The First Opium War.

By Charlottefoote

  • Why the Opium war began.

    The Opium War started because China attempted to stop the opium trade. Foreign traders had been illegally exporting mainly from India to China since the eighteenth century. This resulted in widespread addiction and caused serious social and economic harm. The British traded in opium as they used profits to purchase Chinese luxury goods such as porcelain, silk and tea, which were in great demand in the west.

  • Beginning of the Opium War.

    1839 The Imperial Commissioner of China ordered all foreign traders to give up their opium. In response, the British sent warships. This started the First Opium War.

  • Chinese destroy opium

    in march 1839 the Chinese government destroyed more than 20,000 chests of opium which is 1,400 tons of opium, that were warehoused at Canton by British merchants.

  • Hostilities broke out.

    British warships destroyed a Chinese blockade of the Pearl River estuary at Hong Kong which caused hostilities to break out.

  • Forces sent to China.

    In early 1840 the British decided to send a force to China.

  • Fleet attack and occupy the city.

    After months of negotiations in Canton the British attack and occupy the City.

  • Forces arrive in China.

    In June 1840 the forces arrive in Hong Kong. The fleet proceeded up the Pearl River to Canton and begin negotiations.

  • Counter attack by Chinese troops

    British campaigns between May 1841 and spring 1842 were successful against the less capable Qing forces, despite a determined counter attack by Chinese troops in the spring of 1842.

  • The British capture Nanjing.

    After much fighting the British capture Nanjing in late august which puts an end to the fighting.

  • The end of the First Opium War

    Peace negotiations take place quickly, resulting in the Treaty of Nanjing, signed on august 29.

  • Outcomes of the Treaty.

    As an outcome of the Treaty, China was required to pay Britain a large repayment, Hong Kong Island was given. China was also required to increase the number of ports where the British could trade and live in from one (Canton) to five. Among the other four were Shanghai. With the new foreign access to the city, Shanghai soon became one of China’s major Commercial Ports.