The First Opium War Flashcards
(40 cards)
Describe the significance of the First Opium War in Chinese history.
The First Opium War marked the beginning of the ‘Century of Humiliation’ and the decline of Qing sovereignty, leading to foreign domination over Chinese trade, territory, and justice.
Explain the trade imbalance that contributed to the First Opium War.
Britain faced a chronic trade deficit with China due to high demand for Chinese goods like tea, silk, and porcelain, while China insisted on payment in silver and rejected most British products.
Define the role of opium in the trade dynamics between Britain and China.
Britain exported opium from India to China to balance trade, leading to over 10 million addicts in China and reversing the trade imbalance, causing silver to flow out of China.
How did the Qing government respond to the opium crisis before the war?
The Qing government viewed opium as a moral evil and a threat to the economy, banning it in 1729 and enforcing further laws in 1799 and 1813, but enforcement was weak.
Describe the restrictions imposed by the Canton System on foreign trade.
The Canton System limited foreign trade to Canton (Guangzhou) through licensed cohong merchants, prohibiting foreigners from learning Chinese, bringing families or warships, and interacting freely with Chinese subjects.
Explain the cultural misunderstandings that fueled tensions leading to the First Opium War.
The Qing ideology viewed China as the ‘Middle Kingdom’ and other powers as tributary states, leading to British demands for equal diplomacy being perceived as barbaric arrogance.
What was the immediate trigger for the First Opium War in 1839?
The immediate trigger was Lin Zexu’s Anti-Opium Campaign, where he was appointed as Imperial Commissioner by the emperor to address the opium crisis.
Discuss the impact of the Treaty of Nanjing following the First Opium War.
The Treaty of Nanjing was the first of the ‘Unequal Treaties,’ which established foreign dominance over Chinese trade, territory, and justice, significantly weakening Qing sovereignty.
Identify the British economic interests that led to the First Opium War.
British economic interests included the desire to rectify the trade deficit with China by exporting opium, which became a lucrative trade despite its detrimental effects on Chinese society.
Describe the actions taken by Lin Zexu upon his arrival in Canton.
Lin Zexu imposed a blockade on British factories and demanded the surrender of opium stocks, leading to the seizure and public destruction of over 20,000 chests of opium.
Explain the significance of Lin Zexu’s letter to Queen Victoria.
Lin wrote a famous letter appealing to morality regarding the opium trade, but it was never answered, highlighting the lack of diplomatic communication.
Define the term ‘casus belli’ in the context of the Opium War.
Casus belli refers to an act that justifies war; in this case, Britain used the destruction of opium by Lin Zexu as a justification for military action.
How did British traders respond to Lin Zexu’s blockade in Canton?
British traders temporarily relocated to Macao and then sailed to Hong Kong to avoid the blockade.
Explain the outcome of the Convention of Chuenpi signed in 1841.
The Convention of Chuenpi included the British occupation of Hong Kong, but it was rejected by Emperor Daoguang, leading to further conflict.
Describe the military advantages that the British had during the Opium War.
The British had a superior navy and modern weaponry, such as iron-hulled ships and Congreve rockets, which overwhelmed Chinese forces.
What were the main terms of the Treaty of Nanjing signed in 1842?
The Treaty of Nanjing opened five treaty ports to British trade, ceded Hong Kong to Britain, imposed a £21 million indemnity on China, abolished the cohong system, established extraterritoriality, and granted Britain Most Favoured Nation status.
Identify the key individual leading the anti-opium campaign during the Opium War.
Lin Zexu was the Imperial Commissioner and the leading figure in the anti-opium campaign.
Do you know the year when the Treaty of Nanjing was signed?
The Treaty of Nanjing was signed in August 1842.
Describe the role of Emperor Daoguang during the Qing dynasty.
Emperor Daoguang was a weak and indecisive ruler (r. 1820-1850) who failed to coordinate resistance or reform the military, worsening the crisis due to his reluctance to make concessions.
Explain the significance of the Treaty of Nanjing.
The Treaty of Nanjing marked the end of the First Opium War, resulting in significant territorial concessions for Britain, fixed tariff rates, and missionary access, setting a precedent for further ‘Unequal Treaties’ with Western powers.
Define the term ‘Unequal Treaties’ in the context of Qing China.
Unequal Treaties refer to agreements imposed on China by Western powers that favored foreign interests, stripping the Qing government of control over trade, laws, and territory.
How did the First Opium War impact the Qing dynasty’s legitimacy?
The war exposed the military backwardness and administrative incompetence of the Qing, leading to a loss of legitimacy for the emperor and the Confucian elite.
Do the consequences of the First Opium War include economic impacts?
Yes, the war resulted in massive indemnity payments that burdened the Qing treasury, continued opium trade, and increased silver outflow, contributing to monetary instability and inflation.
Explain the social consequences of the First Opium War in China.
The war led to a rise in anti-foreign sentiment and missionary activity in port cities, increased urban unrest due to foreign presence, and a loss of support for the Qing court among the literati and peasantry.
