The+Opium+War


 * The First Opium War ﻿ **



[|http://www.ibiblio.org] __Causes of the War: __ · China had an isolationist policy of non-interaction with foreign countries, which resulted in an imbalance of trade. · There was a growing want for the drug opium by Chinese citizens for the drug was illegal for purposes other than medical reasons. · The British East India Company illegally sold opium to the British Hong through a black market which consisted of companies in the Canton (Guangzhou) area.

With tensions rising, the British attempted to negotiate a compromise. However, Lin Ze-xu confiscated 11,000 pounds of opium and initially arrested 1,600 foreign merchants and accomplices which only led to violence. The British had superior technology such as steel-hulled ships and muskets in comparison to Chinese bows and arrows. Using these advances the British were able to defeat the Chinese.

__Results __: · The Chinese were forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing and other supplementary treaties. · The treaty forced China to open five ports in order to expand trade. · China had to cede the island of Hong Kong to Great Britain. · The Chinese government had to pay a total of $21 million in debt, war losses, and replace opium that was confiscated by Lin Ze-Xu. · A policy of extraterritoriality was also to be enforced in which Western merchants would have to abide by the rules of their mother country and not Chinese laws.

**The Second Opium War **



 [|http://history.cultural-china.com]

<span style="color: #7030a0; display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">After the First Opium War, the United States and other European powers attempted to renegotiate commercial treaties. On the other hand, Emperor Xianfeng refused. Tensions were once again renewed when the Chinese boarded the British ship “The Arrow". They took the people on the ship as prisoners, claiming that the ship was used in smuggling. As a result, the British called on their allies. The British then took over several forts in the Canton area and the Chinese soon gave in. The Treaty of Tianjin was signed which allowed foreigners to travel in China, reparations to be paid to Britain and France, and coastal lands were given to Russia.

<span style="display: block; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;">**__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 33.5pt;">Key Individuals and Places __**

__<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt;">Lin Tse Hsu: __ <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Lin Tse Hsu was a man known for a high degree of morality and integrity. He had come to be known as “Lin the clear sky”. This is why emperor Tao-Kuang entrusted him with taking care of the opium addiction problem that had plagued China for many years. <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">· Lin began at Canton where he set up treatment center and began to threaten death to opium smugglers <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">· In Canton, Lin met Captain Charles Elliot and made him surrender all his opium to the Chinese government. <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">· In total, Lin confiscated 21,603 chests of opium and disposed of it into the river. <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">· After sending an appeal to Queen Victoria, Lin suffered many battle losses, leading to him being exiled by the king.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt;">Captain Charles Elliot: __ <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Elliot was the Chief Superintendent of British trade. He oversaw the opium trade in Canton. <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">· Elliot viewed opium as a disgrace and sin, but yet he still prospered from it. <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">· He was given three days by Lin Tse Hsu to surrender all his opium. <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">· Eventually Elliot surrendered all his opium and left Canton. <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">· Due to his failure, he was fired as the Superintendent of British trade.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt;">Canton (Guangzhou): __ <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Canton is a city in China, where Commissioner Lin launched his anti drug campaign. Here opium sellers were threatened with death. Here, Lin confiscated over 20,000 chests of opium. He opened treatment centers for people already addicted to opium, and took over the local naval forces, establishing his headquarters there.

__<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt;">Kowloon: __ <span style="color: #7030a0; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 17pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">On July 12th, 1839, a Chinese villager was killed by a couple drunken British seamen. This sparked the naval battles that would lead to a humiliating loss for China.