Opium War (jan 1, 1839 – jan 1, 1842)

Description:

The Opium Wars were prompted by the Chinese government's response to European and American success in smuggling opium into China through the port of Canton. This began in the early 1800s, but officials were very slow to learn about the extent to which the opium trade reached. Britain benefited from the growing market due to increased opium addiction, and Chinese distributors profited too. An 1829 law banning opium imports was ignored, and further attempts at ending the trade were seen as an act of war to Britain, who quickly defeated the Chinese with their far superior military strength and weaponry.