Imperialism and China
China
In the 1790’s China was not interested in
western influence.
 China refused western technology.
 China was self-sufficient.
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Good agriculture
 Extensive mining and manufacturing
 Finely produced goods
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 Porcelain,
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cottons, and silk
China wanted to remain isolated
China
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The Chinese did allow the rest
of the world (Europe) to trade in
one port city (Canton)
The Chinese had strict
guidelines on what could be
bought and sold in Canton
Europeans powers (The British)
saw China as a place of vast
wealth (Raw materials and
markets)
Soon not only were British trade
ships sailing into Canton harbor
but also British warships
The British were going to open
up trade one way or another
The Opium Wars
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The British had to find
something that the Chinese
wanted.
In the late 18th century the
British stated importing
opium from India.
By 1836 Britain was making
16 million dollars off the sale
of opium to China.
Opium Wars
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Opium is highly addictive and by 1836 about 12 million
people were addicted to the drug.
The drug caused moral and social problems in China.
The Chinese government tried to outlaw the sale of
opium.
When Britain refused China seized the opium in
Canton in 1839
The British became angry that the Chinese had taken
their goods and both countries went to war
Opium Wars
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The wars lasted from 1839 to
1841.
The British won easily because
of their military and naval
power.
Britain forced China to harsh
treaties.
The treaties were seen as the
“unequal treaties”
The British were now given
rights to trade anywhere in
China
And the right to create more
opium addicts
Opium Wars
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Treaty of Nanjing
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Britain forced China to
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Pay for all war cost.
Open all ports to British
trade.
Give Britain the island of
Hong Kong.
British citizens living in
China lived under British
law and not Chinese law.
Opium Wars
The Chinese resented the British.
 The opium trade continued.
 Britain now had a sphere of influence in China.
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The Taiping Rebellion
By 1850 China’s population had grown by 30%
however food production had dropped off.
 The people of China were starving.
 The Chinese Government had become corrupt.
 Many were upset at the lack of morals and the
opium addiction in China.
 The population began to rebel against the ruling
Quig Dynasty.
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China
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Hong Xiuguan
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Believed that his own
personal vision of
Christianity would save
China.
Believed if the people
followed him all would
share in China’s wealth.
Taiping = Great Peace
China
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Hong’s army was made up of most peasants.
By 1853 he controlled the city of Nanjing and later
large areas of southern China.
Finally in 1864 the French and British armies put down
the rebellion.
At least 20 million people were killed.
Large amounts of farm land were destroyed.
The rebellion weakened China and the Chinese
government.
China
By the 1870’s China had
 a weak military.
 a government that was seen as corrupt and
unable to rule.
 Lacked technology to keep up with western
nations now trading with China.
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American Intervention
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The U.S. was trading with
China.
The U.S. was worried that
western powers would cut up
China like Africa.
If this happened there would be
restrictions on trade.
The U.S. started the Open Door
Policy.
China should be open to trading
by all countries in the world.
It kept China from being
colonized and gave the U.S.
rights to trade with China.
Boxer Rebellion
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Some Chinese became upset
with foreign intervention in
China.
Poor Chinese resented
special privileges given to
foreigners.
Many Chinese disliked
Christian Chinese.
Many felt that the ruling
Empress Dowager needed to
be removed from power
Boxer Rebellion
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A society called the
Boxers began to call for
reforms in China.
In 1900 in Perking
Shouting “Death to
foreign devils” Boxers
began to attack
foreigners.
Boxer Rebellion
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The Boxer rebellion
which began in the
spring of 1900 ended in
August 1900 when a
combined army of
American, Japanese,
Germans, Italians, and
British put down the
revolt.
China’s Needs
While the Boxer rebellion was a failure it did
spark nationalism in China.
 China needed to resist foreign intervention
 The Chinese government needed to protect the
needs of Chinese and not foreign governments.
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China’s Needs
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Sun Yixian a Chinese nationalist called for the
replacement of the Qing dynasty
Sun Yixian wanted three things.
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End to foreign domination
A representative government
Economic security for the Chinese people.
In 1911 workers, peasants, students and warlords
overthrew the monarchy and China became a republic.
How Imperialism in China and India
Were Different
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India
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Britain had established India as
a colony and had complete
control of India
The British were able to direct
their laws, customs and beliefs
onto the Indian people
When India wants its
independence the people
directs their movement against
the British
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China
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Britain controlled trade in
China but after a time other
countries also controlled trade
in China
China was able to maintain its
government (Manchu) even
thought it was corrupt
When China wants its
independence the people direct
their movement against the
Chinese government and not
the foreign powers