1. DECLINE OF THE QING DYNASTY

2. Causes For Decline
Some of the reasons for decline included gov’t corruption, peasant unrest, rapid growth of population and food shortages
A major reason was the intense external pressure applied to Chinese society by the West
The ships, guns, and ideas of foreigners highlighted the growing weakness of the Qing dynasty and hastened its end

3. The Opium War
Chinese rulers believed all nations besides China were barbaric and wanted little contact with them
Restricted European merchants to a small trading outlet at Guangzhou (Canton)
The British do not like this since they have an unfavorable balance of trade with China
Import tea, silk, and porcelain, but the Chinese don’t want European goods
Have to pay in silver to cover the difference
Try to negotiate with the Chinese to improve the trade balance – this fails

4. Britain turns to trading opium
Opium is a highly addictive drug that is grown in northern India
Demand increases in South China and silver starts to flow out of China into British pockets
The Chinese gov’t is upset
Know opium is addictive and dangerous
Have previously made opium trade illegal
Appeal to the British gov’t on moral grounds to stop the drug trafficking
However the opium trade is making Britain lots of money and they refuse to stop the trade

5. The first drug war
The Chinese blockade the area around Guangzhou and order the destruction of British opium
The British respond with force and China is no match for the British navy
The British destroy Chinese coastal and river forts and sail unopposed up the Yangtze River to Nanjing

7. Treaty of Nanjing
First in a series of unequal treaties that benefit European countries at the expense of China
Terms the Chinese agree to:
Open up five more ports for trade
Limit tariffs on British goods
Pay for cost of war
Give island of Hong Kong to Britain
Agree to extraterritoriality = Europeans who are accused of crimes have the right to be tried in their own courts, not Chinese courts and are not subject to Chinese laws
Marks the beginning of the establishment of Western influence in China

8. Tai Ping Rebellion
Internal economic problems and the failure of the Qing to resist Western powers led some Chinese to believe that the Qing had lost the mandate of heaven
All this leads to a peasant revolt called the Tai Ping Rebellion ( )
Led by Hong Xiuquan, a Christian convert
Views himself as the younger brother of Jesus
Believes God gave him the mission to destroy the Qing dynasty
With the help of large numbers of peasants, Hong captures large territories in southeastern China

9. Proclaims a new dynasty, the “Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace”
Europeans come to the aid of the Qing because they see the Tai Ping as destructive
The Qing, with European help, recapture Nanjing and destroy the remaining rebel force

10. The Tai Ping Rebellion was one of the most devastating civil wars in history
More than 20 million people died
The Qing failed to deal with internal problems because they were busy struggling against the West
In 1856 Britain and France launched more attacks against China and captured the capital of Beijing in 1860
Treaty of Tianjin – another unequal treaty
Chinese agree to legalize the opium trade
Open more ports for trade and give Britain the peninsula of Kowloon

11. European Imperialism
Imperialism in China consists of spheres of influence created by European powers
Spheres of influence = areas where the imperial powers had exclusive trading rights and extraterritoriality
Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Japan all establish spheres of influence

14. Open Door Policy
The U.S. fears that the European powers would overrun the country and divide it among themselves
If this happens, then the U.S. would lose its profitable trade in China
1899 U.S. Secretary of State John Hay proposes the Open Door Policy
Equal access to the Chinese markets for all nations and preserving the unity of the Chinese Empire
Reflects American concern for the survival of China and the desire for American trade
Did not end the spheres of influence

15. The Boxer Rebellion
Several nationalist groups wanted to restore glory back to China
One group was called the Boxers = popular name given to members of a secret organization called the Society of Harmonious Fists
They were upset by the foreign takeover of their country
Especially disliked foreign missionaries and Chinese converts – saw them as threats to Chinese traditions
Beginning of 1900, Boxer bands started roaming the countryside, killing missionaries and converts, along with foreign businessmen and a German envoy

16. The Boxers also laid siege to the foreign compounds in Beijing and held the foreigners hostage for 55 days
An allied army consisting of 20,000 troops from Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, and the U.S. attack Beijing
They end the rebellion and restore order
In return they demand more concessions from the Chinese gov’t and force the gov’t to pay an indemnity
Indemnity = payment for damages
Left the gov’t even weaker
In the end, internal problems and the European advance into China proved to be the undoing of the Qing

17. Opium War Tai Ping Rebellion Between Causes Leader Who Wins Results Foreign influence: Increased or Decreased?
Peasant rebels and the Chinese gov’t
Britain and China
British selling opium in China
Economic problems, weak gov’t
Hong Xiuquan
N/A
Qing Dynasty with the help of the Europeans
Great Britain
Open more ports
Hong Kong
Extraterritoriality
Bloodiest civil war with 20 million dead
Increased
Increased

19. 1911 Revolution
Radicals started calling for the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the creation of a Chinese republic
One of the leaders of these radicals was Sun Yat-sen
He wanted to replace the Qing with a ruling nationalist party that would act as a guardian until the Chinese people were ready for democracy
In 1912 the emperor abdicated, bringing an end to the last dynasty of China
China then declared itself a republic