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OCR A-level history: Boxer uprising source question essay answer
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Second ever written source question essay answer, was awarded 25/30 marks, which is a level 5 answer
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Ellie Cain, 12JG2Evaluate the interpretations in both of the two passages and
explain which you think is more convincing as an explanation to
the cause of the First Opium War [30]
The First Opium War broke out in 1839, when the Manchu government rejected the demand
of the British for China to increase its purchase of opium, but its breakout was down to two
main factors, the British forcing opium into the Chinese and the actions of Lin Zexu.
Passage A, discusses the internal causes of the conflict within China, with the role of opium
and the impact of its trade, while passage discusses the external British causes for the
cause of the First Opium War.
Passage A correctly states that the Qing Government were facing internal problems, as
shown with the quote 'ineffectiveness of administration and military in the south', this was
from the opium that had been forced onto the Chinese by the British, of which was due to the
Chinese troops in Canton using the drug and thus becoming 'addicted to opium, leading to
them becoming 'useless', resulting in the Manchu Government becoming unpopular due to
the increasing western influence within China, for example the official tolerance of Christian
religion of which has been destabilised by the Quing dynasty.
Also, an 'imbalance in trade was destabilising regional economies and the Imperial treasury
Overall, passage A is invalid due to it overemphasise the significance of the First Opium
War, compared to various other factors that then led to the outbreak if the conflict and
caused the destabilisation of China during the period, for example the Taping Rebellion, as
well the passage focuses mainly on the internal factors that faced China to bring round the
collapse of foreign relations between itself and Britain, to then result in the First Opium War
of 1839, as show with the quote ‘imperial decrees prohibiting the drug were being flouted’, of
which implies that there was concern among the Chinese towards the impact that the opium
trade was having socially, politically and financially on the country.
Passage B has a main focus towards the actions of the British with forcing the opium on the
Chinese, and states that the discounts of opium was main cause of the outbreak of conflict
between the two relations, and instead of alternatively arguing that the cause of the war was
down to the issues of sovereignty, free trade and the how the British citizens were treated by
the Chinese, that seemed to be more prominent during the period, evidence to support this
from the passage is show by the quote ‘rejected China’s insistence that British ‘headsman
could only communicate with provincial Chinese authorities indirectly… instead of on the
terms of diplomatic equality’, as during the time the British was allowed to free trade,
bringing the Chinese to bring around restricting this, as had happened, this was down to the
Chinese seeing the officials from Britain as not equal to them, leading to suggest that this
passage is valid due to this.
Also the passage is valid once again from the disputes over the application of Chinese law
toward foreigners, for example the strangulation of a British Sailor for causing an accidental
death, which is show by ‘safety of British men, woman and children threatened, chased
away or imprisoned without charge or trial’,
Overall, both passages have an invalid interpretation towards the causes of the First Opium
War within them. A has a primary focus towards internal factors of China and sees
restrictions placed upon the trading due to these internal problems and was too a catalyst
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