The First Opium War

551 Words2 Pages

The First Opium War between the British and China were fought over the countries conflicts in trade and dissimilar perspectives in diplomatic relations. One of the greatest factors of the war was opium, which had caused great instability of the socioeconomic status of China preceding the war and China’s actions in ending the opium import from the British was known to have sparked the war. China has been greatly criticized for provoking this Anglo Chinese War, against the British Empire, one of the greatest empires of that period of time in military and economic standings. However, it was identified that the vast imports of opium into China was slowly poisoning the country and is clear that China’s opium ban and isolation trade policies against the British was the correct decision of the government . The trade of opium into China would have gradually crippled the country’s socioeconomic standing without the need of a war.
Conventionally, China had been a closed social order with an independent financial system. In the 19th century, it engaged in limited associations with the Western...

Show More
Related

  • British Imperialism in China and Africa

    840 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although it was illegal, many of the money hungry merchants excepted the opium in return for the things that were valuable to the English. Because of this, the first Anglo-Chinese war erupted. China underestimated the power of England and was defeated. At the end of the war, they were forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing (1842). The treaty was one of the first treaties known as the “Unfair Treaties.”

    Read More

  • European Imperialism of China and Japan

    402 Words  | 1 Pages

    At the end of the eighteenth century, China’s goods were much desired by Britain. However, the Chinese saw Europeans as savages and did not want to trade with them. During trade, there was an imbalance in China’s favor, because the Europeans were forced to buy Chinese goods using silver. The Western Imperialists began to grow opium poppies from in India, and then smuggle them into China. China soon became addicted to the drug and spent most of it’s money on the purchase of it from the Europeans and Americans. This shifted the balance of power to be in Europe’s favor.

    Read More

  • The Confusions of Pleasure

    1051 Words  | 3 Pages

    Timothy Brook’s book, The Confusions of Pleasure: Commerce and Culture in Ming China is a detailed account of the three centuries of the Ming Dynasty in China. The book allows an opportunity to view this prominent time period of Chinese history. Confusions of Pleasure not only chronicles the economic development during the Ming dynasty, but also the resulting cultural and social changes that transform the gentry and merchant class. Brook’s insights highlight the divide between the Ming dynasty’s idealized beliefs, and the realities of its economic expansion and its effects. Brook describes this gap through the use of several first hand accounts of individuals with various social statuses.

    Read More

  • letter to queen victoria

    890 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although the First Opium War proves that this letter was unsuccessful, this letter has significance because unlike most countries and disputes, the Chinese did whatever they could to ensure that this matter had a peaceful resolution. This letter shows that the Chinese practice of Confucianism has helped them evolve as an already self sufficient country into a favored and sanctioned country for their reasonable ways.

    Read More

  • Westernization in China and Japan

    1311 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the middle of the 19th century, despite a few similarities between the initial responses of China and Japan to the West, they later diverged; which ultimately affected and influenced the modernizing development of both countries. At first, both of the Asian nations rejected the ideas which the West had brought upon them, and therefore went through a time period of self-imposed isolation. However, the demands that were soon set by Western imperialism forced them, though in different ways, to reconsider. And, by the end of the 19th century both China and Japan had introduced ‘westernizing’ reforms. China’s aim was to use modern means to retain and preserve their traditional Confucian culture. Whereas Japan, on the other hand, began to successfully mimic Western technology as it pursued modernization, and thus underwent an astounding social upheaval. Hence, by the year 1920, Japan was recognized as one of the world’s superpowers, whereas China was on the edge of anarchy.

    Read More

  • Imperialism Dbq Essay

    808 Words  | 2 Pages

    There was a steady increase of opium exports even after China banned the highly addictive drug prior to the Opium Wars, this demonstrates imperialism by the greed and need for economic gain by still enforcing trade after a law was imposed for them not to, this can be seen in fifth document, a bar graph titled "British Opium Exports to China". The British simply cared about their imperialistic ways and had no regards for the Chinese and their wishes for the Opium trading to cease. Prior to the formal exports of opium, Britain saw that China did not like the trading of it and continued to smuggle it even after China officially banned it, due to the fact that opium was a highly addictive drug. This then led to the Opium wars, another example of imperialism connecting to industrialization and modernization. Britain has limited resources due to its inconvenient placement geographically speaking, it is an island nation. So therefore, Britain used a nation with better resources and location placement, China. They made them sign an unfair treaty, the Treaty of Nanjing. This treaty further helped Britain imperialistically, due to the geographically centered terms of the treaty, they had better access to ports, complete control of a main city in China, and "fair"

    Read More

  • The Treaty of Nanjing

    2058 Words  | 5 Pages

    Greenberg, Michael. British Trade and the Opening of China 1800 - 42. New York: Monthly Review, 1979. Print.

    Read More

  • opium wars

    1074 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to the Oxford Dictionary, Opium is a “reddish-brown heavy-scented addictive drug prepared from the juice of the opium poppy, used as a narcotic and in medicine as an analgesic”. In China, Opium was first intended for medical use and later, during the 19th century it became a symbol of problems that hit on China. China’s high consumption of Opium brought social calamity for the country and in the other hand, it contributed to the economic prosperity Britain was going through. Opium also created tension in the Sino- British relationship, which Opium Wars gave a partial end to. The results of the Opium Wars can be considered unfair for China, not only did they have to open ports but they also had to pay for reparations.

    Read More

  • Ottoman vs. Qing

    875 Words  | 2 Pages

    Allingham,, Philip V. "England and China: The Opium Wars, 1839-60." The Victorian Web: An Overview. 24 June 2006. Web. 06 Apr. 2011.

    Read More

  • Western Imperialism and Modern East Asia

    1194 Words  | 3 Pages

    The imperial realms of East Asia before the 19th century were largely based on the theory that Asian countries were far better than their neighbors in the West. The nonchalant manner portrayed by East Asian countries towards western technology and culture led China to become unknowledgeable of the Western empires. As a result, China was astonishingly impacted by imperialism from Great Britain during the 1800’s. During the 18th century Great Britain had set up trade off the coast of the Chinese borders to trade British silver for China’s soft silks, fine porcelain, and strong teas. During this period Qing officials overlooked the foreign brokers. By the early 1800’s, however, Great Britain b...

    Read More

  • Changes And Continuities In China 1900-1950

    587 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout, 1900- 1950 there were a number of changes and continuities in China. From the fall of the dynasties to the rise of the Communist Party, these changes shaped China’s government and society. Although, many political changes were made multiple continuities were held constant such as, consistent rebellions and the lack of democracy.

    Read More

  • The Cause of the Opium War

    894 Words  | 2 Pages

    The start of this war was when China wanted to end all trades with the British that contained any opium.

    Read More

  • Essay On The First Opium War

    1407 Words  | 3 Pages

    To the normal Chinese man during the early 19th century, opium was nothing more than a luxury that only those of higher power or influence could indulge themselves in. Yet by the middle of the 19th century opium had become a commodity that everyone could have and that at the same time they seemed to need. Even though it was now such a big part of the normal chinese culture, it did not benefit the people nor Chinese culture, it did not benefit the people or the government. The only benefit it did seem to have was towards the British. The British were flourishing from the new Chinese market for opium, where the Chinese were beginning to turn into addicts of a drug that was slowly poisoning their way of life. The people no longer were concerned about their advancement and safety of their family but about how and when they would be able to get more opium. The Chinese government was not pleased about this and decided to take a stand that would, in the long run, only damage the very people they were trying to protect. This stand came to be known as the First Opium War (1839-1842). By the end of the First Opium War China had begun to lose its sense of identity through the use of treaties and encroachment of foreign countries, starting with the British and their Treaty of Nanking.

    Read More

  • Western Imperialism Essay

    1466 Words  | 3 Pages

    By 1800, China’s Qing dynasty encountered several issues such as a growing population, peasant ...

    Read More

  • Agriculture in China

    1882 Words  | 4 Pages

    Howe, Christopher, Y. Y. Kueh, and Robert F. Ash. China's Economic Reform: A Study with Documents. London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003.

    Read More

More about The First Opium War

Open Document