European Imperialism in China

Why Was China Imperialized? China had many mineral resources Large Chinese population was a potential market to sell European products to Great demand for China’s porcelain, silk, & tea China had no sufficient military power China’s strong sense of pride & ethnocentrism increased its isolation from outside “barbarians” & prevented it from learning from other civilizations

The Chinese Chinese society was based on very traditional values (Confucius – order to society) The Chinese were ethnocentric - believed their ethnicity was the best

5 Confucius Relationships ruler  subject husband  wife father  son elder brother  younger brother friend = friend

The Economy China had a self-sufficient agricultural & mining economy Successfully fed 300 million people (good nutrition  population boom) Had raw materials that Europeans wanted: sugar, ginger, silk, porcelain, tea

Trade with Others What did Europe have that China wanted? NOTHING China remained isolated because they didn’t need European goods Their attitude was if China did not invent it, then China did not need it! Balance of trade was in China’s favor – they earned more for exports than they spent on imports from others

The British in China The British imported millions of pounds of tea from the Chinese Since they were loosing money, they wanted to find something that they could sell to China in great quantities OPIUM was the answer (a crop from India - their other colony)

Opium Trade Britain flooded China with opium 12 million addicted to smoking opium by 1835

Chinese Response Emperor was angry because the opium addiction caused social, moral & economic problems for the country Letter from emperor’s advisor to Queen Victoria: “By what right do they [British merchants]… use the poisonous drug [opium] to injure the Chinese people?... I have heard that the smoking of opium is very strictly forbidden by your country; that is because the harm caused by opium is clearly understood. Since it is not permitted to do harm to your own country, then even less should you let it be passed on to the harm of other countries.”

The Opium War 1839-1842 Chinese gov’t banned all trade in opium Chinese gov’t destroyed a stockpile of British opium at a warehouse in 1839 British responded by sending warships to China

The Opium War 1839-1842 Mostly fought at sea China’s outdated ships couldn’t compete against the British organization and steam-powered gunboats & cannons British defeated the Chinese

Treaty to end the Opium War Treaty of Nanjing 1842 Treaty to end the Opium War China forced to open 5 ports for trade and allow British merchants & gov’t officials to live in those port cities Gave Britain the island of Hong Kong returned to China in 1997 China had to pay for the destroyed opium Extraterritorial Rights - exemption from Chinese law in certain port cities

Spheres of Influence The Treaty of Nanjing was the 1st of what would be called the unequal treaties Other nations (France, Russia, Germany, & Japan) forced China to sign treaties granting them the same trading rights as Britain The treaties created spheres of influence - area in which a foreign nation controlled trade & investment

Spheres of Influence

Open Door Policy 1899 US was afraid that Europe would divide up China & that the American traders would be left out US declares the Open Door Policy – all foreign nations were to enjoy equal trading rights in China Policy protected American trading rights in China Policy protected China from official colonization

Keep in mind… European countries & the US never “take over” China, they just economically and politically dominate China

Causes of the Boxer Rebellion: Society of the Harmonious Fists (called Boxers) Causes of the Boxer Rebellion: China’s inability to defend itself against imperialism caused unrest Empress was thought of as corrupt & not helping to improve people’s lives Chinese resented special privileges granted to foreigners (extraterritorial rights) Many traditional Chinese people resented the Chinese Christians who were protected by foreign missionaries

Boxer Rebellion 1890 The Boxers’ Goal: to drive out foreigners from China Shouting “Death to the foreign devils,” they surrounded the European section of Beijing & held it under siege for several months A multinational force of 20,000 troops (British, French, German, Austria, Italy, Russia, Japan, & US) put down the rebellion Again, European superior weapons are to blame for the loss

How are the Boxer Rebellion & the Sepoy Mutiny similar? Connection… Question: How are the Boxer Rebellion & the Sepoy Mutiny similar? Answer: Both opposed European imperialism & wanted to end foreign domination of their country