The Opium Trade

Source: https://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/opium_wars_01/ow1_essay01.html (Hover over India and China on this map)
The adverse effects of The Opium Trade on China Opium was cheap in China and the lower class, the labor class, of society was the ones most affected by Opium. Due to that, productivity decreased on a large scale as the labor would be smoking Opium instead of working. Due to that, work slowed down and got so bad, that the Emperor got involved by banning the import of Opium starting in 1724 (But it was ineffective as British merchants used Chinese merchants to smuggle it in). The Treaty of Nanking The first Opium war, aggravated due to cultural differences (China felt superior) & diplomatic differences, was won by Britain. The treaty of Nanjing was signed and the conditions were: 4 Additional ports opened for trade with the west (China had only allowed a few ports prior to this condition as they had a closed door trading system) Britain had extraterritorality - They were subject to their own laws in China The British residing in China were subject to special rights in their living areas 21 million silver dollars (Currency) was to be paid to Britain to compensate for the war, along with additional compensations for the Opium the Chinese had salvaged and destroyed China had to treat Britain as an equal for all future trades rather than an inferior Britain gets Hong Kong (Port City) Britain gets most favoured nation status (Gets any rights that China grants to other countries during trade) The Treaty of Tientsin After the second Opium war, the treaty of Tientsin was signed. The conditions were much worse, as compared to the conditions of the treaty of Nanking. The conditions are as follows: 6 more ports were to be made open for trade with Britain OPIUM WAS FULLY LEGALIZED TO BE IMPORTED INTO CHINA, WITH SMALL IMPORT FEES Christian Missionaries were given complete freedom to convert people to Christianity Europeans allowed to travel freely in China (Travel restriction lifted) Ambassadors of European Countries could open homes in Beijing - The imperial capital of China (This is a big thing as only people of high class in the Chinese society could reside here and letting any ambassador live in the city is a big insult to China

Opium Trade Map (Click on the country titles for more info.)

Source: https://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/opium_wars_01/ow1_essay01.html
(Hover over India and China on this map)

The adverse effects of The Opium Trade on China

Opium was cheap in China and the lower class, the labor class, of society was the ones most affected by Opium. Due to that, productivity decreased on a large scale as the labor would be smoking Opium instead of working. Due to that, work slowed down and got so bad, that the Emperor got involved by banning the import of Opium starting in 1724 (But it was ineffective as British merchants used Chinese merchants to smuggle it in).

The Treaty of Nanking

The first Opium war, aggravated due to cultural differences (China felt superior) & diplomatic differences, was won by Britain. The treaty of Nanjing was signed and the conditions were:

4 Additional ports opened for trade with the west (China had only allowed a few ports prior to this condition as they had a closed door trading system)
Britain had extraterritorality - They were subject to their own laws in China
The British residing in China were subject to special rights in their living areas
21 million silver dollars (Currency) was to be paid to Britain to compensate for the war, along with additional compensations for the Opium the Chinese had salvaged and destroyed
China had to treat Britain as an equal for all future trades rather than an inferior
Britain gets Hong Kong (Port City)
Britain gets most favoured nation status (Gets any rights that China grants to other countries during trade)

The Treaty of Tientsin

After the second Opium war, the treaty of Tientsin was signed. The conditions were much worse, as compared to the conditions of the treaty of Nanking. The conditions are as follows:

6 more ports were to be made open for trade with Britain
OPIUM WAS FULLY LEGALIZED TO BE IMPORTED INTO CHINA, WITH SMALL IMPORT FEES
Christian Missionaries were given complete freedom to convert people to Christianity
Europeans allowed to travel freely in China (Travel restriction lifted)
Ambassadors of European Countries could open homes in Beijing - The imperial capital of China (This is a big thing as only people of high class in the Chinese society could reside here and letting any ambassador live in the city is a big insult to China

Did You Know? Time Period: 1650-1949 Type of Route: Exploitative What was the Opium Trade in China?: It was the period in which Britain exported opium from their colonies in India, to China. It had caused 2 subsequent wars (Which are discussed in the main paragraphs on the left) which had left China devastated, while Britain benefits economically from it. What did Britain want from China?: The British wanted commodities from China such as tea and porcelain. They were addicted to tea and didn't grow their own, whereas China had tea - thus Britain started trading Opium with China. How was Opium used before the Opium Trade in China?: Opium was used as a painkiller in China. It was first introduced to China by Turkish/Arab Traders in the late 6th/early 7th century, to be used as a painkiller, but during the 18th century, British merchants had introduced it as a narcotic drug to be smoked.
Source:https://www.livemint.com/Politics/6goxa4WRLKwlfonpAIFntM/The-opium-trap.html Source: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/First_Opium_War Source: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-second-opium-war-chinese-officials-pulling-down-british-flag-on-ship-83341331.html

Did You Know? Time Period: 1650-1949

Type of Route: Exploitative

What was the Opium Trade in China?: It was the period in which Britain exported opium from their colonies in India, to China. It had caused 2 subsequent wars (Which are discussed in the main paragraphs on the left) which had left China devastated, while Britain benefits economically from it.

What did Britain want from China?: The British wanted commodities from China such as tea and porcelain. They were addicted to tea and didn't grow their own, whereas China had tea - thus Britain started trading Opium with China.

How was Opium used before the Opium Trade in China?: Opium was used as a painkiller in China. It was first introduced to China by Turkish/Arab Traders in the late 6th/early 7th century, to be used as a painkiller, but during the 18th century, British merchants had introduced it as a narcotic drug to be smoked.

Source:https://www.livemint.com/Politics/6goxa4WRLKwlfonpAIFntM/The-opium-trap.html

The first Opium war on sea

Source: https://www.wikiwand.com/en/First_Opium_War

Chinese officials arresting British sailors abroad The Arrow

Source: https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-second-opium-war-chinese-officials-pulling-down-british-flag-on-ship-83341331.html

Made By Prithviraj Singh Shahani