The Qing dynasty was at its height Its borders were relatively secure Politically, China was...
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CHINA AND IMPERIALISM
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Transcript of The Qing dynasty was at its height Its borders were relatively secure Politically, China was...
CHINA AND IMPERIALISM
China in 1800
The Qing dynasty was at its height Its borders were relatively secure Politically, China was stable and
prospered from the long peaceful rule of Kangxi
The increase in Western influence would be one of the main reasons for the downfall of the Quing dynasty
The Opium War
Opium was illegal in China The British produced opium in India for
sale in China The operated out of Canton Chinese officials went into the Canton
opium warehouses and destroyed the opium
The British declared war and thus the opium war began and lasted 1839-1842
Results
British military technology destroyed the Chinese antiquated weapons. River forts and coastal batteries were easily destroyed
British gained Hong Kong and the opening of five coastal ports to British goods
Nothing was said about opium but it continued to be sold by the British to the Chinese
Taiping rebellion 1853-1864
Peasant uprising Reasons - peasants were growing increasingly poor -corrupt officials -unjust taxation -decline in government services Factionalism within the rebellion led to its
losing momentum Deaths: 20 million, mainly due to famine
and plague
2nd Opium War
Not happy with the results of the 1st Opium War, the British launched a new series of attacks and took Beijing in 1860
British gained new concessions: the legalization of opium, more territory in Pearl River Delta, and allowance of British warships to patrol any Chinese river
One Hundred Days - 1898
A period of time where reformers push major changes to try and save China from collapse
Challenged by conservatives and Empress CIXI
Open Door Policy
Informal agreement (led by the US) to insure among Western nations the economic openness of China
Helped contain the worry of China’s imminent collapse and the loss of its 400 million customers
Boxer Rebellion - 1900
A secret society that rebelled north of beijing.
They were angry over a damaging drought and high unemployment caused by the foreign economic activity
The boxers attacked foreign residents in Baijing and cities near it.
A foreign expeditionary force of eight nations was sent to stop the rebellion which was quickly crushed
End of old order in China
1905, a commission was established to study constituional issues
National Assembly was formed in 1910 These reforms were too little and too late
Democracy in China
The Thomas Jefferson of China was Sun Yat- Sen
Advocated the “three principles” of nationalism, democracy, and people’s livelihood
Process would be a military take-over ending with a constitutional democracy
Collapse
The last emperor could not suppress rebellion in the country-side and his trusted general switched sides to support Sun Yat-sen.
In 1911, Sun became the new President of China with the end of the Qing dynasty and the end of 3,000 years of the dynastic cycle in China
