Western Civilization II / Unit 13 WC2 1207 short lesson, about 20 seconds
The Opium War: The Nemesis, Hong Kong, the Treaty Ports
Captions available
The idea
When Chinese officials stopped the opium, Britain went to war in eighteen forty. The gunboat Nemesis routed Chinese forces. The Treaty of Nanjing in eighteen forty-two ceded Hong Kong and opened five ports; other Europeans followed. A second war followed from eighteen fifty-six.
In practice
"The century of humiliation", China calls it.
Where people slip
The Nemesis is anchor-only.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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