1. European Imperialism in China

2. 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

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

4. 5 Confucius Relationships
ruler  subject
husband  wife
father  son
elder brother  younger brother
friend = friend

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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)

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

9. 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.”

10. 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

11. 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China’s outdated ships couldn’t compete against the British organization and steam-powered gunboats & cannons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

12. 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

13. 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

14. Spheres of Influence

15. 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

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

17. 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

19. 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

20. 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