The Opium Wars

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the cultural collision and international trade dispute between China and Great Britain in the the mid 1800s. The paper explains that both nations were corrupt and were both filled with pride .Each one believed themselves superior to the other and thus led to an important escalation of hostilities which caused the First Opium War.

From the Paper:

""Lord McCartney's mission to open trade in China was abruptly ended when he refused to kowtow to Emperor Qianlong. Neither party respected the other. The Chinese looked upon foreigners as barbarians, and the British struggled to see the Chinese as an equal sovereign nation at best. These primary signs of conflict are emblematic of each nation's intense addiction to power and dominance...
''Britain's addiction to substance came in the form of black tea, imported from China. The British government became economically dependent on tea, as they levied huge import taxes on the product. As China would only accept payment for tea in the form of silver, Britain's silver supply drained quickly. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• "The Opium Wars" by Hanes III, W.T. and Snell.F(2002)

More papers on The Opium Wars:

• Essay # 89296 : "The Opium Wars"
• Analytical Essay # 145730 : "The History and Effect of the Opium Wars on China"
• Essay # 71751 : "The Opium Wars"

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