Some Brief Notes about the Opium Wars
Subject:
Tags:
The Opium Wars (1800-1839)
Britain frustrated by trade deficit
o British importing tea; but Chinese won’t import any product
Opium trade
o By 1800, smuggling 4,000 chests of opium a year into China; breaking the law
o Growing the opium in India; bringing it through port at Singapore
o Enormous profits being made
o Rose to 30,000 by 1830s
o Addiction to spreading to all ranks
Qing government decides to enforce the ban more strictly
o Qing official sent to negotiate with British; stalemate…
Opium War (1839-1842)
o Bannermen = traditional footsoldiers of the Qing (Manchu)
Using muskets from 1700s, matchlocks, ignited by hand
Most still fighting with swords, knives, spears, clubs
o Superior naval technology of British
Qing had no imperial navy
