The British in China

Imperialism in ChinaO Imperialism in China 1820-1900O China was a major target of European Imperialism. A

number of significant events that occurred during this period are listed below. O Opium Trade O First and Second Opium Wars O Treaty of Nanking, 1842 O Tientsin Treaty, 1858 O Peking Conventions, 1860

O The Chinese culture attempted to deal with the European culture by attempting to isolate themselves from any contact with the Europeans whom they considered barbarians.

China in the 1800’s

OEven in the past China was the most populated nation in the world

OAlthough it was not industrialized China was able to meet the needs of the people and was virtually self sufficient

OChina had little interest in trading with European nations as they felt that the goods were inferior to Chinese goods

Continued…OIn fact the European nations

were only allowed to trade at one port – Canton

OThis made the imperial powers desperate to access the

huge Chinese marketOTo do this they had to find a product the Chinese would trade for

The War on Drugs

OThe British East India company soon found the product – opium

OThe drug was highly controlled in both England and India but was manufactured and smuggled into China to extend British control

OMany of the Chinese became addicted to the drug and were then dominated by the British

Continued…

OThe Chinese government was so weakened by the smuggling that they were powerless to stop it

OEven pleas to Queen Victoria fell on deaf ears and the opium trade continued

OThe drug trade in south-east Asia eventually led to open war between the British and the Chinese

Continued…O The Chinese were overmatched and

the British easily defeated them forcing an unfair treaty on the Chinese

The Treaty of Nanking

OThe Treaty of Nanking opened four more ports to British goods and allowed the British East India Company to extent their power into China

OWith China weakened the other countries of Europe soon carved out spheres of influence

OEven Japan took part in dividing up China

The Open Door Policy

OFearing that China would be carved into colonies the United States suggested the Open Door Policy

OThis guaranteed the trading rights of all nations in China and prevented the colonization of China

VideoO http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=alJaltUmrGo

AssignmentO Read pg. 573 – 581O Answer focus questions on pg. 573O Answer section review questions 1-5

on pg. 581