China and the New Imperialism Aim: How did the Europeans establish spheres of influence in China?

Trade Issue China sold the Europeans silk, porcelain, and tea in exchange for gold and silver China enjoyed a trade surplus, selling more than it bought Westerners had a trade deficit, buying more from the Chinese than they sold to them This made westerners mad!

Opium Grips China During the 1700s, British merchants introduced Indian opium to China The opium was traded for Chinese tea Many Chinese citizens became addicted to the drug, money flowed out of China to pay for opium This disrupted the Chinese economy and depleted the Chinese treasury

The Opium War The Chinese government outlawed opium and executed drug dealers They called on Britain to stop the opium trade The British refused , calling for free trade British gunboats bombarded Chinese coastal and river ports The British used their superior weapons and tactics to defeat Chinese forces and continued to trade opium

Unequal Treaties In 1842, the British made the Chinese accept the Treaty of Nanjing Britain received payment for losses in the war The British gained the island of Hong Kong China had to open five ports to foreign trade British citizens were granted extraterritoriality, the right to live under their own laws and be tried in their own courts

The Taiping Rebellion Peasants tried to overthrow the government Failed but weakened the government China tries to modernize but loses the Sino-Japanese war and is humiliated

Hundred Days of Reform In 1898, emperor Guang Xu launched the Hundred Days of Reform The movement was aimed at modernizing China Changes impacted schools, the military, and cities People in China still upset about Western influence in their country

Boxer Uprising In 1899, the situation exploded A secret organization, the Righteous Harmonious Fists, wanted to expel all foreigners from China In 1900, the Boxers attacked foreigners across China The western powers and Japan sent in troops to put down the uprising

Aftermath China had to make more concessions to the western powers After the rebellion, even conservatives saw the need for modernization to kick out the foreigners It took until 1911 to finally have complete control of their own country. This set the stage for westerners to force trade with Japan….