The Westport Library Resource Guides: Opium Wars: About

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What were the Opium Wars?

Opium Wars, two armed conflicts in China in the mid-19th century between the forces of Western countries and of the Qing dynasty, which ruled China from 1644 to 1911/12. The first Opium War (1839–42) was fought between China and Britain, and the second Opium War (1856–60), also known as the Arrow War or the Anglo-French War in China, was fought by Britain and France against China. In each case the foreign powers were victorious and gained commercial privileges and legal and territorial concessions in China. The conflicts marked the start of the era of unequal treaties and other inroads on Qing sovereignty that helped weaken and ultimately topple the dynasty in favor of republican China in the early 20th century. Continue reading from Britannica

Importance of the Opium Wars

The Opium Wars were emblematic of an era in which Western powers tried to gain unfettered access to Chinese products and markets for European and U.S. trade. Western traders, including those from the United States, had long sought a variety of Chinese products (including furniture, silk and tea), but found there were few products that China wanted from the West. American trade with China began as early as 1784, relying on North American exports such as furs, sandalwood, and ginseng, but American interest in Chinese products soon outstripped the Chinese appetite for these American exports. The British had already discovered a great market in southern China for smuggled opium, and American traders soon also turned to opium to supplement their exports to China. Beyond the health problems related to opium addiction, the increasing opium trade with the Western powers meant that for the first time, China imported more goods than it exported. Continue reading from Department of State, Office of the Historian

Learn More About the Opium Wars Online

19th Century Chinese History

After the reign of Qianlong (1736–95), China encounters a succession of economic and political crises that shake the foundation of the empire. Around the mid-nineteenth century, foreign powers force open several ports along the Chinese coast for international trade. Shanghai flourishes and becomes a commercial magnet for artists and craftsmen from all over the country. Continue reading from Metropolitan Museum of Art