Lord Palmerston's Declaration Of War: The First Opium War

By 1839, war was imminent. The opium trade had caused the reversal of the silver deficit, now putting an economic strain on China, while Britain’s economy flourished from the profit they were making off the drug. Because it was being illegally imported, all of the money was going directly to Britain instead of to the Chinese government in the form of taxes. This caused a severe economic decline in China as unemployment rose, agriculture declined, and funding for public improvements diminished.

Over the period of 1792 to 1990, England and China's relationship drastically changed because of the trading of opium. China didn’t want to trade opium, but it would mess up England's economy if they were no longer trading opium. China also started to feel the need to westernize, unlike before. China’s need for westernization released tension between the two powers, causing a change in their relationship. China and England's relationship was continous from trade. Even though it was unbalanced in the beginning, it was never cut off. During this time period, in other parts of the world, industrialization was starting to take place. England was one of the leading countries in this age of Industrialization. England used their advanced technology

The Opium War was a major part of China’s history. There were many economic issues, (the high cost of importing opium), political issues (disobedience of Chinese ban on opium imports) and consequences of the British victory (Britain’s greater power over China) that precipitated the Opium war, but the British victory had the greatest impact on China because the extension of British power reduced China’s autonomy and made them more dependent on Europe. The high cost of importing opium had major consequences that weakened the Chinese economy and was a leading cause for the Opium War. Document A is a record of the British Imports and Exports at the Port of Canton.

During the 19th century, China transformed from a prosperous economic center to a weakened country in a system controlled by Great Britain, largely due to the opium trade. Prior to Europe’s industrial revolution in 1800, China had little need for products from other countries, and participated sparingly in world trade, while Europe borrowed China’s ideas and inventions to gain a financial foothold. But in the 19th century Britain introduced opium into the Chinese market, setting off a chain of events that lead to the Opium Wars, which along with the opium trade sapped China’s economic strength. Nevertheless, she persisted, and in 1907 China passed a law that blocked the opium trade once and for all and took out Britain’s system of power within

The relationship between China and Britain during the Qing dynasty centered around trade had often be violent. China traded with many foreign countries which often caused problems when such countries intruded on the agreements of trade. One such country was Britain during those times. The Opium wars were a result of the illegal exporting of opium between Britain and China. The imperial government of China often responded to encroachments of the trading agreements of opium by attempting to create bans. China also responded by the emperor writing to King George III. These are a few aspects of the trading that occurred between China and Britain throughout the Qing dynasty.

British dominance over China- it led to the ultimate collapse of the centuries-old Qing Dynasty, and more than two millennia of dynastic rule. It convinced China that it had to modernize and industrialize. Chinese Economic Hardships-   However, the most important reason for Chinese immigration was economic hardship due to the growing British dominance over China in the Opium War of 1839-1842 caused financial problems as well as starved the citizens Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century-

Also, citizens became addicted, and the drug eventually killed thousands of people. China’s actions angered Britain politicians even though opium was illegal in Britain as well. But was a result, war started between the two countries. In 1842, the treaty of Nanking ended the war. It was the first unequal treaty with Britain and it said that Chinese had to give up Hong Kong to Britain for ninty-nine years, the British would live in China by extraterritoriality at four ports, distribution of opium would continue and Christain missionaries will be set up throughout China. When China couldn’t meet the ridiculous requirements of the treaty, the second Opium War began in 1956. As a result, Britain won again by the Treaty of Tientsin. The treaty asked to open more ports to outer nations, let foreign leaders into the capital Beijing, and legalized the distribution and use of opium. Their situation was dangerously bad.

The Chinese sold many things that European markets were interested in. The British, observing the demand for opium in China, both for legitimate reasons, and by addicts, grew and sold large amounts of opium, and sold it to intermediaries for silver that would eventually sell it on to the Chinese. The balance of trade being upset, and the concern over the growing number of Chinese opium addicts, led the Chinese government to impound foreign ships, destroy cargos, and arrest merchants. Basically suppressing the trade. The British did not like China's decisions. Therefore the British responded violently, they had a couple of bloody battles, the British won numerous times , dominating Chinese armies. China tried fighting back but it made things worse. Another major event that occurred in the Opium wars is the Treaty of Nanjing. This treaty is a big event because it gave Britain a lot of advantages, like the Chinese giving full control of Hong Kong to Britain. Also giving Britain more ports where they could trade Opium, the last thing that the British was given by the Chinese in accordance to the treaty was money. This basically showed that the British won the first Opium war, due to all the privileges the British gained from the Chinese’s peace

Finally, deeply rooted tensions between Britain and China began to come to the surface as the Chinese attempted to crack down on opium use and trade within its borders.

The Opium Wars were a series of three wars between the Chinese and the British; primarily fought in regard to the illegal trade of opium in China during the 19th century. They manifested the conflicting natures of both nations and demonstrated China’s misconceptions of its own superiority. The Opium Wars resulted in the humiliating defeat of the Chinese to a country they considered to be “barbarians”.

This war was a direct result of China’s trade policies with the west. The British didn’t like chinese trade laws and refused to cooperate with the Chinese officials. In each of the wars that took place the foreign countries were victorious and won commercial privileges. Because of china being defeated in these wars its rulers were forced to sign treaties that opened many of the ports to foreign trade. “China was filed with opium which caused the price to drop, and the consumption of the locals to rise” (The Opium Wars: From Both Sides Now).

In the 19th Century British planned to invade China for economic reasons. It had no motives to conquer the state rather entice it to accept a free trade. The country was rich in tea which was in high demand not only in Britain but all over the world. China also had porcelain and silk which the Britons envied. The intruders did not have enough silver to buy the commodities thus opted for a barter system. Consequently, a war between the two states occurred. It was fought between 1848 and 1852 with China becoming unsuccessful due advanced military competence of Britons. The signing of an agreement between them then followed, and British was additionally awarded extraterritorial rights by China. However, the imperialism in China was a positive thing to the natives because it introduced trade and much education in the region which opened up opportunities.

The Opium War was a war fought by two countries Great Britain and china in 1839. The war was fought over the drug opium which was used by the Chinese for hundreds of year to relieve pain. opium is a habit forming narcotic made from the poppy plant. In the late 1700’s the British was smuggling the drug into China for non-medical use. The navies of the two countries mostly fought the battles of the opium war at sea. Within three years the Chinese’s old ships were simply no matches for the brand new British ships. In 1843 the Chinese and the British signed the treaty of Nanjing. This treaty gave the British the island of Hong Kong. In 1844 the United States of America and other countries gained extraterritorial rights. Which this

Even so, the Chinese were delaying their part of the treaty. In all actuality, I think that they were trying to avoid dealing with the treaty at all costs. At this point in time, Great Britain was growing impatient with all of the delays and excuses being given. In 1856, the British decided to ally with France to teach China another "lesson". Thus, the second opium war began. With all things considered, nothing relatively important happened during this war. Just a few squabbles here and there. But that is beside the point. By the end of the war, Britain and France pretty much had China Under its thumb. But how did the two little countries take over China? They took over Beijing, the imperial capitol. This is where the convention of Beijing was held. (given the name, kind of obvious, huh?) In all actuality, this little document just legalized the trade of opium. The document was signed October 24, 1860, thus ending the second and all future opium wars. After this entire fiasco, China finally opened up to global trade. The problem with that was outside powers had more influence on China than it had on itself. Their economy was suffering

The demand of Chinese good, especially tea, porcelain and silk in the European market in seventeenth and eighteenth century (M&L, 150) created an unbalanced trade and further leads to the Opium War from 1839 to 1842. The treaty of Nanjing in 1842 concluded with terms highly favorable to Britain: “opening of five ports to trade”, fixed tariff and large indemnity (Morton and Lewis, 154). Opium War not only represents the forced opening of Chinese market to foreign power, but also represents a series of wars and unequal treaties such as the second Opium war and Treaty of Tianjin, which aims to further open China, expand trade and guarantee some rights of foreigners in Chinese territory such as the right to ownership of land (M&L,