Imperialism in China

1
Imperialism in China
2
Trade

• Chinese rulers restricted foreign trade
• Trade surplusexported more than imported
• Late 1700s British merchants made huge profits
  by trading Indian Opium for Chinese tea

3
Leading to the Opium War

• Trade caused many Chinese to become addicted to
  opium
• Such a high demand for opium disrupted the
  economy
• Chinese government outlawed opium and executed
  drug dealers
• Called on British to stop the trade, but the
  British refused

4
The Opium War

• 1839 Chinese warships fought with British
  merchant ships, starting the war
• British had superior military technology, easily
  defeated the Chinese

5
Treaty of Nanjing

• 1842 Britain made China sign
• Britain received huge indemnity (payment for
  losses in the war)
• British gained island of Hong Kong
• China had to open 5 ports to foreign trade and
  grant British citizens in China
  extraterritoriality
• Extraterritoriality right to live under their
  own law and tried in their own courts

6
Internal Issues

• By 1800s Qing dynasty was in decline
• Irrigation systems crumbling
• Overpopulation
• Tax burdens, corrupt government

7
Taiping Rebellion

• Peasants rebelled from 1850-1864
• Most devastating peasant revolt in history
• Led by a village schoolteacher Hong Xiuquan
• Hong had visions inspired by Christian teachings
  endorsed social ideas that Chinese leaders viewed
  as radical
• Called for an end of the Qing dynasty
• Rebels held out for 14 years but were crushed in
  the end

8
Effects

• Almost toppled Qing dynasty
• 20 million-30 million died
• Dynasty had to share power with regional
  commanders
• Russia seized land in Northern China

9
China Tries Reform

• To westernize, or not to westernize?
• Conservative, isolationist government
• 1860s reformers try self-strengthening
  movement imported western technology, set up
  factories, shipyards, railroads, mining, etc.
• Limited progress because the government was not
  behind it

10
War with Japan

• Japan moved rapidly ahead and began to modernize
  after 1868 and joined western imperialists in the
  competition for a global empire
• 1894, pressure on China leads to Sino-Japanese
  war Japan wins
• Japan gains Taiwan
• At peace table, Japanese dressed in western
  clothes, Chinese in traditional robes

11
Exploiting the Weakened China

• Western powers carved out spheres of influence
  along Chinas coast
• 1899 Open Door Policy keep Chinese trade open
  to everyone on an equal basis
• Chinese were not consulted about policy
• China tries 100 days of reform to gain strength
  tries westernizing but conservatives rebelled
  against it and regained control

12
The Fall of the Qing Dynasty

• China in turmoil angry at Christian
  missionaries, and foreigners protected by
  extraterritoriality
• Anti-foreign feeling led to Boxer Rebellion

13
Boxer Rebellion

• Secret Society Righteous Harmonius Fists
  (westerners called them boxers)
• Goal of boxers was to drive out foreigners
• 1900 attacked foreigners across China
• Western powers and Japan organized a
  multinational force and crushed the Boxers

14
Effects

• China had to make concessions to westerners
• Defeat forced Chinese conservatives to support
  westernization
• China expanded economically also

15
Three Principles of the People

• Sun Yixian Organized Revolutionary Alliance with
  goal to rebuild China on 3 principles of the
  People
• Nationalism, free China from foreign domination
• Democracy representative government
• Livelihood economic security for all Chinese