Imperialism in Imperialism in China: Carving the China: Carving the

DragonDragon

1750-1914 Lesson 61750-1914 Lesson 6

Main Ideas:Main Ideas:• China’s isolationist policies led to their China’s isolationist policies led to their

decline in the face of European decline in the face of European dominationdomination

• The opium trade reversed China’s The opium trade reversed China’s domination of trade with the Westdomination of trade with the West

• The Opium Wars led to an eventual The Opium Wars led to an eventual “carving up” of Chinese territory and “carving up” of Chinese territory and the breakdown of the imperial systemthe breakdown of the imperial system

Qing ChinaQing China• The Manchus & The Manchus &

comparison to Mongolscomparison to Mongols• Qing society & Qing society &

economyeconomy– Neo-ConfucianismNeo-Confucianism– BureaucracyBureaucracy– Tax reorganizationTax reorganization

• Problems of declineProblems of decline– population crisis population crisis – bureaucratic corruptionbureaucratic corruption– crop failurecrop failure

Reviewing the Canton Reviewing the Canton SystemSystem• Western trade Western trade

at Cantonat Canton– primarily primarily

inter-Asian inter-Asian trade trade

– exchange exchange itemsitems• tea for silvertea for silver

– tributetribute• $$ & $$ &

diplomatic diplomatic submissionsubmission

The Macartney Mission, 1792The Macartney Mission, 1792• Lord MacartneyLord Macartney

– procure trade rightsprocure trade rights

– dispute over the dispute over the kowtowkowtow

• Qianlong’s responseQianlong’s response– Chinese perception of Chinese perception of

BritishBritish

– compare to Japancompare to Japan

Origins of the Opium Origins of the Opium TradeTrade

• India & productionIndia & production– industrializationindustrialization

• Legal & illegal Legal & illegal tradetrade

• StatisticsStatistics– 1830: more silver 1830: more silver

out than inout than in• tax problems tax problems

– 1839: 40,000 chests 1839: 40,000 chests @133 lbs./chest@133 lbs./chest

Origins of the Opium Origins of the Opium TradeTrade

• ImpactsImpacts– agricultural agricultural

productionproduction– Opium DensOpium Dens– Lin Zexu’s letter Lin Zexu’s letter

to Queen Victoriato Queen Victoria• Blockade & the Blockade & the

“Canton Opium “Canton Opium Party”Party”

The Opium Wars, 1839-The Opium Wars, 1839-4242• Britain vs. ChinaBritain vs. China

– Nature of the warNature of the war– Role of the navyRole of the navy

• NemesisNemesis vessels vessels– Capture of CantonCapture of Canton

• Treaty of Nanjing Treaty of Nanjing (“Unequal Treaties”)(“Unequal Treaties”)– The Open Door in ChinaThe Open Door in China– Port leases & “Sphere’s Port leases & “Sphere’s

of Influence”of Influence”– Diplomatic MissionsDiplomatic Missions

The Opium Wars, 1839-The Opium Wars, 1839-4242

Rebellion & ReformRebellion & Reform• The Taiping The Taiping

Rebellion, 1850-64Rebellion, 1850-64– Hong Xinquan’s Hong Xinquan’s

“inspiration”“inspiration”– GoalsGoals

• destroy decadent destroy decadent traditional systemstraditional systems

• social reformssocial reforms

– Put down by Put down by provincial armiesprovincial armies

Rebellion & ReformRebellion & Reform• Self-Strengthening (1860s-Self-Strengthening (1860s-

98)98)– modernizing reforms (similar modernizing reforms (similar

to Meiji)to Meiji)– too sporadic to bring real too sporadic to bring real

changechange– 100 Days Reforms, 1898 100 Days Reforms, 1898

• Kang Youwei at imperial courtKang Youwei at imperial court• Land, tax, economic reformsLand, tax, economic reforms• Removed by Dowager Empress Removed by Dowager Empress

Cixi & army conservativesCixi & army conservatives

• Boxer Rebellion, 1898-1901Boxer Rebellion, 1898-1901– Cixi goes back to 100 Days Cixi goes back to 100 Days

reforms!reforms!

What It MeansWhat It Means• Massive Western influencesMassive Western influences

• Puppet govt. through the imperial Puppet govt. through the imperial courtcourt

• Corruption in Forbidden CityCorruption in Forbidden City

• Slow reforms: not Slow reforms: not conservative vs. conservative vs. changechange, but , but entrenched interestsentrenched interests!!

• ““The National Shame”The National Shame”