1. Guiding Question: Why was western imperialism in China so successful?

3. Before Imperialism One of the oldest countries in the world
Strong pride of their ancient culture
Population of 300 million
Self-sufficient:
Agricultural economy: rice, maize, sweet potatoes
Mining: salt, silver, iron
Manufacturing: silks, cottons, porcelain

4. Chinese Culture

5. Resisting Foreign Influence
Looked down on all foreigners
Cut off from Western world  preserve culture
Opened 1 port for trading w/ West
“Qing’s had everything they needed”

7. Trade Issue Chinese had many trade restrictions
China benefited: exported more than it imported
British suffered: bought more than they sold
British needed a product to sell China that would make a profit

8. Opium War
Late 1700’s British used opium, rather than silver, to trade with Chinese
Opium- highly addictive drug made from poppy plant
By 1835 – 12 million Chinese addicted to drug

9. Opium War Cont’… Chinese made opium illegal to protect ppl & economy
British refused to stop trading opium
Letter from Qing Emperor’s advisers to England Queen Victoria about problem (1839):
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 strictly forbidden by your country; that is because the harm cause 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 harm of other countries.

10. Opium War Cont’… 1839: GB fought to keep trade open with China
Battles took place mostly at sea
British superior military & industrial strength quickly led to victory

11. Unequal Treaty Treaty of Nanjing (1842) forced China to:
Pay for GB war expenses
Open more ports for GB trade
Give GB island of Hong Kong
British expanded sphere of influence: built road, railroads, factories
Chinese resented foreign citizen’s presence

12. Results of Imperialism
Internal problems emerged:
Population explosion (430 million by 1850)
Millions starved
Opium addiction increased
Corruption in govt. – could bribe your way in
Tax increase on peasants

13. Taiping Rebellion (1850-64) Chinese ppl rebelled vs. Qing Dynasty
Army of 1 million ppl fought to over throw Qing’s & push out British & French
Taiping  Great Peace
Imperial troops, militia, British & French crushed rebellion

14. Taiping Rebellion

15. Minor Reform by Govt.
Pressure from ppl & foreign countries forced China to consider modern ways
Chinese govt. clung to traditional ways
Empress Ci Xi made some changes:
Updated education & military
Built arsenals to produce steam powered boats, rifles, & ammunition

16. Other Nations Step In
Foreign countries took advantage of China’s weak military, economic, & political problems
Began developing spheres of influence to build up trade

18. Hundred Days of Reform
Chinese were humiliated by loss of power  pressure for stronger reforms
“Hundred Days of Reform”
Some govt. officials planned to:
Adopt Public School System
Create elected assemblies
Improve banks & military
Empress found out, reversed reforms, executed leaders behind movement

19. Boxer Rebellion (1900) Chinese frustrated with presence of foreigners
Workers & peasants formed a secret org.  Boxers
Boxers attacked foreign communities across China
Foreign forces defeated the rebellion quickly

20. Boxer Rebellion Cont’…
Results
Despite failure, sense of nationalism emerged
Desire to resist more foreign influence grew

21. Reform Qing dynasty realized China needed to make changes to survive
1905: Empress sent a group of officials to tour the world to study different govt’s
1908: Development of a Constitutional Monarchy emerged

22. Reforms Cont’… 5,000 years of China’s dynastic rule came to an end
Further westernization ideas emerged
Today China is one of the strongest countries in the world
Present Day Canton

23. How does this cartoon
reflect China &
imperialism?

24. Guiding Question: Why was western imperialism of China so successful?
Imperialism in China
Guiding Question:
Why was western imperialism of China so successful?