Week 2 The First Opium War

Week 2: The First Opium War Student’s Name Institution Course # and Name Professor’s Name Submission Date Spread and Control of Opium After going through the attached article, it can be derived that the First Opium War occurred from 1839 to 1842, and it involved the Chinese and British military. China was defeated in this war, and they were forced to open their borders to foreign because the Chinese rulers were forced to commit to treaties that opened the state to foreign trade. Regulations on the opium trade that were enacted by the Canton system were abolished, and this allowed foreign traders to freely collaborate with Chinese merchants at the country’s borders to sell opium. Opium flooded the nation, the prices dropped significantly, allowing increased accessibility, local consumption increased, and the drug gained entry throughout China. On the other hand, missionaries settled in interior China and shared their Christian teachings as they were being protected by the diplomatic rights covered in the treaties signed (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010). This war marked a critical turning point in Chinese history, leading to the weakening of the Qing Dynasty and China's subjugation to Western imperialism. The illegal opium trade carried out by the British merchants in China was a key catalyst for the First Opium War. Opium is derived from the poppy plant and has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for many years. However, the British were smuggling it into Chinese parts under their jurisdiction and used it for barter, trading tea, silver, and silk. The Chinese authorities were alerted by the increase in supply and widespread addiction and social problems in China. The Chinese government attempted to restrict illegal trade and ban the importation of opium because there were alarming social and economic consequences. Government commissioners launched a campaign to confiscate and destroy large quantities of opium at the port city of Canton. However, they faced resistance from the British government, who viewed opium as a central commodity of trade between them and China. In an attempt to restore the good relationship between the British and the Chinese, both states went on negotiations with the Chinese, citing the socioeconomic consequences of opium, while the British argued that their trade merchants must be protected (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2010). The negotiations never bore any fruit, and the two nations waged war at the coastal trading centers, where the British overpowered the Chinese military. With respect to the role of Western powers in curtailing and spreading the use of opium in China, it can be derived that these authorities have been...