Around the year 1600, the Manchus were a small and loose confederation of Jurche

Around the year 1600, the Manchus were a small and loose confederation of Jurche

Around the year 1600, the Manchus were a small and loose confederation of Jurchen tribes in the wilds of Manchuria. By 1700, they had solidified rule over a vast empire, comprising some 1/5 of the world’s population. By 1850, their system was collapsing under the weight of foreign aggression and internal rebellions. How did the Qing manage to develop such an effective system of conquest? What did they do to build an enduring system of rule over a diverse group of people across eastern Eurasia? When and how did it all go wrong? Why did they have trouble responding to challenges, and why did they fail to foresee the threat posed by the West?
You must have a clear argument, backed by evidence from the class (readings, lecture, discussion), and consider/disprove potential counter-arguments. I will provide all the materials from the class. You have to use these materials as evidence.
Two Readings: Charles Holcombe, A History of East Asia: From the Origins of Civilization to the
Twenty-First Century, 2nd edition (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2017) pp. 174-183; David Christian, A History of Russia, Central Asia and Mongolia, Volume II, pp. 175-208.