Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
British imperialism and China
British imperialism and China
The effect of imperialism in Asia
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: British imperialism and China
Neo-Imperialism’s effect on Qing Dynasty China was not profoundly great. Rather than helping China, imperialism brought about the fall of the Qing and the introduction of communism in East Asia. The Qing Dynasty was a powerful, self-sufficient dynasty that reigned from 1644-1912. During the late 19th century, Europe’s great powers began taking interest in Asia’s natural resources that are needed to fuel Europe’s industrial factories. The British interest for tea led the Europeans to trade with China. At first, trading was subtle, but when conflicts began arising, the situations escalated and a series of wars were fought out with China to resolve them. The Qing Dynasty was able to take care of the 3 million people who lived within its borders. The people grew crops such as rice, spun silk, farmed tea roses, and make fine porcelain. The Qing Dynasty was the lone power in the Far East. That changed during the late 19th century, when imperialism spread to Asia. The great powers of Europe took interest in primarily Southeast Asia. After the colonization of Southeast Asia, the powers began taking interest in trading with China. They sailed to the trading port of Canton (present day Hong Kong) and offered manufactured goods for tea, silk, and porcelain. The Qing Dynasty accepted and trading began. Later, the Qing refused to accept European goods and demanded bar silver as payment. As a result, The Western powers began experiencing an outflow of silver to China. The countries, especially Britain, needed to find a way to reverse the flow of silver so the trade was even. So the British resorted to opium, a drug from the sap of the opium poppy. Originally used as medicine in western countries, opium was sold to China as a recreational dr... ... middle of paper ... ...on." History.com. A&E Television Networks. 11 Dec. 2013 . "Chinese Cultural Studies: The Taiping Rebellion, 1851-1864." Chinese Cultural Studies: The Taiping Rebellion, 1851-1864. 17 Dec. 2013 . "Open Door policy (United States-China [1899, 1900])." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica. 10 Dec. 2013 . "Taiping Rebellion (Chinese history)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 22 Apr. 2013. Encyclopedia Britannica. 15 Dec. 2013 . "Lessons of history: China's century of humiliation." Newsletter. 15 Dec. 2013 .
British Imperialism in China and Africa The treatment of the Chinese by the British, during the takeover of their country, was just like that of the Africans. The British took over the land and the government, took advantage of the people and exploited them for their resources. The English accomplished these things differently in each situation, but each time, the results were the same. One of the most important aspects of imperialism is the takeover of government.
At the end of the eighteenth century, China’s goods were much desired by Britain. However, the Chinese saw Europeans as savages and did not want to trade with them. During trade, there was an imbalance in China’s favor, because the Europeans were forced to buy Chinese goods using silver. The Western Imperialists began to grow opium poppies from in India, and then smuggle them into China. China soon became addicted to the drug and spent most of it’s money on the purchase of it from the Europeans and Americans. This shifted the balance of power to be in Europe’s favor.
Schoenhals, Michael. China's Cultural Revolution, 1966-1969: Not a Dinner Party. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1996. Print.
The Opium Wars were a series of three wars between the Chinese and the British; primarily fought in regard to the illegal trade of opium in China during the 19th century. They manifested the conflicting natures of both nations and demonstrated China’s misconceptions of its own superiority. The Opium Wars resulted in the humiliating defeat of the Chinese to a country they considered to be “barbarians”.
and Political Culture in Modern China, eds. Jeffrey Wasserstrom and Perry, Elizabeth, Oxford: Westview Press, 1994.
The Taiping rebellion was not a rebellion against foreign authorities like that of the British, but an upheaval against local authority after western ideas were introduced into the Chinese culture. The Rebellion was a civil war led by Christian convert Hong Xiuquan ag...
In 1911 the Qing dynasty was controlled by Manchu minority. So it is also knows as Manchu dynasty was the last dynasty in the Chinese history. The Manchu’s decided on a form of government that hadn’t been used before, democracy. Poorly the democracy was corrupted, peoples votes were easily bought which brought civil war, Xinhai revolution, and the overthrow the Qing Dynasty. This revolution end up with establish of republic of china.
Graham, Hutchings. Modern China; A Guide to a Century of Change. Cambridge: Harvard University Press,2001
Quinn, Edward. “Cultural Revolution in China.” History in Literature. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2004. Bloom’s Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 14 May 2014
According to the Oxford Dictionary, Opium is a “reddish-brown heavy-scented addictive drug prepared from the juice of the opium poppy, used as a narcotic and in medicine as an analgesic”. In China, Opium was first intended for medical use and later, during the 19th century it became a symbol of problems that hit on China. China’s high consumption of Opium brought social calamity for the country and in the other hand, it contributed to the economic prosperity Britain was going through. Opium also created tension in the Sino- British relationship, which Opium Wars gave a partial end to. The results of the Opium Wars can be considered unfair for China, not only did they have to open ports but they also had to pay for reparations.
"Chinese History - The Qing Dynasty ( AD 1644-1911 )." Chinavoc.com. 2007. Web. 06 Apr. 2011. .
Fairbank, John King. The Great Chinese Revolution 1800-1985. New York, NY: Harper & Row, 1986.
By the time the Qing dynasty ended, the rest of the world basically hated the Chinese. They looked down on other countries that they considered “poor and dirty” and also looked down on merchants and farmers. The Qings control over China was weakened over time due to the series of wars, conflicts, and rebellions over the years. The “good emperors” all died out and eventually the dynasty fell. They lasted a good 3000+ years, much longer than any other dynasty in Chinese history. But without aid from allies and with people attacking constantly, the Qings could no longer take it and the dynasty ended.
Tse-Tsung, Chow. The May 4th Movement: Intellectual Revolution in Modern China. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 1992.
Hsueh, Chun- tu, The Chinese Revolution of 1911: New Perspectives (Hong Kong: Joint _____Publishing Co., 1986), pp.1-15, 119-131, 139-171