Opium War (jan 1, 1839 – jan 1, 1842)

Description:

Causes
- British need to find a new trade good besides silver
- They want the favor in the balance of trade
- Silver drain is hurting British Economy
- Solution = grow opium in India and sell it to China
- Uses the silver they got from selling the drug to buy luxury goods
- Qing Response
- Angry = Drains silver, ruins people
- Crack down on drug trade
- They want to stop doing drugs because the artisans don't work anymore if they are drugged
War
- British attack during the weak point - takes the port and the Grand Canal
- New period - industrial revolution overbalanced Chinese numbers
- British want ports, not all of China
- Imperialism
- Conquering countries for money, and only for money

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