Opium Wars: Great Britain vs. China

What caused the Wars?

Early 17th century England was rapidly growing a taste for tea which was imported from China

England however had nothing to trade with China ~ Quing dynasty made it illegal to pay for export goods in anything but silver

To solve the problem England turned India in to poppy fields which could be reaped for Opium for illegal sale to the Chinese

China’s Response

The Chinese dynasty was against opium consumption and had made it illegal to possess since 1729

In 1839 the Chinese Dynasty legislated that the import of opium would be punishable by death

~ by that time 2 million Chinese were users of Indian opium

Great Britain’s Response

British ignore China’s rules and elude China’s navy to sell it

When China began taking opium shipments, Queen Victoria sent in the Royal Navy to bomb Chinese ports and vessels

Let the Wars Begin1st opium war 1842 China signed the Treaty of Nanking

~ Chinese government pays Britain six million silver dollars for lost opium

~ Opium still illegal and black market trade grows

2nd opium war in 1856 lasted for two years and ended with the humiliating Treaty of Tientsin

~ legalized opium in China

Conclusions…

1.) Fall of the last Chinese dynasty and the rise of the Communist party

2.) China is broken into different spheres of influence

3.) Boxer Rebellion and Taiping Rebellion –attempts to rid China of foreign dominance

4.) By 1906, China was producing 35,000 tons of opium per year; 76% of global opium production

Opium War Documentary

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuMmvqB9mm0

Homework1.)

2.) China

India Britain1.) Summarize the picture and how it relates to Britain’s trade with China.2.) Explain how/why the Opium trade involve all 3 locations

Opium Wars