Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, Boxer Uprising, or Yihetuan Movement was an anti-imperialist, anti-foreign, and anti-Christian uprising that took place in China between 1899 and 1901, toward the end of the Qing dynasty. It was initiated by the Militia United in Righteousness, known in English as the Boxer…
What could have prevented the Boxer Rebellion?
William Woodville Rockhill urged the fled Qing court to disavow the Boxers as rebels, evade blame for the rebellion, and avoid European abolition of the dynasty and partition of North China. The final Qing decade with New Policies successfully initiated reform and was the most peaceful decade until the 1950s.
How did the Boxer Uprising affect China?
The effect on China was a weakening of the dynasty, although it was temporarily sustained by the Europeans who were under the impression that the Boxer Rebellion was anti-Qing. China was also forced to pay almost $333 million in reparations. How was China affected by the Boxer Rebellion? The Boxer Rebellion broke out in China in 1900.
How did the Boxer Rebellion weaken Qing dynasty?
The Boxer Rebellion weakened the Qing dynasty, which was the last imperial dynasty of China and ruled the country from 1644 to 1912. The diminished state of the Qing dynasty after the Boxer Rebellion opened the door to the Republican Revolution of 1911 that overthrew the emperor and made China a republic.
What was true about the boxers in China?
The Boxers clearly believed that they were acting in the best interests of peasants who made up the majority of the Chinese population. Their violent activities led to the Boxer Protocol in 1901 that almost bankrupted China through the huge financial reparations.
What was the Boxer Rebellion and what was the result?
The Qing dynasty, established in 1644, was weakened by the Boxer Rebellion. Following an uprising in 1911, the dynasty came to an end and China became a republic in 1912.
What was the cause of the Boxer Rebellion?
The main causes of the Boxer Rebellion were: The presence of Western religions, mostly Christianity, within China. Boxers believed that only indigenous Chinese and Asian religions should be allowed to exist within China. The economic relationships between China and other nations, especially Western nations.
What did the Boxer Rebellion do to China?
The Qing dynasty's handling of the Boxer Rebellion further weakened their control over China, and led the dynasty to attempt major governmental reforms in the aftermath.
What was the Boxer Rebellion in China quizlet?
Also known as The Boxer Uprising, this was the popular peasant uprising in China (supported nationally), that blamed foreign people and institutions for the loss of the traditional Chinese way of life. "Boxers" were traditionally skilled fighters that attacked Westerners, beginning with Christian missionaries.
What were the Boxers rebelling against?
The Boxer Rebellion was an uprising against foreigners that occurred in China about 1900, begun by peasants but eventually supported by the government. A Chinese secret society known as the Boxers embarked on a violent campaign to drive all foreigners from China.
What was important about the Boxer Rebellion?
While the Boxer Rebellion was an important demonstration of Chinese nationalism, it also provided the nation with a crucial wake up call. It resulted in a decline in Chinese status in the world and was detrimental to the status of the imperial government.
Why did the Boxer Rebellion fail?
The Boxer Rebellion failed due to small numbers and antiquated systems of fighting. While there was a lot of resentment for the Western influence in China by many Chinese, the Boxers, established in the 1890s, were only able to rally between 50,000 and 100,000 followers, which was just a small number of the Chinese.
Who controlled China during the Boxer Rebellion?
By the end of the 19th century, the Western powers and Japan had forced China's ruling Qing dynasty to accept wide foreign control over the country's economic affairs.
What was the effect on China of the Boxer Rebellion quizlet?
What was the effect on China of the Boxer Rebellion? It led China to the verge of collapse.
How the Boxer Rebellion ended?
Although fighting largely ceased in the months following the August 1900 capture of Beijing by foreign troops, the Boxer Rebellion did not officially end until the signing of the Boxer Protocol on September 7, 1901, in Beijing.
Did the Boxer Rebellion fail?
Though the Boxer Rebellion failed but it did enough to stir up national pride within China itself. In 1895, China had been defeated by Japan. This was a humiliation for the Chinese as Japan had always been considered as a lesser nation to China. China lost control of Korea and Formosa to Japan.
What was the the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 quizlet?
- a violent anti-foreign, anti-colonial, and anti-Christian uprising that took place in China between 1899 and 1901, toward the end of the Qing dynasty.
What was the cause of the Boxer Rebellion quizlet?
Why did the Boxer Rebellion arise? Started with the invasion of Westerners & their Christian Missionaries and the instability in the Qing dynasty.
What sparked the Boxer Rebellion in 1900 and how was it crushed?
What sparked the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, and how was it crushed? The large Chinese cities were controlled by Europeans and the Chinese felt they were being unfairly treated, resulting in the Boxer Rebellion. They would kill missionaries, foreigners, and those who converted to Christianity.
Why did the Boxer Rebellion fail?
The Boxer Rebellion failed due to small numbers and antiquated systems of fighting. While there was a lot of resentment for the Western influence in China by many Chinese, the Boxers, established in the 1890s, were only able to rally between 50,000 and 100,000 followers, which was just a small number of the Chinese.
Where did the Boxer Rebellion happen?
ChinaNorth ChinaBoxer Rebellion/Locations
What was the impact of the Boxer Rebellion?
The Boxer Rebellion resulted in increased foreign influence in China, not less. It also resulted in all anti-foreign groups, including the Boxers,...
What was the main cause of the Boxer Rebellion?
The main cause of the Boxer Rebellion was the presence of foreigners and Christianity in China. Related to this cause was the supposed ineptness of...
Why did the US fight in the Boxer Rebellion?
The United States fought in the Boxer Rebellion to protect its citizens and those of its allies from being harmed by the Boxers. It also wanted to...
What was the Boxer Rebellion and what was the result?
The Boxer Rebellion was a religious and social rebellion that was intended to remove all foreigners and their influence from China. It was initiall...
What was the Boxer Rebellion?
The Boxer Rebellion, Boxer Uprising or Yihetuan Movement, was an armed and violent, anti-Christian, and anti-imperialist insurrection in China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty .
How many troops were in the Boxer Rebellion?
With Tianjin as a base, the international force marched from Tianjin to Beijing, about 120 km, with 20,000 allied troops.
What did the Chinese do in Manchuria in 1900?
In June 1900, the Chinese bombarded the town of Blagoveshchensk on the Russian side of the Amur. The Czar's government used the pretext of Boxer activity to move some 200,000 troops into the area to crush the Boxers. The Chinese used arson to destroy a bridge carrying a railway and a barracks on 27 July. The Boxers destroyed railways and cut lines for telegraphs and burned the Yantai mines.
What did the Boxers do?
The Boxers, armed with rifles and swords, claimed supernatural invulnerability against cannons, rifle shots, and knife attacks. Furthermore, the Boxer groups popularly claimed that millions of soldiers would descend out of Heaven to assist them in purifying China of foreign oppression.
What was the Boxer Protocol?
The protocol ordered the execution of 10 high-ranking officials linked to the outbreak and other officials who were found guilty for the slaughter of foreigners in China . Alfons Mumm (Freiherr von Schwarzenstein), Ernest Satow and Komura Jutaro signed on behalf of Germany, Britain and Japan, respectively.
How many Catholics were killed in the Boxer Rebellion?
During the Boxer Rebellion as a whole, a total of 136 Protestant missionaries and 53 children were killed, and 47 Catholic priests and nuns, 30,000 Chinese Catholics, 2,000 Chinese Protestants, and 200 to 400 of the 700 Russian Orthodox Christians in Beijing were estimated to have been killed.
How many Chinese Christians were in the legation quarter?
A total of 473 foreign civilians, 409 soldiers, marines and sailors from eight countries, and about 3,000 Chinese Christians took refuge there.
What was the Boxer Rebellion?
Updated March 10, 2019. Beginning in 1899, the Boxer Rebellion was an uprising in China against foreign influence in religion, politics, and trade. In the fighting, the Boxers killed thousands of Chinese Christians and attempted to storm the foreign embassies in Beijing. Following a 55-day siege, the embassies were relieved by 20,000 Japanese, ...
What was the Boxer movement?
The activities of the Boxers, also known as the Righteous and Harmonious Society Movement, began in the Shandong Province of eastern China in March 1898. This was largely in response to the failure of the government's modernization initiative, the Self-Strengthening Movement, as well as the German occupation of the Jiao Zhou region and the British seizure of Weihai. The first signs of unrest appeared in a village after a local court ruled in favor of giving a local temple over to the Roman Catholic authorities for use as a church. Upset by the decision, the villagers, led by Boxer agitators, attacked the church.
How far did Seymour's column advance from Beijing?
Moving by rail to Tianjin, they were forced to continue on foot as the Boxers had severed the line to Beijing. Seymour's column advanced as far Tong-Tcheou, 12 miles from Beijing, before being forced to retreat due to stiff Boxer resistance. They arrived back at Tianjin on June 26, having suffered 350 casualties.
What was the Boxers' agenda?
While the Boxers initially pursued an anti-government platform, they shifted to an anti-foreigner agenda after being severely beaten by Imperial troops in October 1898. Following this new course, they fell upon Western missionaries and Chinese Christians who they viewed as agents of foreign influence. In Beijing, the Imperial court was controlled by ultra-conservatives who supported the Boxers and their cause. From their position of power, they forced the Empress Dowager Cixi to issue edicts endorsing the Boxers' activities, which angered foreign diplomats.
What was the Boxer Protocol?
In the wake of the rebellion, several punitive expeditions were launched and the Chinese government was forced to sign the "Boxer Protocol" which called for the rebellion's leaders to be executed and the payment of financial reparations to the injured nations.
Where did the Boxers attack?
In June 1900, the Boxers, along with parts of the Imperial Army, began attacking foreign embassies in Beijing and Tianjin. In Beijing, the embassies of Great Britain, the United States, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, and Japan were all located in the Legation Quarter near the Forbidden City. Anticipating such a move, a mixed force of 435 marines from eight countries had been sent to reinforce the embassy guards. As the Boxers approached, the embassies were quickly linked into a fortified compound. Those embassies located outside of the compound were evacuated, with the staff taking refuge inside.
What time did the Russians attack the Dongen?
Deviating from the plan, the Russians moved against the Dongen, which had been assigned to the Americans, around 3:00 AM on August 14. Though they breached the gate, they were quickly pinned down.
What was the name of the Chinese rebellion in Peking?
In response to widespread foreign encroachment upon China’s national affairs, Chinese nationalists launch the so-called Boxer Rebellion in Peking. Calling themselves I Ho Ch’uan, or “the Righteous and Harmonious Fists,” the nationalists occupied Peking, killed several Westerners, including German ambassador Baron von Ketteler, and besieged the foreign legations in the diplomatic quarter of the city.
What happened in 1900 in China?
On June 20, 1900, the Boxers, now more than 100,000 strong and led by the court of Tzu’u Hzi, besieged the foreigners in Peking’s diplomatic quarter, burned Christian churches in the city, and destroyed the Peking-Tientsin railway line.
Which dynasty was forced to accept wide foreign control over the country's economic affairs?
By the end of the 19th century, the Western powers and Japan had forced China’s ruling Qing dynasty to accept wide foreign control over the country’s economic affairs.
Why did China not partition?
Due to mutual jealousies between the powers, it was agreed that China would not be partitioned further, and in September 1901, the Peking Protocol was signed, formally ending the Boxer Rebellion. By the terms of agreement, the foreign nations received extremely favorable commercial treaties with China, foreign troops were permanently stationed in Peking, and China was forced to pay $333 million dollars as penalty for its rebellion. China was effectively a subject nation.
What are the cartoons of the Boxer Uprising?
There are a number of cartoons that require the reader to have some knowledge about Chinese history, culture and leadership in order to deduce their meaning. However, many cartoons were just amusing and provoking, exhibiting political satire.
How did the Boxers go to war?
The boxers were triggered to war by the west’s creation of an informal empire in China. By the early 1890s, the bridgehead along the coast had been held under the foreign powers rule. This was targeted to give avenue to the economic penetration in the area’s mainland. The number of Christian missionaries and the power they wielded over China was increasing. Finally, there were a number of natural disasters that caused great conflicts in the region that translated to real war.
What did Elliott say about the boxer war?
Elliott posits that cartoonists in the boxer war did not obey the rule of ‘betraying soul of the nation’ . Rather than depicting the imperial army and the boxers as wild savages harming innocent westerners, they depicted them as heroes fighting for what was rightfully theirs. Of the 340 cartoons examined, only two showed Chinese killing European women and children.
Why did cartoonists sympathize with China?
It is evident that most cartoonists sympathized with China than with the invaders. Harboring sentiments against the invaders, they used the events to spread anti-Russia, anti-Germany and anti-British images. Because of the international attention the cartoons captured, the events of the boxer war and China as a whole claimed recognition in international politics.
Did German cartoonists believe in the spirit of invasion of China?
It is generally deduced from commentaries and drawings that German cartoonist did not believe in the spirit of invasion of China. They perceived this as a show of greed by the Europeans. The cartoonists expressed opposition to Kaiser Wilhelm’s views about China. His speech was subject to British, German, French and American press. Cartoonist Thomas Heine’s cartoons strongly expressed the opinion that Europe’s invasion of China was highly unwarranted and uncalled for. Apart from the unwarranted invasion, Heine’s cartoons also showed that Europe’s drive to disseminate Chinese culture was undesirable.
Which country was the most aggressive during the Boxer Rebellion?
In fact, throughout the Boxer Rebellion, the Germans were the most aggressive both in their general dealings with Chinese citizens (as when their ambassador murdered a young boy for no reason) and with their advocacy of all-out war. and with their advocacy of all-out war.
Who led the way in the Boxer Rebellion?
The United States as Uncle Sam leads the way, carrying the lamp of "prudence."
How much silver was in the Boxer Rebellion?
In the end, the Qing government signed the "Boxer Protocol" on September 7, 1901, which included war indemnities of 450,000,000 taels of silver (one tael per citizen of China). At a current price of $42.88/ounce, and with one tael = 1.2 troy ounces, that means that in modern dollars China was fined the equivalent of more than $23 billion US for the Boxer Rebellion. The victors gave the Qing 39 years to pay, although at 4% interest this nearly doubled the final price tag.
What was the Boxer movement?
Initially, the Boxer movement (or Righteous Harmony Society Movement) was a threat to both the Qing Dynasty and representatives of foreign powers in China. After all, the Qing were ethnic Manchus, rather than Han Chinese, and thus many Boxers considered the imperial family to be just another type of foreigners.
What is the meaning of the Boxer Rebellion cartoon?
This cartoon expresses the Emperor's hesitation to confront the Boxers. The foreign powers obviously recognized that the Boxer Rebellion was a serious threat to their own interests, but the Qing government saw the Boxers as potentially useful allies.
What was the purpose of the Russian Imperial Bear?
In this Puck cartoon from April 24, 1901, the Russian Imperial bear, with its desire for territorial expansion, stands against the rest of the foreign powers, trying to get its saber into a grinning China. In the aftermath of the Boxer Rebellion, Russia wanted to seize Manchuria as part of the war reparations, expanding its holdings in the Pacific region of Siberia. The other powers opposed Russia's plans, and seizure of territory was not included among the indemnities in the Boxer Protocol, which was agreed on September 7, 1900.
When did the Battle of Tientsin happen?
Presumably, it came sometime after the July 13-14, 1900 Battle of Tientsin, where troops from the Eight Nations (particularly Germany and Russia) rampaged through the town, looting, raping and killing civilians. Similar scenes played out in Beijing after the force arrived there on August 14, 1900.
How did the Boxer Rebellion affect China?
The Boxer Rebellion had a significant impact on Chinese society. There was some concern that China would lose its independence. While that didn’t happen, China had to a pay over $300 million in reparations. Those involved in the Boxer Rebellion were punished.
What was the Boxer Rebellion?
The Boxer Rebellion was a rebellion staged by an anti-foreigner Chinese society known for their "boxing" skills in physical exercise and defense. The Rebellion was ended when a multi-national force ended the Rebellion and China had to sign the Boxer Protocol in 1901. China lost not only a huge sum of money to foreign nations as a result ...
What was the impact of the Boxer Rebellion on Chinese society?
They killed both foreigners and Chinese Christians and seized property owned by foreigners. The Boxer Rebellion was eventually ended in 1901 as the Japanese and the Western powers created a force to deal with the rebellion. The Boxer Rebellion had a significant impact on Chinese society.
What was the end of the Qing Dynasty?
Despite these reforms, however, it soon became clear that the Qing dynasty had been severely weakened by the Boxer Rebellion and its subsequent suppression and was therefore no longer capable of instituting the kind of radical reforms needed to enable China to enter the modern world. It is no exaggeration to say that the Boxer Rebellion signaled the beginning of the end for the Qing dynasty, as well as centuries of monarchical rule in China.
What were the consequences of the Boxer Rebellion?
Share Link. The main consequence of the Boxer Rebellion was the subsequent modernization of many aspects of Chinese society. The failure of the Rebellion and the ruthless manner of its suppression by the Western colonial authorities had convinced many that China had to change if it were to break free from the shackles of colonial rule ...
What was the Japanese resentment about the American military presence in the Eastern Pacific?
It was Japanese resentment about an assertive American military presence in the Eastern Pacific that eventually led to the Japanese empire’s attacking the US naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, bringing isolationist America into Word War II. In 1900, the Boxer Rebellion occurred in China.
What was the impact of Japan's occupation of China?
Japan’s occupation of China led to its alignment with the Chinese Nationalist government against the rising communist revolution. Just before the Boxer rebellion, Japan had become emboldened by its 1895 victory in territorial warfare against China and with its permanent presence in China consolidated its dominance of Northeastern Asia.
What was the Boxer Rebellion?
The rebellion was the result of the Chinese people’s resentment of the presence of foreigners and Christian missionaries in their country, as well as the high-handed imperialism of Western nations during the 1800s.
What was the Boxer Uprising?
The Boxer Uprising. American troops are shown scaling the walls of Beijing. In Beijing, Qing rule under Empress Cixi was crumbling. Despite the reforms implemented by the imperial court, there was simply no way the ministers could stanch China’s bleeding. It could only get worse.
What did Qing authorities do to keep up with the West?
To keep up with the West, Qing authorities allowed the establishment of foreign schools. As per the Treaty of Tianjin (1858), foreign missionaries were allowed inside China where they proselytized freely.
What incident contributed to anti-Christian sentiment?
Another incident which contributed to anti-Christian sentiment was the case of the murdered missionaries of Society of the Divine Word. These German missionaries were among the most aggressive in evangelizing in the Shandong area. Two of their missionaries were murdered in 1897 by members of the Big Sword Society, a martial arts group whose primary goal was to defend people from warlords and bandits. The German government then decided to use this incident as a justification to wrest the Jiazhou Bay area from China.
What was the Big Sword Society?
The Big Sword Society eventually gave way to the rise of fellow martial arts practitioners known as the Boxers. This movement had its roots in northwest Shandong which was hard hit by the crises. They engaged in ritual boxing which was said to give them the power to resist the Christians and protect from harm. Spirit possession was an important part of the group’s practices.
What happened in 1876?
In 1876, a severe famine affected the peasants of the provinces of Zhili and Shandong. Many people died, and this tragedy was followed by severe flooding after the Yellow river swelled in 1898. This heartbreaking tragedy was followed by another drought which left many people dead.
What was the significance of the presence of the hated foreigners in Beijing?
The presence of the hated foreigners in Beijing—a reminder of the state’s weakness —was something the Manchus and the Han Chinese resented most. With these losses on their minds, the regents of Tongzhi emperor thought it prudent to start a “self-strengthening” program.
Overview
Historical background
The Righteous and Harmonious Fists (Yihequan) arose in the inland sections of the northern coastal province of Shandong, a region which had long been plagued by social unrest, religious sects, and martial societies. American Christian missionaries were probably the first people who referred to the well-trained, athletic young men as the "Boxers", because of the martial arts which t…
Boxer War
In January 1900, with a majority of conservatives in the imperial court, Empress Dowager Cixi changed her position on the Boxers, and issued edicts in their defence, causing protests from foreign powers. In spring 1900, the Boxer movement spread rapidly north from Shandong into the countryside near Beijing. Boxers burned Christian churches, killed Chinese Christians and intimidated Chinese officials who stood in their way. American Minister Edwin H. Conger cabled …
Russian invasion of Manchuria
The Russian Empire and the Qing Dynasty had maintained a long peace, starting with the Treaty of Nerchinsk in 1689, but Russian forces took advantage of Chinese defeats to impose the Aigun Treaty of 1858 and the Treaty of Peking of 1860 which ceded formerly Chinese territory in Manchuria to Russia, much of which is held by Russia to the present day (Primorye). The Russians aimed fo…
Massacre of missionaries and Chinese Christians
Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic missionaries and their Chinese parishioners were massacred throughout northern China, some by Boxers and others by government troops and authorities. After the declaration of war on Western powers in June 1900, Yuxian, who had been named governor of Shanxi in March of that year, implemented a brutal anti-foreign and anti-Christian policy. On 9 J…
Aftermath
The Eight Nation Alliance occupied Zhili province while Russia occupied Manchuria, but the rest of China was not occupied due to the actions of several Han governors who formed the Mutual Protection of Southeast China that refused to obey the declaration of war and kept their armies and provinces out of the war. Zhang Zhidong told Everard Fraser, the Hankou-based British cons…
Long-term consequences
The European great powers ceased their ambitions of colonising China since they had learned from the Boxer rebellions that the best way to deal with China was through the ruling dynasty, rather than directly with the Chinese people (a sentiment embodied in the adage: "The people are afraid of officials, the officials are afraid of foreigners, and the foreigners are afraid of the people") ( …
Controversies and changing views of the Boxers
From the beginning, views differed as to whether the Boxers were better seen as anti-imperialist, patriotic and proto-nationalist, or as "uncivilized" irrational and futile opponents of inevitable change. The historian Joseph Esherick comments that "confusion about the Boxer Uprising is not simply a matter of popular misconceptions" since "there is no major incident in China's modern history on …
Dates
Outbreak
- The activities of the Boxers, also known as the Righteous and Harmonious Society Movement, began in the Shandong Province of eastern China in March 1898. This was largely in response to the failure of the government's modernization initiative, the Self-Strengthening Movement, as well as the German occupation of the Jiao Zhou region and the British ...
The Uprising Grows
- While the Boxers initially pursued an anti-government platform, they shifted to an anti-foreigner agenda after being severely beaten by Imperial troops in October 1898. Following this new course, they fell upon Western missionaries and Chinese Christians who they viewed as agents of foreign influence. In Beijing, the Imperial court was controlled by ultra-conservatives who supported the …
The Legation Quarter Under Attack
- In June 1900, the Boxers, along with parts of the Imperial Army, began attacking foreign embassies in Beijing and Tianjin. In Beijing, the embassies of Great Britain, the United States, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Russia, and Japan were all located in the Legation Quarter near the Forbidden City. Anticipating such a move, a mixed force of 435 marines from eight countrie…
The First Attempt to Relieve The Legation Quarter
- To deal with the Boxer threat, an alliance was formed between Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Great Britain, and the United States. On June 10, an international force of 2,000 Marines was dispatched from Takou under British Vice Admiral Edward Seymour to aid Beijing. Moving by rail to Tianjin, they were forced to continue on foot as the Boxers had severe…
Second Attempt to Relieve The Legation Quarter
- With the situation deteriorating, the members of the Eight-Nation Alliance sent reinforcements to the area. Commanded by British Lieutenant-General Alfred Gaselee, the international army numbered 54,000. Advancing, they captured Tianjin on July 14. Continuing with 20,000 men, Gaselee pressed on for the capital. Boxer and Imperial forces next made a stand at Yangcun wh…
Boxer Rebellion Aftermath
- Following the fall of Beijing, Cixi sent Li Hongzhang to begin negotiations with the alliance. The result was the Boxer Protocol which required the execution of ten high-ranking leaders who had supported the rebellion, as well as payment of 450,000,000 taels of silver as war reparations. The Imperial government's defeat further weakened the Qing Dynasty, paving the way for its overthro…