The Opium Wars were 2 wars between the Qing Dynasty of China and European powers in the mid-19th century.
In the 18th century China enjoyed favorable terms of trade with Europe as it exported porcelain, silk and tea in exchange for precious metals.
The British cultivated opium in India which was transported to China by Chinese smugglers, leaving large profits for those involved.
The first war lasted from 1839 to 1842. It broke out when the British reacted when the Chinese emperor decided to ban the opium trade since it was addictive.
China was defeated and forced to cede Hong Kong and other nearby islands to Britain. It still ‘opened’ 5 ports for the Europeans and paid reparations.
The second war was between the Chinese, on the one hand, and the English and French, on the other. It lasted from 1856 to 1860.
It broke out when the new Chinese imperial commissioner in Canton decided to crack down on the opium trade. Thus he seized a British ship carrying opium. Also, the killing of a French missionary, ‘threw’ France into the war.
After their second defeat, the Chinese paid reparations and ‘opened’ another 10 ports for the Europeans.
[Source: el.wikipedia.org]
