Consequences Flashcards
Intro - Argument Two: Fall of the Qing and Chinese nationalism
The first Opium War of 1839-1842 is a defining moment in Chinese history, a direct short term consequence of the war is the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing that would begin the Century of Humiliation for China
Intro 2 - Long Term Consequence
The Fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1912 is a long-term consequence of the war, rebellion and a growing sense of Chinese nationalism occurred after the war
Intro 3 - Chinese Nationalism
The fall of the Qing Dynasty was the most significant consequence of this war, it was the first steps towards modern China today, Chinese nationalism was important to affect revolutionary change and shows how important this event and this consequence was and still is today
Context 1 - Battles
The war was a series of military and naval battles between Qing and British, British seized key strategic ports, rivers and trading posts to cut the supply of Chinese resources
Context 2 - Yangtze
British targeted Yangtze river which was “like a throat, at which the whole situation of the country is determined,” Yilibu, viceroy of Nanking
Context 3 - British Technology
British Navy utilised superior ships and weapons to defeat Chinese in a devastating manner. 69 British casualties and 451 wounded, 20,000 – 25,000 Chinese casualties
Context 4 - Treaty of Nanking
August 1842 Qing officials had to submit to peace terms under the threat of gunboat diplomacy, signed the Treaty of Nanking, the first unequal treaty which signaled the start of the century of humiliation for China.
Short Term Consequence 1 - Nanjing Treaty
A direct consequence of the War is the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing on 29 August 1842, the first unequal treaty signed over the next century that would impact China’s economic and political power
Short Term Consequence 2 - Canton Trade System
Nanjing treaty abolished Canton trade system and opened 4 new trading ports and removed regulations designed to keep out foreign influence
Short Term Consequence 3 - Most Favoured Nation Status
Reparations were 21 million dollars which weakened the Qing economy, subsequent treaties by the British, USA and French further enhanced the foreign rights and granted these Western nations ‘most favoured Nation Status’ which removed China’s sovereignty
Short Term Consequence 4 - Treaty Significance
The Qing Dynasty failed to understand the significance of the Treaty of Nanjing, They did not realise that it would set a precedent for relations with other western nations in the 19th C
Short Term Consequence 5 - Unequal Treaties
21 unequal treaties imposed by Western powers between 1839-1933 under the threat of ‘gunboat diplomacy’, China’s failure to enforce treaty terms resulted in further conflict, including the Second Opium War 1856-60
Short Term Consequence 6 - Century of Humiliation
Treaty of Nanjing not only important for socio-economic impacts but also signaled beginning of ‘Century of Humiliation’ for China, a term used to define the period of Western Powers subduing China
Short Term Consequence 7 - Historical Narrative
Century of humiliation powerful historical narrative, unequal treaties play a central role showing the trauma of China’s colonial past. The political power of historical narratives to build national unity is demonstrated here
Short Term Consequence 8 - Present Day
The relationship between the past and present is needed to understand the Treaty of Nanjing and China’s perspective towards the West today. The current CCP political party uses the Century of Humiliation to justify China’s policies today
Short Term Consequence 9 - Declining Dynasty
Treaty era weakened the Qing Dynasty, but it can be argued the ultimate fall of the Qing is more important, unequal treaties after wars hastened the fall of the declining Qing empire. The Qing had lost the ‘mandate of heaven’ and revolution was inevitable after the wars.
Long Term Consequence 1 - Qing Dynasty
A long term consequence of the First Opium War is the fall of the Qing Dynasty. Pressure from the West after the war made the internal Chinese crisis worse. Rebellions and a growing sense of nationalism increased, leading to the 1911 Xinhai Revolution which signalled the fall of the Qing
Long Term Consequences 3 - Western Ideas
Western ideas spread through China, challenging traditional social structures and Confucian ideas. This caused rebellion amongst the peasants, affecting the Confucius order that had maintained loyalty to the Qing emperor
Long Term Consequence 2 - Qing Power
Peasant uprisings before the war were brutally suppressed by the Qing, after the war, the unequal treaties and large reparations weakened the Qing
Long Term Consequences 3 - Taiping Rebellion
An example of rebellion is the Taiping Rebellion of 1850 - 1864. Hong Xiuquan fought over inequalities, leading a revolt against the Qing dynasty and Manchu officials. This led to the deaths of 20 million people, and the Taiping rebels seized the city of Nanjing for a decade
Long Term Consequences 4 - Nationalism
80% of land was held by 10% of Manchu government officials which united the Han against the corruption of the Qing, which also prepared the Han to unite against Western influence
Long Term Consequences 5 - Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion of 1899 - 1901 was against Western influence and Christian missionaries, it saw the Qing lose their “Mandate of Heaven.”, the Manchu government were harsh to their own people, but went easy on foreign powers, which resulted in them being heavily punished for supporting the Boxer Protocol, further reducing their authority
Long Term Consequences 6 - Fall of Qing Dynasty
For the next decade nationalists staged further revolutions which ultimately lead to the 1911 Revolution. The fall of the Qing Dynasty is the most significant consequence of the first Opium War. These rebellions ended over 2000 years of dynastic rule and saw the rise of a new Nationalist Chinese Republic
Long Term Consequences 7 - Benjamin Schwartz
Benjamin Schwartz says the defeat by the British in 1842 represents a large shift in Chinese culture, from old culturalism to a new nationalism which ultimately led to the end of imperial China and the change to modern China
