The First Opium War (1839-1842) was fought between Britain and China over issues including trade, opium imports, and diplomatic relations. Britain attacked Chinese ports to force acceptance of opium imports into China after Chinese officials seized opium from British traders. The Treaty of Nanking in 1842 ended the war, opening more Chinese ports to British trade but not fully resolving disputes, leading to the Second Opium War years later.
This powerpoint accompanies the article "Bringing it to the People, Lessons from the Great Depression" about what museums did during the 1930s economic crisis. http://www.aam-us.org/pubs/mn/depression.cfm
This is a brief history of Hongkong since Britain took over in 1841. After the first five years, Hongkong grew rapidly. An urban centre was developed in Central on the Hongkong Island. Trading with China was shifted from Canton to Hongkong. Chinese traders came to Hongkong to sell or buy and often settled in Hongkong. By 1870, the important of the ethnic Chinese community as an integral part of Hongkong was recognized. In the 20th Century the important of Hongkong to China as a cultural and political centre became even more evidence. In the 20th century, China was in fermentation. In every unrests or crises in China, refugees flooded into Hongkong. Hongkong took in millions of Chinese and provided them as a home and their livelihood.
In the 1980s when Deng Xiaoping began his policy of modernized the Chinese economy. He acknowledged the importance of Hongkong by created the hi-tech city of Shenzhen on the border with Hongkong. In the mid-1980s Britain negotiated with China, the returning of Hongkong in 1997. In the agreement, China agreed that Hongkong will keep it autonomy for 50 years and Deng Xiaoping also said that, if needed Hongkong can have another 50 years after that. It is now history.
The Opium Wars were fought in a period when Imperialism was in its full swing. . But to most Chinese the Opium War is associated with the ‘Unequal Treaty’. It was a period in which China was bullied by the West. It became a reason to drum up patriotism and nationalism in China. In history, it is much more complex and less clear cut. The West also suffered from the addiction of opium. Many opium dealers in the West were Chinese. China declined, in the 19C was mainly due government mismanagement and the corruption of the Qing officials. By the end of the 19C, it was the Chinese themselves who took over the cultivation, production and distributions of opium. Opium had become a vital part of the Chinese economy. The aim of the slideshow is to show the complexity opium addictions, in the age of Imperialism.
2. By Robert Musson 5T
Bibliography: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Opium_War
THE OPIUM WARS 1839-1842
3. (THE FIRST OPIUM WAR)
•The first war between England and China, known
popularly as the Opium War, was fought between
the United Kingdom and the Qing dynasty of China
caused by conflicting viewpoints on diplomatic
relations, trade, and the administration of justice.
Qing Dynasty Flag
British troops in the Battle of Amoy, 1841
4. • The illegal selling of opium from
England(product from India) to China was
an important source of wealth as the drug
had caused wide spread addiction causing
social and economic disruption in the
country.
5. • . Chinese officials wished to control the
spread of opium and took many supplies of
opium from British traders. The British
government, although not officially denying
China's right to control imports and used its
military power to bully the Chinese to
submission. China was not prepared for the
war and greatly underestimated the enemy.
6. 1ST OPIUM WAR
BIBLIOGRAPHY: HTTP://WWW.WARTIMESINDEX.CO.UK/CHINESE-WARS
• The British led by Rear Admiral George Elliot with 16 manned
warships arrived at Hong Kong in June 1840 to force the Chinese
to accept the demands of re-instating opium imports and further
trading privileges. No agreement was reached, so Canton was
attacked in May 1841, which led to further peace negotiations.
Again these were unsuccessful and so war continued in August
1841 with the British forces campaigning northward capturing the
ports of Amoy (Xiamen), Ting-hai and Ning-po (Ningbo). By May
1842, after the winter lull in hostilities, the British force had sailed
up the Yangtze River seizing the important cities of Shanghai and
Wu-shung (Wuxi). Finally, on 29th August 1842, peace was
restored with the Chinese signing the Treaty of Nanking.
7. • In 1842, the Treaty of Nanking granted a sum of
money to Britain, the opening of five ports, thereby
ending the Canton System(where China could
control trade within its own country). The failure of
the treaty to satisfy British goals of improved trade
and diplomatic relations led to the Second Opium
War (1856–60). The war is now considered in China
as the beginning of modern Chinese history.