The Opium War and Taiping Rebellion - Unit 11

Traditional China's Context

• Imperial System: Characterized by political centralization.

• Confucianism: Emphasized filial piety and rule by morality.

• Tributary System: Defined China as the center of civilization with unequal foreign relations.

• Economy: A traditional, self-sufficient agricultural base.

The Opium Trade

• Qing Dynasty: Began in 1644, established the "Canton System" limiting trade from 1760-1800.

• British Trade Deficit: Annual deficit of $\pounds4$ million before opium.

• Opium Smuggling: British East India Company began smuggling opium into China by the 1790s.

• Economic Impact: China lost approximately $\pounds200$ million in silver (1820-1830), leading to currency shortage.

• Silver-Copper Exchange: worsened from 1 tael = $1,500$ coins (1790) to 1 tael = $2,300$ coins (1820).

• Social Problem: Estimated $4$ million opium addicts by 1839.

The Opium War (1839-1842)

• Commissioner Lin Zexu: In 1839, he destroyed opium shops, pipes, and confiscated foreign opium without compensation.

• British Response: Lord Palmerston initiated war to "teach Chinese a lesson."

• British Military: Demonstrated superiority (e.g., Nemesis destroying Chinese junks).

• Treaty of Nanjing (1842):

  • China paid $21$ million taels of silver as war indemnities.

  • Opened five treaty ports to Britain.

  • Granted rights of extraterritoriality to British subjects.

  • Required consultation with Britain on tariff changes, fixing tariffs at $5$32$to$70$$ million deaths.