Opium Wars | 3 Minute History

The video covers the history of European trade in China, focusing on the introduction of opium by the British East India Company to counter trade deficits. This led to the First Opium War, resulting in the Treaty of Nanjin, which opened Chinese ports to foreign trade and ceded Hong Kong to Britain. The Second Opium War followed, with further concessions extracted from China, including the Convention of Peking. These events marked the beginning of China's Century of Humiliation, characterized by foreign domination and internal strife.

What was the primary reason for the trade imbalance between China and European nations in the 18th century?

• High demand for Chinese silk

• High demand for Chinese tea

• High demand for Chinese porcelain

• High demand for Chinese spices

What action did Lin J Xu take to combat the opium trade?

• He legalized the opium trade

• He increased taxes on opium

• He blockaded British merchants in Canton

• He negotiated a trade agreement with Britain

What was one of the key outcomes of the Treaty of Nanjing?

• China regained control of Hong Kong

• Opium trade was banned

• Five Chinese cities were opened to foreign trade

• The British withdrew from all Chinese territories

What incident led to the start of the second Opium War?

• The burning of the Summer Palace

• The capture of Canton by the British

• The signing of the Treaty of Nanjing

• The arrest of Chinese crew on the Arrow

What was a significant consequence of the Convention of Peking?

• More freedom was promised to foreigners

• The opium trade was completely banned

• Western powers were denied entry to Beijing

• China regained control of all ports