There are six pictures showing various events related to the Opium War of 1842.
You need to put the pictures in the correct chronological order to open the vault. Click on each picture to find out more information.
Each picture has been given a letter.
Type a letter in each box on the front of the vault to find the correct combination to open the vault and view the slide show.
Picture B
Tea became so popular that by 1794 Britain was buying nine million pounds each year from China.
Homeward Bound: China Fleet at Anchor in the Strait of Sunda, by William Daniell
Picture E
Britain's main problem was that China would only sell tea in exchange for silver. Britain wanted to keep hold of its silver. In order to do this, the British began to smuggle opium into China illegally. The Chinese were forced to pay for the opium in silver. In this way the British tried to balance the flow of silver between the countries.
The Opium Ships at Lintin in China, 1824
Picture F
From the late 1820s, Chinese junks met British opium ships and smuggled the opium into China. British and Chinese merchants made large profits from this illegal trade. The Chinese government became increasingly worried by the growing trade, which had a bad effect on the economy.
Smuggling Opium
Picture C
By 1830 opium had become easier to obtain in China with more and more people using it.
Opium Smokers
Picture A
In 1839 Commissioner Lin, on the orders of the Emperor, destroyed 20,000 chests of British opium in Canton. This outraged the British, and was the incident that sparked off the First Opium War.
Nemesis and ... Calliope and Starling destroying the Chinese War Junks in Anson's Bay
Picture D
This treaty ended the First Opium War. The treaty stated that China would pay 21 million dollars to Britain. The Chinese also had to open five ports to British trade, hand over Hong Kong to Britain, and only fix tariffs and customs duties after consultation with the British government.
Signing the Treaty of Nanking, 29 September 1842
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