Opium Wars

How Did Opium Trade Begin?

Until the British started importing opium, foreign trade with China was severely one-way.

Silver from Mexico or Peru

BRITISH give CHINA SILVER

Chinese SELL TEA, PORCELAIN & SILK

How Did Opium Trade Begin?

The Chinese were DID NOT WANT thewoolens, furs, and spices offered by the “red haired barbarians”.

How Did Opium Trade Begin?

The result was that the Chinese imported little—while vast amounts of silver flowed into China.

What did the BRITISH buy with SILVER?

What did the BRITISH buy with SILVER?

TEA

PORCELAIN

SILK

Covered tureen and stand with view of Canton, c. 1780 China Porcelain Museum purchase, 1977

E80322.A-C

Pair of Seated Chinese Figures,ca.1803 Guangzhou, China:

Unfired clay, paint, wood seal Gift of Captain Richard Wheatland,1803.

Silk Samples & Silk Thread 1800’s

Silk Production

Tea Production Fukien Province1790-1800

Tea Warehouse, 1820-1840

Watercolor Tea Tasters Office 1888, Whitmans Hong

Figure of a Tea Carrier, c. 1803 China Unfired clay, wood, paint Gift of Captain Richard Wheatland, 1803 E7101

Figure of a Tea Carrier, c. 1803

Hyson Skin Tea Crate, 1818

Tea Caddy in three parts, HYSON on wood box

Review

1. Name 3 products the British wanted to import (buy) from China:

a. b. c.

2. Were the Chinese interested in furs or spices from the Europeans?

3. What did the British drink before they had tea?

British Trade Deficit

The British became hooked on tea, porcelain and silk. They needed to find a solution to their growing trade deficit.

1773: The British East India Company

Secures a monopoly on opium.

Indian Workers Processing Opium

Opium drying room in India is stacked four stories tall with product.

Opium TransportLos cargamentos entraban en cajas de 59/70 kilos (alijos) de opio procesado. En 1729 se

vendieron 200 cajas. En 1790 ya se había llegado a las 4.000. En 1832, ya eran 23.570[1].

1799: China’s consumption reaches

2,000 chests a year.

The Emperor of CHINA bans the opium trade completely.

OPIUM BAN is IGNOREDby British East India Company

Corrupt local Chinese officials became part of the smuggling network.

Clippers arriving in Canton simply unloaded the contraband onto floating stores before heading into port for customs inspections.

The opium was later smuggled ashore.

1810-1830 Shipments increased from 5,000-23,000 chests.

One million opium addicts in China.

From Chinese workers to traders and rich merchants to soldiers and government officials.

1830s: TRADE DEFICIT REVERSED!

Huge outflow of silver used to pay for opium leads to a major economic crisis in CHINA.

OPIUM solves BRITAIN’s TRADE DEFICIT

1825: Opium imports push China’s trade balance into the red.

Chinese Opium Smokers during Opium Wars

Poor Chinese addicts give up food for opium.

Lin Zexu 1785-1850Letter of Advice to Queen Victoria 1839~

Directions:

Read the Letter by Lin Tse-Hsu to Queen Victoria.

• Student A Read • Student B Read

Note: If you finish early write 3-5 questions for your partner

Introduction1. Who was Lin Zexu?2. What did he write?3. What do you think the purpose of his letter

was?

1. But after a long period of commercial intercourse (trade), there appear among the crowd of barbarians both good persons and bad. Consequently there are those who smuggle opium to seduce the Chinese people and so cause the spread of the poison to all provinces (states). Such persons who only care to profit themselves, and disregard (ignore) their harm to others, are not tolerated by the laws of heaven and are hated by human beings. His Majesty the Emperor, upon hearing of this, is in a towering rage. He has especially sent me, his commissioner, to come to Kwangtung, to investigate and settle this matter.

Paragraph 11. What is the purpose of Lin Tse-Hsu’s letter to Queen Victoria?

Paragraph 12. What word does Lin Tse-Hsu use instead of the word foreigner? What does this tell you about the Chinese attitude towards outsiders?

2. 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 own country, then even less should you let it be passed on to the harm of other countries -- how much less to China!

Paragraphs 2-5There are 4 moral arguments made by Lin Tse-Hsu against the Opium trade and/or for stopping the Opium trade. Choose 3 to explain. Identify the paragraph where you find the argument.

Paragraph 2

3. Suppose there were people from another country who carried opium for sale to England and seduced your people into buying and smoking it; certainly your honorable ruler would deeply hate it. We have heard (heretofore) that your honorable ruler is kind. Naturally you would not wish to give unto others what you yourself do not want.

Paragraphs 2-5There are 4 moral arguments made by Lin Tse-Hsu against the Opium trade and/or for stopping the Opium trade. Choose 3 to explain. Identify the paragraph where you find the argument.

Paragraph 3

4 Of all that China exports to foreign countries, there is not a single thing which is not beneficial to (good for) people: they are of benefit when eaten, or of benefit when used, or of benefit when resold. Is there a single article from China which has done any harm to foreign countries? Take tea and rhubarb, for example; the foreign countries cannot get along for a single day without them.

Paragraphs 2-5There are 4 moral arguments made by Lin Tse-Hsu against the Opium trade and/or for stopping the Opium trade. Choose 3 to explain. Identify the paragraph where you find the argument.

Paragraph 4

5. We have further learned that in London, Scotland, Ireland, and other places, no opium has been produced. Only in several places of India under your control has opium been planted from hill to hill. For months and years work is continued in order to accumulate the poison. The obnoxious odor ascends, irritating heaven and frightening the spirits. Indeed you, O Queen, can eradicate (get rid of) the opium plant in these places, hoe over the fields entirely, and sow in its stead the five grains [millet, barley, wheat, etc.]. Anyone who dares again attempt to plant and manufacture opium should be severely punished. This will really be a great, benevolent government policy that will increase the common weal and get rid of evil.

Paragraphs 2-5There are 4 moral arguments made by Lin Tse-Hsu against the Opium trade and/or for stopping the Opium trade. Choose 3 to explain. Identify the paragraph where you find the argument.

Paragraph 5

7. ….. if there are still those who bring opium to China then they will plainly have committed a willful violation and shall at once be executed according to law, with absolutely no clemency or pardon.

8. After receiving this dispatch will you immediately give us a prompt reply regarding the details and circumstances of your cutting off the opium traffic. Be sure not to put this off.

What is the law regarding Opium trade according to the Emperor of China?

What does Lin Tse-Hsu warn in paragraph 7?

“A” “B” answer questions