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The Manchus enter China
In 1644, an offical from the Ming Government allowed the Manchus to enter China to stop a rebellion near the Great Wall. Consequently, this backfired and the Manchus were now a greater threat than the rebels. The Manchus yake control of the government and they then legitimize power by their practice of Confucian teachings. -
The exam system had so many cheaters
Cheating was so widespread that students who honestly took the test protested in Yangzhou. The cheating caused people to be picked based on favoritism rather than the actual test. In other words, anyone who had enough money could buy a spot. -
Opium is introduced into China
In 1773, british traders introduced opium to the chinese. Opium is a highly addictive and deadly drug that was banned in Britain because of the drug's deadly effects. Ironically, the British want the chinese to use it. -
China is socially, politically, and economically weak
In the late 18th century, the Chinese people gave way to corrupt government severe economic dislocations, and social unrest. The western powers took advantage of these weaknesses. -
Opium is banned from China
By 1838, the drug habit of opium among the chinese had grown very widespread. This causes the Manchu emperor to release an imperial edict forbidding the further sale or use of opium. In other words, opium is banned from China. -
China takes out the british opium in Canton
In 1839, the chinese siezed British opium in Canton. This helps China get rid of the opium in the country, but Britain looses some money off of it. -
The first Opium war
From 1839-1842, Britain and China fought a war over the opium trade. China ws outmatched by British the military, and consequently, China was forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing. This treaty was known as one of the 'unequal treaties' by which Britain was given rights to expand trade with China. -
Hong Kong belong to Britain now
In 1843, Britain declared Hong Kong as it's own territory. This went beyond trading rights, and Britain eventually establihed a British colony in the same region as Hong Kong. -
Christain missionaries are forced to be established in China
In 1844, the Manchu dynasty was forced to permit Christain missionaries into China. This really disturbs the chinese citizens because their religion is Buddhism/Hinduism, not christianity. -
Much of China's farmland was flooded
By the 1850s, the dikes that prevented floods had broken down. Hundreds of spuare miles of farmland were flooded. Because of this, food shortages broke out, mass migration happens, and there is widespread starvation. -
Manchu dynasty attempts to revive China
In the 1860s, the Manchu dynasty tried to get their act together by establishing the Self-Strengthening Movement. Sadly, this movement failed. This failure really weakened the Manchu Dynasty and China as a whole, because now other countries (korea, vietnam) were seeing how weak China is. -
Korea seeks independence from China
In 1876, Korea realized how weak China was and declared its independence. -
China looses Vietnam to the French
In 1883, the Sino-French War caused China to loose control of Vietnam to the French. The French later established a colony in Vietnam and called it Indochina. -
China is defeated by Japan
In 1895, China was defeated in the Sino-Japanese war. In the Treaty of Shimonoseki, China was forced to hand over control of Taiwan anf grant the japanese trading rights similar to those of the Europeans.