Opium Wars

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/opium-wars

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the first opium war dates?1839 to 1842
2. What is the primary western powers?Great Britain and France
3. What were the Opium Wars about?The Opium Wars were fights between Britain and China over the trade of opium, a drug that was hurting many Chinese people. They also involved China’s strict trade rules that only let foreign traders use one port and pay with silver.
4. Why did Britain want to trade opium with China?Britain had a trade deficit because it bought more from China than it sold. Selling opium from British India helped balance the trade and gave Britain more money.

Imperialism: A policy of extending a country's power and influence through diplomacy or military force.
Trade Imbalance: A situation where a country imports more goods than it exports, leading to a deficit.
Casus Belli: An act or event that provokes or is used to justify a war.
Indemnity: A payment made for loss or damage, often imposed as a penalty after a war.