Day One (3/9 & 3/10) You will receive a homework assignment that will require you to analyze several visual and textual documents. You will need to prepare answers to the accompanying discussion questions for our next class.
Documents/Visuals to Analyze 1. “Chinoiserie” footbath, 19th century 2. Cruikshank’s (1792-1878), a sketch of a British sailor 3. “The Hairy One”: Chinese sketch of an English Sailor, 1839 4. Qianlong’s letter to King George III, 1793 (included in this is a brief description of the McCartney Mission for your reference) Be sure to prepare answers to the Discussion/Study Questions included.
Document Analysis, a study of perspectives: England and China Before diving into your task, it is important to understand the geography of Britain’s Empire and the role trade played in the development of that Empire. This should break it down quite well. http://www.the-map-ashistory.com/demos/tome05/index.php
A couple of issues to consider: 1. “Chinoiserie” footbath, 19th century • Think about modern equivalents of Chinoiserie…what do is cool or exotic about Chinese culture that is available to you? 1. Cruikshank’s (1792-1878), a sketch of a British sailor • Cruikshank’s political satire reflected late 18th and 19th century British ideas about hierarchical social classes and races, so his solitary drawing of a sailor fits into a larger context. Be sure to prepare answers to the Discussion/Study Questions included in your packet. We will be using them next class.
Chinoiserie Up Close chinoiserie-foot-bath A British Sailor The Hairy One
Day 2 Group activity Overview of Qing Dynasty Opium Reading
Now to our document Analysis
Take out your documents and your answers to discussion questions Let’s get in groups… Each group will take on one of the sources you analyzed for homework You will share / discuss your answers to the study questions You should also consider how the movement of goods and ideas along the long-distance maritime trade routes that connected Britain to China might have influenced the creation of each source. Time: 10 minutes
Reconvene
Consider the British images of Chinese subjects portrayed on the footbath. This image of the “other” tends to be exotic and make the Chinese seem peaceful, calm, rich, and perhaps even “collectable.” Does this image make China seem like a warrior nation or a fearsome military opponent? Might Britons thus influenced have been surprised by Quianlong’s response to Macartney’s embassy? What changes are evident in the Chinese understanding of British power between 1793 and 1839?
Day 2 Group activity Overview of Qing Dynasty Opium Reading
China During the Qing Dynasty 1640s, the Ming dynasty had weakened, and the Manchus from Northern China took control Manchus had their own ethnic / culture identity Manchu emperor rule was called the Qing dynasty
◦ Manchu Qing ruled in the same style as a Chinese dynasty ◦ Outlawed intermarriage of Manchu and Chinese ◦ Forbade Chinese from learning Manchu language dialect ◦ Forced Chinese men to wear hair in a “pig tail” style pony tail: called a queue as a sign of submission to Qing rule ◦ Continued the practice of foot binding of upper class women (despite their efforts to outlaw it in the 17th ca.)
China During the Qing Dynasty
China was self-sufficient ◦ Grew enough food to feed it’s 300 million population (however, their agricultural policies caused environment degradation over time, the production will not keep up and famines will result) ◦ China had little interest in trade with the west ◦ Issues of government corruption also became an issue over time ◦ The British bought and exported million of tons of Chinese tea every year ◦ China would only accept silver as payment Hurt the English and Spanish economy Led to inflation / weak credit
European powers wanted to find a product they could sell to China for trade payments cheaper than silver
China During the Qing Dynasty Late 18th Century, British merchants smuggle Opium (a habit-forming narcotic made from poppy flower seeds which was cheap to grow in in India) 12 million Chinese were addicted and smoking opium by 1835 Opium addition caused great moral and social problems in China society The Qing emperor wrote England’s Queen Victoria about the illegal trading of opium. Britain refused his request
Result of Opium Trade Opium war of 1839 with Britain Most battles at sea Chinese Navy and guns no match for Britain modern steam powered Navy 1842, peace agreement, Treaty of Nanjing
◦ This treaty gave the port city of Hong Kong to the British as well additional treaty ports (trading rights)
Mixture of social unhappiness (unstable agriculture, ethnic tensions, government corruption) and foreign intrusion exploded into Civil War ◦ Taiping Rebellion
Lasted 14 years The Qing government put down rebellions (with aid from British and French forces after a 2nd Opium War in 1856-1860) but at a terrible cost 20 million – 40 million died of war / starvation Increased foreign domination
Let’s Read…..
“How Opium Made the World Go “Round” ◦ A global perspective What is the author’s argument/thesis? How does argument relate to global trade patterns? In what ways can you be critical of his argument?
China During the Qing Dynasty
Because China was weakened by the Taiping Rebellion (in debt to Europe), foreign nations became more involved in China The US worried that European powers would divide China into colonies and shut out US traders ◦ 1899, US declared its Open Door Policy to ensure that China would remain open to trade by U.S. and prevent European Colonization (direct rule) of China
The last major reform idea of the Qing: SelfStrengthening Movement ◦ Intent to remake China into a modern industrial society ◦ The modernization reforms were opposed by the Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi who canceled the new reforms
China During the Qing Dynasty
The Chinese people rebelled against Cixi rule ◦ A secret organization of Chinese radical’s began: the society of Harmonious Fists (called the Boxers)
Spring 1900, Boxer Rebellion begins
◦ The Boxers surrounded the European trader section of the capital of Beijing (called Peking, by foreigners) and kept it under attack for months
By 1901, A multinational military force from Britain, France, Germany, Japan and US defeated the rebel Boxer forces
China During the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty tried to reform ? ◦ Accepted a new plan to change dynastic rule to a constitutional monarchy (modeled after Japan’s gov) the goal was set for 1917 to realize a new political structure ◦ For many Chinese 1917 was too long to wait for reforms. A revolutionary movement began.Young men and women who had traveled / or were educated in the West wanted change now ◦ These young people also were critical of Dynasty’s reliance on the west ◦ The Manchus could not put down this latest rebellion
1911, the last Emperor of China was deposed (forced to give up leadership) China became a Republic ◦ Set up a constitutional government ◦ Democracy and free elections ◦ Emphasis on Nationalism, freedom from foreign influence
Processing it all
Based on your document analysis and background information presented today and from your textbook, construct response for the following prompt: ◦ What changes are evident in the Chinese understanding of British power between 1793 and 1839? Be sure to consider: 1. Specific examples of change over time 2. POV: motivation and intentionality