Gunboat diplomacy and the British Empire in East Asia
I can explain the importance of gunboat diplomacy for the expansion of the British Empire in East Asia.
Gunboat diplomacy and the British Empire in East Asia
I can explain the importance of gunboat diplomacy for the expansion of the British Empire in East Asia.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Britain had no colonies in East Asia in the early 19th century.
- A lack of Chinese interest and restrictions imposed by the Qing Empire limited British trade with China.
- The Opium Wars between Britain and the Qing Empire are an example of gunboat diplomacy.
- Britain expanded its formal empire by gaining control over Hong Kong.
- Growing British influence in the Qing Empire helped it develop an informal empire after the Opium Wars.
Keywords
Merchants - merchants are people whose job is to buy and sell goods
Opium - opium is an addictive drug
Gunboat diplomacy - when countries try to achieve their foreign policy aims by using the threat of military force, this is called gunboat diplomacy
Treaty - a treaty is a written agreement between two or more countries, approved and signed by their leaders
Customs - customs are taxes paid on trade
Common misconception
British victory in the Opium wars allowed it to conquer large areas of China and establish many new colonies.
Hong Kong was gained as a new British colony but Britain used its victory in the Opium Wars to force the Qing empire to change its behaviour, rather than to create new colonies.
To help you plan your year 9 history lesson on: Gunboat diplomacy and the British Empire in East Asia, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 9 history lesson on: Gunboat diplomacy and the British Empire in East Asia, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the The British Empire: how far was it transformed in the mid-nineteenth century? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Licence
Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
countries which are ruled by another country
made up of areas heavily under the influence of a particular country
the control of one country over others and the extension of its rule
using the threat of force to achieve foreign policy aims