Opium Wars Flashcards
What is gunboat diplomacy?
Pursuing foreign policy objectives with the aid of displays of naval power
Since when had there been regular trade between the Chinese and Europeans?
16th century since the arrival of the Portuguese
What happened in the 17th and 18th century?
Chinese goods like silk and porcelain became really popular in the West and very lucrative
What Chinese good was highly popular in Britain?
Tea
What was the issue of trading with China?
European merchants could not access the Chinese markets and were restricted to small merchants quarter outside the city of Canton
Only accepted payment in silver
Where were European merchants restricted to?
small merchants quarter outside the city of Canton
Who were the Cohong?
Chinese middle men, who handled trade and they were the only ones who were allowed to do this. They charged high prices in order to cover high taxes
What was the Chinese only trading with silver?
British were on Gold standard and had to purchase the silver which caused a trade deficit
What was the impact of British being on the Gold Standard?
Had to purchase silver in order to engage in Chinese trading and this caused a trade deficit
What happened by the late 18th century?
Increasing amounts of opium produced by the east India company were being shipped to China
How did the Chinese government try to stop the opium produced by the East India company entering China?
Banning it several times
How did the British bypass the Chinese when Opium was banned?
Smugglers and cooperative local authorities, who were eager to exploit the demand
By the 1830s, how many were addicted to opium?
12 million
What happened in December 1838?
Daoguang Emperor sent Lin Zexu to Canton to solve the problem
When did the Daoguang Emperor sent Lin Zexu to Canton to solve the problem?
December 1838
How did Lin Zexu try and solve the issue of opium?
Death penalty to anyone importing or possessing opium
Confiscated 1000 tons (worth £2 million) following a blockade. He then had the opium destroyed
What happened in May 1839
Lin Zexu had 1,000 tons of opium, that he captured through a blockade destroyed
When had Lin Zexu had 1,000 tons of opium, that he captured through a blockade destroyed?
May 1839
What did Charles Smith promise?
Merchants who had their opium destroyed by Lin Zexu would be compensated by the British government
Why did the British refuse to compensate the Merchants who lost their opium?
Thought that the Chinese should compensate them
Why did the British trade opium?
Produced by Indians and they would be able to receive silver
How did William Gladstone refer to the war?
‘Cover this country with permanent disgrace’
Who said the war would ‘Cover this country with permanent disgrace’?
William Gladstone
What did Parliament vote in April 1840?
Send a fleet to China carrying Britains demands
