Industrial Revolution, Imperialism, and Meiji Restoration

What was Lin Zexu’s purpose for writing this letter to Queen Victoria?

• to negotiate opening trade between China and Britain

• to attempt to stop the flow of opium into China

• to address the injuries the Chinese inflicted on the British

• to gain independence from unjust British rule

Answer explanation

Lin Zexu highlights the negative effects that the drug opium is having on the Chinese population since the British have been selling it in China. He is asking the British monarch Queen Victoria to stop importing more opium into China.

What is a long-term consequence of the historical development discussed in this 1839 letter?

• establishment of British spheres of influence in China

• accumulation of great wealth by the Chinese at British expense

• successful enforcement of a Chinese embargo on all British imports

• creation of a mutually beneficial trade alliance between Britain and China

Answer explanation

China and Great Britain fought two "Opium Wars" in the mid 1800s. Great Britain won both and forced China to sign very unfair treaties that established (among other things) spheres of influence in China where the British has special trading privileges.

What was a contributing factor to the historical development shown on this map?

• the abolition of the slave trade

• the growing strength of Asian states

• the lack of seafaring technology

• the desire for markets and raw materials

Answer explanation

This map shows the European countries of France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal creating colonies in Africa and Asia. Two reasons they were motivated to colonize these places are for those colonies' natural resources and because they could sell finished products that were produced in Europe to the millions of people in these colonies (new markets for selling goods).

The primary purpose of this letter was to persuade the British to

• stop the flow of opium into China

• increase trade with China

• end all business with China

• defend China against invasion

Answer explanation

The author is politely trying to get Queen Victoria to stop importing opium into China. Opium is specifically mentioned in the middle of the passage.

What is a long-term result of the conflict described in this letter?

• The British were forced to pay reparations to China

• The Chinese government closed all ports to the British.

• The British forced China to sign unequal treaties.

• The British agreed to respect Chinese sovereignt

Answer explanation

The Opium Wars between China and Great Britain resulted in devastating losses for China where they were forced to sign unequal treaties that allowed the opium trade to continue.

Based on this map, countries from which part of the world gained the most power in Southeast Asia during the late 1800s?

• North America

• Africa

• Europe

• Southwest Asia

Which event played a major role in the expansion shown on this map?

• Russo-Japanese War

• French Revolution

• Industrial Revolution

• World War I

The information in this passage would be most useful to an economist researching

• motivations for European imperialism in Africa

• employment strategies used in Europe

• reasons for European interest in ivory

• importation of European raw materials to Africa

Which event contributed to the situation described in this passage?

• passage of the British Abolition Act

• creation of the Sadler Report

• meeting of the Berlin Conference

• establishment of the Napoleonic Code

Which development most likely influenced the action taken in this cartoon?

• China’s naval power posed a threat to the Western powers

• China had become stronger militarily than the Western powers.

• The Western powers desired political means to control Japan

• The Western powers desired access to new markets in Asia