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Qing Dynasty Begins
The Ming Dynasty fell to the Manchus. The Qing Dynasty began when the Manchu people took over China. Shunzhi became the first emperor of the Qing, and this marked the start of the Qing rule in China. -
Kangxi becomes emperor
Kangxi became emperor at the age of seven. He helped to strengthen the Qing governance and promoted cultural development. He also had one of the longest reigns in Chinese history. His reign showed that the Qing were a dominant empire in Asia. -
Kangxi's Suppression of the Revolt of the Three Feudatories
This revolt was a rebellion by three Ming-era generals, who controlled southern China. Kangxi was able to successfully defeat the rebellion. This strengthened the Qing control in the southern regions, and helped to consolidate the Qing's authority and helped ensure central control. -
Treaty of Nerchinsk
This treaty was signed between Russia and Qing China. This treaty was signed to make peaceful settlement between the two empires and helped establish borders. It also helped stop Russia from expanding into Qing territory. -
Qianlong Emperor's Reign Begins
Qianlong became the emperor in 1735 and conducted territorial expansion and cultural prosperity. During his time as emperor the Qing Dynasty reached its peak territorial size, extending into Tibet and Central Asia. He is remembered for his architecture, arts, and literature. -
The Ten Great Campaigns
These campaigns were a series of military campaigns under Qianlong and were meant to secure the Qing dominance over outer regions. They expanded Qing rule into Tibet, Mongolia, and Xinjiang. Even though the Qing had few imperial resources, they were able to take control over the frontiers. -
The Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a civil war led by Hong Xiuquan. This civil war was meant to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and to establish the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, which resulted in millions of people dying. This severely weakened the Qing control over large parts of China. -
Opium Wars Begin
Tension was rising between China and Britian over illegal trade. This led to the First Opium War and marked the beginning of China's forced opening to foreign powers. The government of the Qing tried to stop the trade, but the military of the British overpowered China. -
Treaty of Nanking
This treaty marked the first unequal treaties. It also weakened the Qing and introduced foreign influence in China. As a result, China had to cede Hong Kong to Britain and open ports to foreign trade. -
Second Opium War
The second war broke out between the Chinese, and the British, who were later assisted by the French. The Qing forces were defeated, which led to the Treaty of Tientsin. This war allowed the foreign powers to gain more control over the trade and territory. -
The Treaty of Tientsin
This treaty was a collection of several unequal treaties. This treaty opened more trading ports for foreign trade in China, allowed Chrisitan missionary activity, and permitted foreign legations in Beijing. They also ended the first phase of the Second Opium War. -
The Self-Strengthening Movement
This movement was a response by the foreign powers and the internal rebellions. This was because of the Qing government initiating reforms to modernize the Chinese military, industries, and education. This movement was ineffective as the Qing state failed to address the challenges. -
The first Sino-Japanese War
This war was fought between the Chinese and Japanese over the control of Korea. China was defeated, which led to Korea's independence and the loss of Taiwan. It also showed the weakness in the Chinese military. -
The Treaty of Shimonoseki
This treaty was signed after China lost to the Japanese in the First Sino-Japanese War. This treaty represented the weakening control of the Qing Dynasty. It also forced China to cede Taiwan, grant Japan commercial privileges, and cede the Pescadores Islands. -
Boxer Rebellion Begins
The boxer rebellion was a persecution of foreigners and Christians in China, which was supported by some of the Qing government. Western countries sent troops to intervene, which forced China to sign the boxer protocol. This protocol included many reparations and troop presence in Beijing. -
The Hundred Days' Reform
This was a period of political and educational reforms that were initiated by Emperor Guangxu, which was initiated to modernize China. Empress Dowager Cixi resisted these reforms, and the movement was crushed. This marked the failure of the self-reform attempts by the Qing. -
Death of Empress Dowager Cixi
Her death ignited political instability. This was because of her chosen heir, who was much too inexperienced to govern. As a result, this weakened the Qing Dynasty's central authority. -
The 1911 Revolution (Xinhai Revolution)
This revolution was led by Sun Yat-sen and other reformers and was a response to the inefficiency and corruption of the Qing Dynasty. This resulted in the overthrow of the imperial system. As a result, the Republic of China was established, and this ended the two thousand years of imperial rule in China. -
Fall of the Qing Dynasty
Internal rebellions, such as the Taiping Rebellion and the Boxer Rebellion were a cause of the fall. Economic decline and corruption with rising inflation, famine, and taxes also led to the fall of the Qing dynasty. A third reason the Qing dynasty fell is that they failed to modernize with their many attempts of reform. These reforms include the Self-Strengthening Movement and the Hundred Days' Reform. Finally, the Qing Dynasty fell because of the 1911 Revolution. -
Resigning of the Last Emperor Puyi
After the 1911 Revolution, Puyi was forced to resign. This marked the official end of the Qing Dynasty, and this led to the rise of the republican China. Puyi remained an emperor under the control of the Japanese in the 1930s.