What Are The Causes And Effects Of The First Opium War?
The opening of modern international trade in China can be traced back to the Opium War of 1839-42, and the subsequent international treaties that afforded some of the largest global powers of that time with access to China’s economy, weakening the Qing Dynasty and forcing China to trade with other parts of the world. As discussed in class, these trade negotiations also led to concessions that shaped world trade up to the current day. In order to understand this statement, a review of the causes and effects of the First Opium War is necessary. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Great Britain in particular developed a keen interest in Chinese goods, but a trade imbalance existed: "Western traders…had long sought a variety of Chinese products
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Zexu would force merchants to hand over their opium and he would not give them compensation in return. Zexu also tried to write a letter to Parliament to convince them to stop the processing and manufacturing of the drug, and highlighting that it was also allegedly banned in England. They did not pay heed to his demands, which exasperated him. In response to this, Zexu attempted to halt foreign trade. He blockaded foreign workers in Cantonese factories, and British citizens had to find ways to smuggle food to the workers. Finally, the British handed over the opium they were producing, and Zexu publicly destroyed all of it. After these events transpired, Zexu wrote the Emperor saying that the British should have the decency to feel heartily …show more content…
A series of skirmishes took place between the two parties, and meanwhile Britian continued to discuss hwo to respond to Chinese crackdown on opium trade. In the end, the British took a belligerent approach and attacked Chinese ports and vessels throughout the years of the First Opium War. This resulted in a swift defeat of Chinese forces by the advanced firepower and technologically advanced weaponry of British forces. To end the war, an unequal treaty was signed by China which ceded Hong Kong to Britian, forced China to pay tribute to Britain, and established the treaty port system—in which five ports were opened to foreign trade and foreign embassies were established in
Zexu would force merchants to hand over their opium and he would not give them compensation in return. Zexu also tried to write a letter to Parliament to convince them to stop the processing and manufacturing of the drug, and highlighting that it was also allegedly banned in England. They did not pay heed to his demands, which exasperated him. In response to this, Zexu attempted to halt foreign trade. He blockaded foreign workers in Cantonese factories, and British citizens had to find ways to smuggle food to the workers. Finally, the British handed over the opium they were producing, and Zexu publicly destroyed all of it. After these events transpired, Zexu wrote the Emperor saying that the British should have the decency to feel heartily …show more content…
A series of skirmishes took place between the two parties, and meanwhile Britian continued to discuss hwo to respond to Chinese crackdown on opium trade. In the end, the British took a belligerent approach and attacked Chinese ports and vessels throughout the years of the First Opium War. This resulted in a swift defeat of Chinese forces by the advanced firepower and technologically advanced weaponry of British forces. To end the war, an unequal treaty was signed by China which ceded Hong Kong to Britian, forced China to pay tribute to Britain, and established the treaty port system—in which five ports were opened to foreign trade and foreign embassies were established in