Opium Wars- Imperialism in China

Opium is a highly-addictive drug given to the Chinese. It was grown in the East Indies. The British traded Opium to the Chinese for tea. It was used for medicine but the Chinese got addicted to it. In 1838, the Chinese government told the british to not to trade anymore opium because it was highly addictive. In 1840, the Chinese went into war with the British but the British won becaue they had better weapons and more technology. So it was called the Opium Wars because the British and the Chinese were fighting over wheather or not to keep trading opium. Chinese were forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing, which allows the British to trade in ports around China, including Hong Kong. In 1843, they signed the Treaty of the Bogue. It states that the Chinese were responsible for destroying quantities of opium in the sea during an anti-opium campaign. Unfourtunately, in 1856, the Second Opium War began due to an argument over the treaties. Once again, the British won and made the Chinese sign the Treaty of Tianjin, which opens up 11 additional ports in China.