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Qing dinasty
The Manchus, a semi-nomadic people from northeast of the Great Wall, conquered the crumbling Ming state and established their own Qing dynasty which lasted over 300 years. -
Opium wars
A conflict between China and the British empire over the British trade of opium and China´s sovereignty. As a result, it weakened the Qing dynasty and forced China to trade with other parts of the world. The first Opium war was from 1839 to 1842, and the second one was from 1856 to 1869. -
Taiping rebellion
Was a revolt against the Qing dynasty in China, fought with religious conviction over regional economic conditions. Taiping forces were called God Worshipping Society by self-proclaimed prophet Hong Xiuquan, and resulted in the rebels seizing the city of Nanjing for a decade. It eventually failed and lead to a huge number of deaths. It lasted until 1864. -
Self strengthening
Was a period of institutional reforms initiated during the late Qing dynasty following a series of military defeats and concessions to foreign powers. It lasted until 1895. -
Boxer rebellion
A Chinese secret organization called the society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fists, led an uprising in northern China against the spread of Western and Japanese influence there. The Boxers killed foreigners and Chinese Christians. They also destroyed foreign property. Ended in 1901. -
Japanese 21 demands
They were made from Japan to China, by his alliance with the Allied powers, Japan represented China with a secret ultimatum designed to give Japan regional domination over China. Governors and people did not support Yuan. -
Warlords
After the death of Yuan, there was no one controlling China. The result was a collapse of the central government in Beijing. Generals and military governors who had opposed Yuan set up their own governments and used their armies to enforce authority. -
May fourth movement
Students led a mass demonstration in Beijing against the warlords, traditional Chinese culture and the Japanese. The significance of the movement was dedicated to change and the rebirth of China. -
First United Front
The GMD and the CCP wanted to unify China and get rid of the warlords. They both agreed that China needed to be free of the imperialist powers. Jiang was anti-communist (he removed communists from key positions in the party). Northern expedition in 1926 was to crush the warlords of central and northern China. New capital: Nanjing. -
GMD attacks CCP
China wasn´t unified, the United Front was only a friendship of convenience. Ideology divided the two parties, the success of the Northern expedition was only due to nationalist ambitions. The popular support of the communists was a reason why Jiang decided no tolerate them in the GMD. White terror and purification movements was to get rid of the communists, trade unionists and peasant leaders.
