Outside Influence
China and the West
• The basis of this self sufficiency was Chinas healthy agriculture economy.
• The crops they grew helped increase the productivity of it’s land and more effectively feed its huge population.
• China also had extensive mining and manufacturing industries.
China and the West (Cont.)
• The Chinese also produced beautiful silks, high quality cottons, and fine porcelain.
The Tea-Opium Connection
• Because of their self sufficiency, the Chinese had little interest in trading with the west.
• European Merchants were determined to find a product the Chinese would buy in large quantities. Eventually they found one…
Opium.
• Opium is a habit forming narcotic made from the poppy pant. Used to relive pain.
The Tea-Opium Connection (Cont.)
• In the late 18th Century British merchants smuggled it into China for non-medical uses.
• By 1835 as many as 12 million Chinese people were addicted to the drug.
War Breaks out
• This growing supply of opium cause great problems for China.
• In 1839 one of Qing Emperors highest advisors wrote a letter to England's Queen
Victoria about the problem.
• The result was a clash between the British and the Chinese. This was called The Opium
War
War Breaks out (Cont.)
• China’s outdated ships were no match to
Britain’s steam powered gun boat .
• The Chinese suffered a humiliating defeat.
• In 1842 they signed a peace treaty. Called the treaty of Nanjing.
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