The Opium WarsThe Opium Wars

Dispute between Great Britain Dispute between Great Britain and Chinaand China

Growth of Opium TradeGrowth of Opium Trade

Europeans bought silk, tea, porcelain, and Europeans bought silk, tea, porcelain, and spices from Chinaspices from China

Chinese would only trade goods for silverChinese would only trade goods for silver

Drain on European financesDrain on European finances

Opium TradeOpium Trade

Opium manufactured in China since 15Opium manufactured in China since 15thth century for medical purposescentury for medical purposesOpium then mixed with tobacco so it could Opium then mixed with tobacco so it could be smokedbe smokedDutch were first to begin trade of opiumDutch were first to begin trade of opiumEnglish soon followedEnglish soon followedChinese government banned smoking and Chinese government banned smoking and trade of opium in 1729 due to health and trade of opium in 1729 due to health and social issuessocial issues

English East India CompanyEnglish East India Company

Held monopoly on production and export Held monopoly on production and export of opium in Indiaof opium in India

Peasant cultivators often coerced and paid Peasant cultivators often coerced and paid in advance for cultivation of poppiesin advance for cultivation of poppies

Sold in Calcutta for a profit of 400%Sold in Calcutta for a profit of 400%

East India CompanyEast India Company

Buy tea on credit in CantonBuy tea on credit in Canton

Sell opium at auctions in Calcutta, IndiaSell opium at auctions in Calcutta, India

Then it was smuggled into China through Then it was smuggled into China through India and BengalIndia and Bengal

1797 began direct trade of opium into 1797 began direct trade of opium into ChinaChina

Chinese government had hard time Chinese government had hard time controlling trade in Southcontrolling trade in South

Napier AffairNapier Affair

Lord Napier tried to circumvent the Canton Lord Napier tried to circumvent the Canton Trade laws to reinstitute East India’s Trade laws to reinstitute East India’s monopolymonopoly

Governor of Macao closed trade with Governor of Macao closed trade with Britain September 2, 1834Britain September 2, 1834

British resumed trade under old British resumed trade under old restrictionsrestrictions

First Opium War 1834 - 1843First Opium War 1834 - 1843

1838 Chinese instituted death penalty for 1838 Chinese instituted death penalty for native traffickers of opiumnative traffickers of opium

March 1839 – new commissioner to March 1839 – new commissioner to control opium trade – Lin Zexucontrol opium trade – Lin Zexu

Lin imposed embargo on Britain unless Lin imposed embargo on Britain unless they permanently ended the trade tradethey permanently ended the trade trade

First Opium WarFirst Opium War

March 27, 1839 – British Superintendent March 27, 1839 – British Superintendent of Trade – Charles Elliot demanded all of Trade – Charles Elliot demanded all British subjects turn over opium to himBritish subjects turn over opium to him

Opium amounting to a year’s worth of Opium amounting to a year’s worth of trade was given to Commissioner Lintrade was given to Commissioner Lin

Trade resumed with Britain and no drugs Trade resumed with Britain and no drugs were smuggledwere smuggled

First Opium WarFirst Opium War

Lin demanded British merchants to sign a Lin demanded British merchants to sign a bond promising not to deal opium under bond promising not to deal opium under penalty of deathpenalty of death

Lin disposed of the opium – dissolving it in Lin disposed of the opium – dissolving it in the oceanthe ocean

Did not realize the impact of this action!Did not realize the impact of this action!

First Opium WarFirst Opium War

British merchants and government British merchants and government regarded this as destruction of private regarded this as destruction of private propertyproperty

Responded by sending warships, soldiers, Responded by sending warships, soldiers, and the British India Army into China June and the British India Army into China June 18401840

Had superior military force – attacked Had superior military force – attacked coastal cities, defeated Qing forces easilycoastal cities, defeated Qing forces easily

End of the WarEnd of the War

British took Canton and sailed up the British took Canton and sailed up the Yangtze RiverYangtze River

Took Tax Barges, cut revenue of imperial Took Tax Barges, cut revenue of imperial court of Beijingcourt of Beijing

1842 Qing sued for peace1842 Qing sued for peace

Ended with Treaty of NanjingEnded with Treaty of Nanjing

Treaty of NanjingTreaty of Nanjing

Referred to as the Unequal Treaties – Referred to as the Unequal Treaties – accepted 1843accepted 1843

China China – Ceded Hong Kong to the BritishCeded Hong Kong to the British– Opened ports to British – Canton, Amoy, Opened ports to British – Canton, Amoy,

Fuzhou, Ningbo, ShanghaiFuzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai

Treaty of NanjingTreaty of Nanjing

Great Britain receivedGreat Britain received– 21 million ounces of silver21 million ounces of silver– Fixed tariffsFixed tariffs– Extraterritoriality for British citizens on Extraterritoriality for British citizens on

Chinese soilChinese soil– Most favored nation statusMost favored nation status– Allowed missionaries into interior of ChinaAllowed missionaries into interior of China– Allowed British merchants sphere of influence Allowed British merchants sphere of influence

in and around British portsin and around British ports

Treaty of NanjingTreaty of Nanjing

Unresolved IssuesUnresolved Issues– Status of opium trade with ChinaStatus of opium trade with China– Equivalent American treaty forbade opium Equivalent American treaty forbade opium

trade with Chinatrade with China– However, both Americans and British were However, both Americans and British were

subject only to the legal trade of their consulssubject only to the legal trade of their consuls

Second Opium War 1856 - 1860 Second Opium War 1856 - 1860

Also known as Arrow WarAlso known as Arrow War

Followed incident when Chinese bordered Followed incident when Chinese bordered British registered, Chinese owned ship – British registered, Chinese owned ship – the Arrowthe Arrow

Crew was accused of piracy and Crew was accused of piracy and smugglingsmuggling– Were arrestedWere arrested

Second Opium WarSecond Opium War

British claimed ship was flying British flag British claimed ship was flying British flag and was protected under the Treaty of and was protected under the Treaty of NanjingNanjing

War delayed by Taiping Rebellion and War delayed by Taiping Rebellion and Indian MutinyIndian Mutiny

British attacked Guangzhou one year laterBritish attacked Guangzhou one year later

Aided by allies of United States, Russia, Aided by allies of United States, Russia, and Franceand France

Second Opium WarSecond Opium War

Treaty of Tientsin was created in July Treaty of Tientsin was created in July 1858 – was not ratified by China until 2 1858 – was not ratified by China until 2 years lateryears laterHostilities broke out in 1859 when China Hostilities broke out in 1859 when China refused the establishment of British refused the establishment of British Embassy in BeijingEmbassy in BeijingFighting erupted in Hong Kong and BeijingFighting erupted in Hong Kong and Beijing– British burned the Summer and Old Summer British burned the Summer and Old Summer

Palace and looted the cityPalace and looted the city

Treaty of TientsinTreaty of Tientsin1860 ratified the treaty at the Convention of 1860 ratified the treaty at the Convention of PekingPeking– Britain, France, Russia and the United Britain, France, Russia and the United

States would have the right to station States would have the right to station delegations in Beijing (a closed city at the delegations in Beijing (a closed city at the time) time)

– Ten more Chinese ports would be opened Ten more Chinese ports would be opened for foreign trade, including Niuzhuang, for foreign trade, including Niuzhuang, Danshui, Hankou and Nanjing Danshui, Hankou and Nanjing

– The right of foreign vessels including The right of foreign vessels including warships to navigate freely on the Yangtze warships to navigate freely on the Yangtze RiverRiver

Treaty of TientsinTreaty of Tientsin– The right of foreigners to travel in the The right of foreigners to travel in the

internal regions of China for the purpose of internal regions of China for the purpose of travel, trade or missionary activities travel, trade or missionary activities

– China was to pay an indemnity to Britain China was to pay an indemnity to Britain and France in 2 million taels of silver and France in 2 million taels of silver respectively, and compensation to British respectively, and compensation to British merchants in 2 million taels of silver. merchants in 2 million taels of silver.

– The Chinese are to be banned from The Chinese are to be banned from referring to Westerners by the character "yi" referring to Westerners by the character "yi" (barbarian). (barbarian).

– Legalized the import of OpiumLegalized the import of Opium