Essential Question:	How did Qing China decline during the 1800's? What was the impact of imperialism in China during the 1800s?
Directions:	Read the lesson text and watch all videos. Read the Nearpod presentation. Take the quiz.

Spheres of Influence in China

In the 1800's, western powers would use diplomacy and war to win favorable trade agreements in China. The Qing dynasty was suffering from a poor economy, a corrupt bureaucracy, and the devastating Taiping Rebellion. Reformers wanted to modernize China by importing Western technology and ideas. In 1911, China was declared a republic and made Sun Yixian as its President.

Study the map closely.

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Respond in the Padlet: Which countries have spheres of influence in China? Why do you think foreign countries desired influence over China?

The Opium Wars

Why did Britain go to war over the sale of illegal drugs?

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Watch this video on the War on Opium (It's one of the most fascinating videos you'll see this year, in my opinion.)

Trade and Treaty Issues

Trade Surplus, then decline:

For a long period of time, China was able to export more than it imported and this created a trade surplus. Other countries were therefore seeing a trade deficit because they were buying more from China than they had sold to them.

During the late 1700's, China no longer enjoyed these privileges and began a state of decline. In addition, the Industrial Revolution created a new need for expanded markets of European goods. This was bad for the Chinese economy and weakened them as a whole. Perfect timing for the imperialists to exploit!

Left: This picture depicts a export port in East China's Zhejiang Province. You can see the amount of goods preparing to be shipped out of the country.

Remember the Opium Wars? The result of the Opium Wars left China in a vulnerable position due to unequal treaties. See below!

Unequal Treaties

After the Opium Wars came to an end in August 1842, China was forced to sign the first Unequal Treaty - the Treaty of Nanjing. The stipulated that the Chinese government must:

fix tariffs on British goods,
relinquish Hong Kong,
open multiple ports to the British,
pay for British losses in the war, and
grant Britain extraterritoriality.

* Extraterritoriality is the state of being exempted from the jurisdiction of local law, usually as the result of diplomatic negotiations. Can you imagine situations where this might be tricky?

Right: The signing of the Treaty of Nanjing on August 29, 1842.

Growing Internal Problems

Continued decline: Floods, Unmanageable Population Growth, Scandals, Rebellions

Internally, the poorly maintained irrigation systems and canals caused massive flooding in the Huang He valley. The Qing dynasty was struggling with keeping pace with the population explosion that had occurred a century earlier. A series of scandals also led to widespread corruption.

The Taiping Rebellion

The Taiping Rebellion escalated at a time when peasants were frustrated with the poverty and mismanagement of the Qing dynasty. This rebellion lasted for 20 years and claimed 20 to 30 million lives!

Hung Xiuquan was the leader of this rebellion and was inspired by religious visions. He set out to create a "Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace"- the Taiping.

Some Chinese leaders considered Xiuquan's ideas radical, such as:

land reform,
community ownership of property,
gender equality, and
the end of the Qing dynasty.

The Taiping did eventually win control of China for 14 years. But, the government was able to bring an end to the rebellion.

Effects of the Rebellion

As a result of the rebellion, the period between 1850 and 1873 saw drought, famine, and a population decline of over 60 million people. The Qing government survived the challenges but had to share power with regional commanders. As the rebellion was underway, Europeans continued to pressure China and Russia seized its lands to the north.

Reform Effects

	The Influence of the West After suffering from defeat and decline, leaders were questioning whether or not to adopt western ways. Many believed that the beliefs and technology in the west did not fall in line with Confucian order. By the 1860's, the reformers launched what was known as the "self-strengthening movement." The first phase lasted from 1861 to 1872 and emphasized the adoption of Western firearms, machines, scientific knowledge and training of technical and diplomatic personnel. These reforms lacked support from the government and made little progress overall.
	War with Japan As China struggled to make progress, Japan was moving ahead with the western powers. In 1894, Japanese pressure led to the Sino-Japanese War. In the end, Japan gained the island of Taiwan. This war would come to symbolize the decline of the Qing Dynasty and demonstrate the modernization of Japan.
	Spheres of Influence: As you may recall, a sphere of influence is an area in which an outside power claims exclusive investment or trading privileges. Western powers such as Britain, France, Germany and Russia began to claim areas of China. The United States, however, did not participate in this process for fear that European powers might shut out American merchants. In the near future, the United States called for an Open Door Policy - which meant that Chinese trade would remain open for everyone on an equal basis. Ironically, the Chinese themselves were never consulted about the policy.
	Hundred Days of Reform Frustrated by the lack of advancement, China's reformers were looking for a way to modernize. A young emperor, Guang Xu, launched the Hundred Days of Reform. Under this, new laws attempted to modernize everything from the civil service exam to new industries. Rallies against the reforms began to take place and the emperor was put in prison. The former empress, Ci Ki, regained control.

The Qing Dynasty Falls

The Boxer Rebellion

* Keep in mind that foreigners were protected by the idea of extraterritoriality, therefore they disregarded Chinese laws and lived in their own communities.

In reaction to Western influences and a weakening China, a group of Chinese formed a society called the Righteous Harmonious Fist.They were deemed "Boxers" by Westerners for their martial art skills. The Boxers wanted to drive out those who undermined traditional China. In 1900, the Boxers attacked foreigners who lived in China. When this happened, Japan and the western powers sought to rescue foreigners who were endangered in Beijing.

Aftermath of the Rebellion

After the Boxer Rebellion, China was catapulted into the age of modernization. China began to admit women to schools with an emphasis on science and math. China's economy began to expand with a new wealth of industries.

Watch this video on the Boxer Rebellion below:

Three Principles of the People

The Boxer Rebellion had failed but a strong sense of nationalism lingered in China. Sun Yixian - the father of modern China - became a leader in the call for modernization. Yixian was born in southeast China, but was educated in Hawaii and Hong Kong. His goal was to build China on "Three Principles of the People." These principles were nationalism, democracy, and livelihood for all Chinese.

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Birth of a Republic

Ci Xi, the empress, passed away in 1908 and a five-year-old boy inherited the throne. China slipped further into decline as a varied group of people helped to halt two thousand years of imperial rule in China. The Qing Dynasty had come to an end. At the time, Sun Yixian was in the United States and quickly returned to to China. In 1911, he would be named president of the new Chinese republic. For the next four decades, China would be constantly engaged in either internal or foreign conflict.

Pictures: Above is Ci Xi and below is Sun Yixian or Sun Yat sen.

Read through the Nearpod presentation for a quick summary of events:

KEY POINTS

Western powers gained greater trading rights in China through wars and unfair treaties.
Internal problems such as poorly maintained irrigation systems and canals, a population explosion, corruption, and rebellion all threatened the Qing dynasty.
The Chinese reformers sought to adapt western ideas and bring new technology and learning to China.
The Qing dynasty was replaced by a republic when peasants, students, warlords, and politicians joined in uprisings that toppled the Qing dynasty. This dynasty was replaced by a republic with Sun Yixian as president.