China Resists Outside Influence

IBF * Mr. McEntarfer * Global III

Main Idea

•Western economic pressure forced China to open to

foreign trade and influence.

Isolationism

• China traditionally rejected outside influences and kept foreign ideas, technology and influences out. This was the purpose of China’s Great Wall.

• The famous Chinese explorer Admiral Zheng He was called back by the Chinese government because he brought back foreign influences such as Islam, which he had converted to while trading in Africa.

• Discussion: How did the policy of isolationism hurt China and make vulnerable to western imperialists

Self Sufficiency

• The Chinese were able to isolate themselves because they were self sufficient and did not need foreign products.

• The British found that the only thing they could trade in China was the drug opium

Opium Addiction•Opium is a narcotic and is more commonly used in the form of heroin or codeine. It is highly addictive and users often find themselves unable to go without it.

Opium War

• The Chinese Emperor’s advisors were so angry about the sale of opium in China they wrote the following memo to Queen Victoria:

• “By what right do they [British merchants]…use the poisonous drug to injure the Chinese people?...I have heard that the smoking of opium is very strictly forbidden by your country; that is because the harm caused by opium is clearly understood. Since it is not permitted to do harm to your country, then even less should you let it be passed on to the harm of other countries”

Lin Zexu

Question: What reasoning do the Chinese advisor use in ending England’s sale of opium in China?

Opium War

• China attempted to force Britain to stop selling opium in their country. The conflict resulted in several sea battles in which the Chinese were soundly defeated.

Picture Analysis: Judging from the following picture why did the Chinese lose the Opium War’s with Britain?

Treaty of Nanjing (806)

• What were the terms of the Treaty of Nanjing?

Population Explosion

• The number of Chinese grew to 430 million by 1850. A 30% increase in 60 years causing many internal problems.

Questions: 1. What problems would result from this

rapid population increase? (806)2. What is the fundamental cause of

Political Revolution? How might internal issues in China promote Revolution?

Taiping Rebellion (807)

• Cause

• Effect

Foreign Influence Grows

• What advantages did western countries gain in having a sphere of influence in China?

• Why was the U.S. concerned about the growing European influence in China?

• How did “sphere of influence” differ from the “Open Door Policy”?

The Boxer Rebellion

• What act by the Dowager Empress helped cause the Boxer Rebellion?

• On which group did the Boxers focus their attention?

Writing Activity

• Write a dialogue between two of Dowager Empress Cixi’s advisers – one arguing for continued isolation, the other for openness to foreign influence and trade.