• Opium was a significant part of trade during the 19th century
  • Medicinal
  • Recreational
• Opium was extremely addictive and the recreational use harmed peoples health
• By the end of the 19th century, many countries imposed bans on “opium dens” that sold the product

Manchu China’s Views on Trade with the West

• Didn’t want to, was closed off
  • Manchu China wanted to resist european culture
  • They prevented european merchants who were interested in trade with Manchu China from entering
• The europeans wanted access to chinas cheap and good quality goods
  • Silk
  • Tea
• The Europeans didn’t treat the chinese with respect, they often got drunk and caused chaos on the chinese ports
  • China regarded them as barbarian who didn’t respect the chinese culture, unaware of the chinese laws and ignored the chinese customs
• Chinas policy was called a “closed door” policy wherein they tried to limit their trade with the west to a minimum
• If a chinese person was caught teaching chinese to one of the european traders, death was the penalty
• China basically made it really hard to trade w the west
• west didn't like this
• The trade with the west and chinese was one way, china would give the west their goods but wouldn’t accept the western goods
  • They wanted to be paid in only gold and silver coins
  • This made trade with china expensive