1839–1842Reputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented
The Opium Wars and the Opening of China
On the timeline · around 1839–1842 ·
What happened
To reverse a trade deficit with China, British merchants sold vast quantities of Indian opium into the country. When the Chinese government tried to stop the ruinous drug trade, Britain went to war. Its modern navy overwhelmed Qing forces, and the First Opium War ended in 1842 with the Treaty of Nanjing, which forced China to open five treaty ports to Western trade and to cede the island of Hong Kong to Britain.
Why it matters
The Opium Wars forced a weakened China open to Western commerce and imperialism, beginning what the Chinese remember as the 'century of humiliation.' Hong Kong would remain a British colony until 1997, and the wars showed the ruthless reach of British commercial power.
Sources
Related timelines
- History of China → — The start of China's 'century of humiliation'