AIM: How did the Opium AIM: How did the Opium War open the door to War open the door to Imperialism in China?Imperialism in China?

Ms. McMillanMs. McMillan

Global IIIGlobal III

January 11, 2012January 11, 2012

The Big PictureThe Big Picture1. By 1900, China was completely dominated by the

industrial powers of Europe, the USA & Japan.2. How did this come to pass?3. As in Africa, India & Latin America, the industrial

nations had superior technology and more advanced economies.

4. Western dominance of China began with the Opium War of 1839-1842

5. This war proved once and for all that industrial powers could completely dominate any non-industrial nation— even great nations such as China

6. The Opium War, between the English & the Chinese, is often seen as the ultimate example of Imperialism

Economic BackgroundEconomic Background

1. By 1800, England felt it desperately needed to boost exports to China

Why?

Every nation tries to export MORE than it imports. This is referred to as the nation’s “Trade Balance”

If a nation imports more than it exports, it means that capital is leaving its economy. This weakens the economy.

By 1800 (or so) England was having some difficulty maintaining its trade balance with China.

So…why were the British importing so much from

China? Reason #1Reason #1

– During the 1700’s, the British became a nation of tea drinkers and the demand for Chinese tea rose astronomically.

– By about 1840, it is estimated that the average London worker spent five percent of his or her total household budget on tea.

Reason #2– Northern Chinese merchants began to ship

Chinese cotton from the interior to southern China to compete with Indian cotton the British were selling there

– Previously, Britain had used these cotton exports to help ‘balance’ its tea imports & consumption habits

How did the British increase our exports to China?

England could not balance its trade through exporting manufactured goods, as this kind of trade was very difficult & expensive with China.

As far as the British were concerned, the best solution was to increase the amount of Indian goods they exported to China to pay for these Chinese luxuries

Increasingly, in the 1700’s & 1800’s, the item exported to China was Bengal opium, produced in England’s Indian colonies

Bengal Region

Opium WarOpium War

1.1. British merchants began to British merchants began to trade opium in China in the trade opium in China in the late 1700s.late 1700s.

2.2. China tried to halt imports China tried to halt imports of the addictive drug. of the addictive drug.

3.3. In 1839, to keep trade In 1839, to keep trade open, the British fought open, the British fought with China in a conflict with China in a conflict known as the Opium War.known as the Opium War.

4.4. Britain’s superior military Britain’s superior military and industrial strength led and industrial strength led to a quick victory.to a quick victory.

““Nothing Left to Take or Nothing Left to Take or Destroy”Destroy”

The India Gazette, a British publication, wrote about the sack of Chusan in 1840:

A more complete pillage could not be conceived than took place. Every house was broken open, every drawer and box ransacked, the streets strewn with fragments of furniture, pictures, tables, chairs, grain of all sorts -- the whole set off by the dead or the living bodies of those who had been unable to leave the city from the wounds received from our merciless guns. ... The plunder ceased only when there was nothing left to take or destroy.

Treaty of NanjingTreaty of Nanjing

1.1. In 1842, Britain forced China to agree In 1842, Britain forced China to agree to the harsh terms of the Treaty of to the harsh terms of the Treaty of Nanjing.Nanjing.

2.2. China had to pay for British war costs, China had to pay for British war costs, open ports to British trade, and give open ports to British trade, and give Britain the island of Hong Kong.Britain the island of Hong Kong.

3.3. China also had to grant British China also had to grant British citizens extraterritoriality, the right to citizens extraterritoriality, the right to live under their own laws and be tried live under their own laws and be tried in their own courts.in their own courts.

Treaty of NanjingTreaty of Nanjing

Effects of the TreatyEffects of the Treaty

1.1. In the years that followed, other In the years that followed, other western powers forced China to western powers forced China to sign unequal treaties.sign unequal treaties.

2.2. The western powers carved out The western powers carved out spheres of influence, areas in which spheres of influence, areas in which an outside power claimed exclusive an outside power claimed exclusive trade privileges.trade privileges.