Imperialism in China: The Open-Door Policy and Nationalist Rebellions Project
Introduction
By 1800, China was a prosperous country with a highly developed agricultural system. China was not industrialized, but workers in small workshops were able to produce most of the goods the Chinese needed. Because China was practically self-sufficient, its emperors had little interest in trading with Europeans. For decades, Europeans could do business only at the port of Canton. Despite pleas from Britain and other nations, China refused to open other ports to foreigners. The Chinese regarded European goods as inferior to their own and bought few goods from the European merchants at Canton.
By 1800, China was a prosperous country with a highly developed agricultural system. China was not industrialized, but workers in small workshops were able to produce most of the goods the Chinese needed. Because China was practically self-sufficient, its emperors had little interest in trading with Europeans. For decades, Europeans could do business only at the port of Canton. Despite pleas from Britain and other nations, China refused to open other ports to foreigners. The Chinese regarded European goods as inferior to their own and bought few goods from the European merchants at Canton.
European merchants were determined to find a product the Chinese would buy in large quantities. Eventually, the British East India company discovered such a product - opium. Opium is a habit forming narcotic made from the poppy plant. The Chinese government tried to stop the opium trade by appealing to British royalty. When those pleas went unanswered, the quarrel over opium grew into a war.
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The Opium War and the peace that followed led to increased trading rights for Europeans in China. For a time it looked as though a scramble for China might follow the one for Africa...
This Project will lead you through the major events and policies that effected life in China during the 1800s. After completing this project, you should have a complete understanding of the European-Chinese conflict of interest that shaped Chinese history during the 19th Century.
Task
Your group has just traveled back in time to the year 1900. You have arrived in China during a time of great turmoil. The United States has just proposed a policy that will allow equal access to China for all foreign merchants. As a result, a group of Chinese nationalists have taken to the streets and have pledged to rid the country of "foreign devils." You and your colleagues have been invited to a conference being held at the Chinese Imperial Palace. At this conference, European merchants and Chinese citizens will have the opportunity to present their visions for the future of China.
Members of your group will be participating on both sides of the debate. After completing background research on China's recent history, you will be split up and asked to write a speech arguing either on the side of the European merchants or the Chinese nationalists. Your speeches will help the Empress Dowager Tsu Hsi decide whether the Chinese government should support trade with foreign nations or aid in the fight to again isolate China from foreign influence.
Your group has just traveled back in time to the year 1900. You have arrived in China during a time of great turmoil. The United States has just proposed a policy that will allow equal access to China for all foreign merchants. As a result, a group of Chinese nationalists have taken to the streets and have pledged to rid the country of "foreign devils." You and your colleagues have been invited to a conference being held at the Chinese Imperial Palace. At this conference, European merchants and Chinese citizens will have the opportunity to present their visions for the future of China.
Members of your group will be participating on both sides of the debate. After completing background research on China's recent history, you will be split up and asked to write a speech arguing either on the side of the European merchants or the Chinese nationalists. Your speeches will help the Empress Dowager Tsu Hsi decide whether the Chinese government should support trade with foreign nations or aid in the fight to again isolate China from foreign influence.
Process
In groups of four, you will research each of the following topics relating to events in China in the 1800s:
▪ the Opium Wars, ▪ the Treaty of Nanking, ▪ the Taiping Rebellion, ▪ the Open-Door Policy, and ▪ the Boxer Rebellion
The group of four will then be split into two groups of two.
Group A will focus on the European (specifically British) perspective on the events in China during the 1800s and will write a speech from the point- of-view of a British merchant arguing for extended trading rights in China.
Group B will focus on the Chinese (nationalist) perspective on the events in China during the 1800s and will write a speech from the point-of-view of a Boxer nationalist arguing for the expulsion of foreign merchants from China.
*Each group should cite specific examples from their research supporting their argument for or against European trade in China. Once the speeches are complete, both Group A and Group B will design a visual aid to complement their speech. On the final day of the project, members of each group will dress in costume and present their speeches in front of the class (with visual).
In groups of four, you will research each of the following topics relating to events in China in the 1800s:
▪ the Opium Wars, ▪ the Treaty of Nanking, ▪ the Taiping Rebellion, ▪ the Open-Door Policy, and ▪ the Boxer Rebellion
The group of four will then be split into two groups of two.
Group A will focus on the European (specifically British) perspective on the events in China during the 1800s and will write a speech from the point- of-view of a British merchant arguing for extended trading rights in China.
Group B will focus on the Chinese (nationalist) perspective on the events in China during the 1800s and will write a speech from the point-of-view of a Boxer nationalist arguing for the expulsion of foreign merchants from China.
*Each group should cite specific examples from their research supporting their argument for or against European trade in China. Once the speeches are complete, both Group A and Group B will design a visual aid to complement their speech. On the final day of the project, members of each group will dress in costume and present their speeches in front of the class (with visual).
Resources
[PSD]= Primary Source Document, [BI] = Background Information
Note: If any of the links listed below are found to be inactive, please request hard copies of the documents from Miss Dang.
[PSD]= Primary Source Document, [BI] = Background Information
Note: If any of the links listed below are found to be inactive, please request hard copies of the documents from Miss Dang.
The Opium Wars
"Trade War: Britain Acquires 'a Barren Rock'" [BI] "Ch'ing China: The Opium Wars" [BI] "Letter of Advice to Queen Victoria" [PSD] The Taiping Rebellion
"The Taiping Rebellion: 1861-1864" [BI] "Ch'ing China: The Taiping Rebellion" [BI] "The Taiping Economic Program" [PSD] The Boxer Rebellion
"Fists of Righteous Harmony" [BI] "Boxer Rebellion Begins in China" [BI] "The Boxer Rebellion and the US Navy, 1900-1901" [BI] "A Prisoner of the Boxer Rebellion, 1900" [PSD] |
The Treaty of Nanking
"The Treaty of Nanking, First of Unequal Treaties" [BI]
"The Treaty of Nanking, 1842" [BI] "The Anglo-Chinese Treaty of Nanking (1842)" [PSD] The Open-Door Policy
"The Open-Door Notes, 1899-1900" [BI] "The Open-Door Policy: Doing Business in China" [BI] "John Hay's First Open-Door Note" [PSD] |
Evaluation
Your written speech and presentation (including appropriate visual) will be graded based on the criteria provided for in the following rubric:
Your written speech and presentation (including appropriate visual) will be graded based on the criteria provided for in the following rubric:
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Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed the Imperialism in China: The Open-Door Policy and Nationalist Rebellions WebQuest. You should now have a better understanding of the policies and events that shaped China in the 19th Century. This information should further help you to construct a complete view of world events during the Age of Imperialism (1870-1914).
Congratulations! You have completed the Imperialism in China: The Open-Door Policy and Nationalist Rebellions WebQuest. You should now have a better understanding of the policies and events that shaped China in the 19th Century. This information should further help you to construct a complete view of world events during the Age of Imperialism (1870-1914).