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Britain, China, and the Opium War

For centuries, Europeans had shown great interest in China. Chinas beautiful cities, vast
(large) supply of natural resources, great wealth, silks, and teas had powerful appeal
(attractiveness) for Europeans. China appeared and acted as though they were very
powerful in the 19th century. The question was were they?

In the 1800s, China had a large sum of problems. China


was crippled by poverty (poor), illiteracy, disease, and
overpopulation (too many people in one area). Laws
favored the rich and hurt the poor. China was also not safe,
due to secret terrorist societies in China that plotted to
overthrow the government, which was weak and corrupt
(dishonest). The Chinese also had a problem of being
behind modern times. The Chinese, for example, were still
very religious, anti-science, dressed in robes, and were predominately (mostly) farmers.
In addition to problems within China, the British caused issues outside of the country.
European imperialists, specifically the British, had crossed into Asia from India and the
Middle East, and had headed towards China.
The Industrial Revolution in Europe had
caused a need for Europeans to sell their
goods and find new markets. The British were
going to force the Chinese to buy their goods.
The Industrial Revolution had also caused
the British to become very powerful military
wise. When the British arrived in China,
Chinese officials only allowed the British to
use one port in southern China. Secondly, the
Chinese only sold Chinese goods to the British, such as silk, tea, and porcelain (dishes).
On the contrary, the Chinese refused to buy any of the British goods. The Chinese did not

want Western goods and culture coming into China and disturbing Chinese traditions.
This angered the British, and thus, the British wanted to find a way to declare war on
China. According to the British, the British had the right to trade and enter China, since
they were the more advanced, superior race, with a stronger military and navy. It was
their (the Europeans) duty to introduce inferior (lesser) cultures the better path of
living.
China believed they had everything it needed,
and thus, did not want British goods. Europeans
were determined to find a product that the
Chinese would have to buy. Eventually they
found one, opium. Opium is a medication made
from a plant to relieve pain, make you more
relaxed, and to calm one down. The British used
the opium for non-medical purposes. They used
it for smoking. Thus, the British began giving
out opium to Chinese workers at the harbors
for free, with the hopes of more Chinese coming
to the port to purchase it. The Chinese asked the
British government to stop selling the opium to its people. The pleas went unanswered,
and Britain refused to stop trading and selling opium. The result was a war between the
Chinese and British in 1839 called the Opium War. Most battles took place on the seas.
Chinas ships were old and outdated, and thus was no match for Britains steampowered gunboats. As a result, by 1842, the Chinese surrendered. They were humiliated
by the British. They signed a treaty (peace agreement) with the British called the Treaty
of Nanjing. The treaty gave Britain the island of Hong Kong. The British also were now
allowed to sell opium in China. The British were now allowed to use any Chinese port to
sell their goods to earn a profit. The Chinese also had to let Christian missionaries come
into China and spread the Christian religion. Furthermore, China was forced to pay for
the cost of replacing British ships sunk during the war. Last, but not least, the British in
China had to follow British law. Although the British were in China, they did not have to
follow Chinese law. This was a humiliating defeat to the Chinese, one in which many
Chinese yearned (desired) for revenge.

Part 1 Directions Answer two of the following questions. Be sure to read the
WHOLE question carefully, and fill up ALL THE LINES. Provide clear evidence,
examples, detail, analysis, and be sure to explain WHY in your answers when needed.
1) In your own words, describe the Opium War. Who fought
whom? Why were the two groups fighting? What were the
results of the war?
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2) Why did the British come to China? What do you think the
British traders hoped to achieve by continuing to sell opium
even if the Chinese had outlawed it?
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3) How does imperialism in China compare to imperialism in


other areas we studied, such as Africa, Iran, India, and Egypt?
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4) Was the treaty at the end of the war fair? Explain! Give
specific examples and provide evidence!
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Part 2 Please do not do question #5 until told so
5) Could the Opium War have been prevented? Why or why
not? Provide clear EVIDENCE AND EXPLAIN. Think about to your
other lessons on imperialism as well.
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Part 3: For an exit slip today, try the multiple-choice regents questions
below. Choose only one answer. Be sure to cross out two wrong
answer choices.
1) Which situation led to the defeat of China in the Opium War (18391842)?
A) A civil war on the Sino-Tibetan boarder
B) The technological advantages of the European powers
C) A famine that weakened the Chinese military
D) The lack of support for the Manchu government
2) What was a direct result of the Opium War in 19th century China?

A) Japan gained control of Hong Kong


B) Kublai Khan rose to power in China
C) Chinese ports were opened for trade with European powers
D) Jiang Jieshi fled to Taiwan
3) Which statement best describes an effect of the Opium War on
China?
A) The British expelled all Chinese from Hong Kong
B) The British victory led to spheres of influence in China
C) The British ended the importing of Opium in China
D) The British established a parliamentary democracy in China
4) The results of the Opium War in China indicates that China was
A) still a major military power
B) not strong enough to resist Western demands
C) rapidly building a modern industrial economy
D) accepting Western nations as equal trading partners

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