China & European Imperialism

1. China & European Imperialism World History - Libertyville HS

2. The Manchu Dynasty (1644-1912) • Founding the Dynasty • Manchu were settled nomads, the Jurchen, from Manchuria • Rebelled against Ming & destroyed dynasty • Claimed Mandate of Heaven (Ming lost – rebellions, famine) • AKA Qing Dynasty

3. Manchu Dynasty • Ethnic tension in Manchu Dynasty • Manchu were ethnically Jurchen • Most of China were ethnic Han • This meant a minority group ruled China • Extent of Empire • At height, 13 million sq miles • Expanded into Tibet, Russia, Taiwan

4. Extent of Manchu Dynasty

5. 19th C: Foreign Pressure • Problems facing Manchu • Economic stagnation (agr based economy) • Population explosion (famines) • Antique gov’t system not strong • Isolation from rest of world, esp. Europe Britain, Germans, Russians, French & Japanese divide China

6. Contact w/ European Nations • 1793: Brits attempted alliance w/ Manchu (refused) • After 1815, world trade, dominated by Europeans, expanded quickly • Massive Chinese markets drew Europeans • Chinese trade goods (silk, tea, ceramics) Caricature: “The Reception”

7. Chinese Trade w/ Europe • Chinese demanded silver bars in payment (no mfgr’d goods) • Brits, French didn’t want to give up limited specie • Brits, French sold opium into China (addictive) for Chinese silver

8. First Opium War (1838-1842) • Manchu gov’t outlawed opium in China • British gov’t declared war • Royal navy destroyed outdated Chinese wooden navy • British army, w/ rifles, artillery, crushed Chinese

9. First Opium War • Treaty of Nanking • Demanded reparations (payments) for Brit losses • Unrestricted access to Chinese markets for European countries • Annexed Hong Kong as British city

10. Second Opium War (1856-1860) • Brits tried to re-negotiate Treaty of Nanking • Allow Brit trade access to Chinese rivers • Est. permanent Brit embassy in Peking (capital) • Chinese refused to sign = war • Chinese crushed, again

11. Second Opium War • Treaty of Tianjin • All official Chinese docs to be written in English • Brit warships given unlimited access to Chinese rivers • Christian missionaries allowed • Other foreign embassies allowed • Opium importation legalized

12. The Empress Dowager • Tsu His started as peasant concubine of Emperor (1850-1861) • Very intelligent, clever, manipulative • Outwitted 8 regents to become regent to her son • After son died (1874) she continued to rule in nephew’s name, until her death in 1908 • Known as “Empress Dowager” or the “Dragon Lady • Focused her reign on keeping China whole in face of foreign aggression

13. Boxer Rebellion (1900) • Righteous Harmony Society (“Boxers”) • Native Chinese focused on throwing “foreign devils” out of China • “Devils” included Catholic, Protestant missionaries & their Chinese converts • Empress Dowager attempted to remotely control the Boxers

14. Boxer Rebellion • German ambassador murdered by Boxers in Beijing • European delegations besieged in Beijing embassies by Boxers, Chinese troops, for 55 days • European nations, US allied vs Chinese to save their citizens

15. Boxer Rebellion • Eight nations, European and America, conquered Beijing • Dowager Empress fled city • Treaty ending fighting was harsh • Reparations • Permanent European, US presence in China

16. End of Manchu • After death of Empress Dowager, baby emperor took over • Regent council established • Rebellions broke out; regions est. indep. Gov’ts • 1912: Child Emperor forced to abdicate • Ended 2000 years of Chinese emperors, as local warlords ruled