on the world, China was being ripped apart. For centuries, the Chinese had been ruled by an emperor. In charge at this turn of the century was the dowager empress, Tsu Hsi, of the Ch'ing Dynasty. The situation was not good for the Chinese people. A drought in the northern part of the country had the people near starvation. Foreign countries such as France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Great Britain, and Russia had moved into China. They were claiming certain parts of the country as their own. The army was not strong enough to do anything about it.
 
2     The United States was making a move into Asia as well. After the Spanish-American War, the United States had laid claim to the Philippine Islands. They saw that other countries of the world were setting themselves up for trade centers by claiming land in China. The US government knew that they would get nowhere by claiming land for themselves by using force. They decided to put themselves into a good position by using diplomatic means.
 
3     John Hay was the United States Secretary of State at the time. He proposed a plan to all of the foreign powers who had established themselves in China. He called his plan an "Open Door" policy. It was his idea that all countries should have equal trading rights in the area. No one country would be allowed to cut out any other country from trade with the world. It was a fair and equal plan. Secretary Hay presented it to all the other countries, and they agreed that it was fair. They also said that they would not support or abide by it. Secretary Hay would not be deterred. He announced to the world that since all the foreign trade countries had agreed to the plan in principle, the United States would consider it an agreement.

Paragraphs 4 to 10:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable
Copyright © 2009 edHelper