Subject: China’s Trade With the U.S. and the West

This curriculum project analyzes U.S. trade with China. This lesson is divided into four parts:

1) Take a look at England’s early attempts to trade with China, and how miscommunications and misinterpretations may have clouded China’s perceptions of trading with other Western nations like the United States. We look at Lord Macartney’s interaction with the Quinlong Emperor in 1793 to illustrate this point. Several primary source documents are utilized.

2) Take a look at the tragic consequences of opium on the Chinese people and China’s trade relations with Western nations.

3) Review U.S. trade with China since 1784 and examine the impact of select laws and treaties on this relationship.

4) Analyze the Open Door Policy and assess a variety of reactions to it.

Steven Traylor

January, 2012

USCI/NCTA Fall 2011 Seminar – UTLA

U.S. Trade With China

Draft Lesson Plan

School: West Adams Preparatory High School

Subject:United States History

Grade: 11

Objective: Students will learn about Japanese Internment through evaluating, analyzing and discussing primary and secondary sources.

Rationale: It is virtually impossible to understand Chinese reactions to American trade overtures without first looking at Chinese interactions with other foreign nations, particularly England.

Standards:

U.S. History–Social Science Content Standards for California

11.4 -- Students trace the rise of the United States to its role as a world power in the twentieth century.

11.4.1 --List the purpose and the effects of the Open Door policy.

National Center for History in the Schools Content Standards

United States Era 7: The Emergence of Modern America (1890-1930)

Standard 2: The changing role of the United States in world affairs through World War I

Standard 2A: The student understands how the American role in the world changed in the early 20th century.

THEREFORE, THE STUDENT IS ABLE TO:

-- Analyze the reasons for the Open Door policy [Formulate a position or course of action on an issue]

Resources and Materials:

  • Textbook: The Americans (McDougal Littell), California Edition
  • Teacher materials adapted and created from published instructional materials
  • Teacher created materials (lecture notes, handouts, primary and secondary source documents, etc.)
  • LCD projector
  • Post-it flip charts
  • Gavel
  • Laptop cart(s)

Time /

Teacher Instructions and

Student Activities

/ Materials
DAY 1 (1 hour and 45 minute Block)
35 min. / Lecture with notes and discussion: Macartney and the Emperor.
Students will participate in a brief introductory lecture about England’s early attempts to trade with China. Students will hopefully recognize how cultural differences and expectations led to miscommunication and misinterpretation between the two nations.
While students are listening to the lecture, they will discuss and take notes on the main points, ask questions and summarize the presentation. / -LCD projector
-Lecture notes
70 min. / Divide students into groups of four (4). Students will be given two primary source documents entitled “Edict I (and Edict II) from the Qianlong Emperor,On The Occasion of Lord Macartney’s Mission To China, September 1793.” Each group will interpret the edicts and rewrite them in their own words. Additionally, each group will write a response to Edicts I and II.
When students finish, they will present their versions of Edicts I and II and their responses to both Edicts to the class.
Students will then discuss their different interpretations of the Edicts and their responses to them. Each group will also create their own political cartoon which captures the essence of the interaction between China and England on the occasion of Lord Macartney’s mission to China. / -Edict I and Edict II from the Qianlong Emperor,On The Occasion of Lord Macartney’s Mission To China, September 1793
15 min. / Students will discuss their different interpretations of the Edicts and their responses to them. Students will also anticipate the next moves of both China and England in response to Macartney’s mission, the Edicts, and the responses to the Edicts. Students will also post their political cartoons and observe each other’s work. / -Homework handout:
The Opium War and Foreign Encroachment
DAY 2
30 min. / Lecture with notes and discussion: Emperor of China Declares War on Drugs
While students are listening to the lecture, they will discuss and take notes on the main points, ask questions, and summarize the presentation. / -LCD projector
-Lecture notes
30 min.
(start mock trial
prep) / Mini-Mock Trial: This mock trial casewill be argued in an international court of lawand will be known asThe Opium Case (China v. England and Queen Victoria), with various items entered into evidence, including:
  1. Lin Zexu – Special Edict
  2. Lin Tse-Hsu – Letter To Queen Victoria
Divide students into two groups: One group argues from the perspective of the Chinese government and the other argues from the perspective of British government. There are several assigned roles, including:
  1. A five judge panel
  2. Lin Zexu
  3. Queen Victoria
  4. Chinese Emperor Tao-Kuang
  5. British Naval Officer Captain Charles Elliott
  6. The remainder of the class should be divided, with one side representing the plaintiffs, the Chinese government, and the other side representing the defendants, the British government and Queen Victoria
Students will be directed to the following websites for additional primary source evidentiary items:
Asia For Educators / Columbia University (afe.easia.columbia.edu/)
Fordham University / Internet Modern History Sourcebook ( / -Laptop carts
-Lin Zexu - Special Edict
-Lin Tse-Hsu - Letter To Queen Victoria
-Each side will be allowed to bring in two additional pieces of evidence, which should be primary source documents.
DAY 3
60 min. / Conduct Mini-Mock Trial: The Opium Case
The class will be divided into plaintiff attorneys, defense attorneys, five-judge panel, and witnesses. Classroom will also be set up in a mock trial courtroom arrangement. After both sides have presented their cases, the five-judge panel will deliberate and render a decision.
Teacher will debrief class on strengths and weaknesses of case and the decision. / -Gavel
DAY 4
30 min. / Lecture with notes and discussion: Two Hundred Years of U.S. Trade With China (1784-1984)
While students are listening to the lecture, they will discuss and take notes on the main points, ask questions, and summarize the presentation. / -LCD projector
-Lecture notes
30 min.
(start gallery walk) / Select Treaties and Laws Involving China and the West: Students will participate in a gallery walk which will feature the following laws or treaties:
  1. Treaty of Nanjing
  2. Angell Treaty
  3. Burlingame-Seward Treaty
  4. Chinese Exclusion Act
  5. The Scott Act of 1888
  6. Treaty of Wanghia
  7. Treaty of Tientsin
The gallery will also include several maps of China and political cartoons reflecting Western views about Chinese people. In their notebook, each student will briefly summarize each item in the gallery and assess what, if any, impact it may have had on trade relations between China and the United States. / -Treaty of Nanjing
-Angell Treaty
-Burlingame-Seward Treaty
-Chinese Exclusion Act
-Scott Act of 1888
-Treaty of Wanghia
-Treaty of Tientsin
DAY 5
60 min. / Students finish gallery walk and report out on their findings related to two documents to the entire class. / - Same as Day 4
DAY 6 (1 hour and 45 minute Block)
60 min. / Open Door Poster Project: Students will be divided into three (or four) groups, containing a minimum of eight members. Each group will receive a set of handouts related to the Open Door Policy, which include:
  1. John Hay’s Open Door Note, September 6, 1899
  2. Britain Reacts to the Open Door Note, November 30, 1899
  3. Russian Response to the Open Door Note, December 18, 1899
  4. The Powers and Partition of China, by Rev. Gilbert Reid, May 1900
  5. McKinley’s Annual Address to Congress, 1900
  6. Fei Ch’i-hao: The Boxer Rebellion
  7. Remarks by Kaiser Wilhelm II on the Boxer Rebellion
  8. The Future of the Chinese People, by D.Z. Sheffield, January 1900
-Group members will divide up the documents and summarize their document in 50 words or less. These summaries should be labeled and put on the BACK of each flipchart. I suggest color-coding the summaries so they visually stand out from one another.
-Each summary should also have a visual symbol attached to it, which represents the author of the document.
-On the front of each flipchart students will draw a map of China in 1899. Each map should include a summary, ten words or less, of each document, the symbol representing the speaker, and these should be placed in a location on the map that makes the most sense. For example, if Germany controlled a certain port or ports, it would make sense to put their symbol near one or all of these ports. Students use laptop carts to find map of China in 1899 and research trading ports in China controlled by foreign powers. / -Handouts listed to the left
-Flip chart posters (25 in. x 30 in.)
-Colored pencils and markers
-Laptop carts
45 min. / Student groups present their findings using their flipcharts as visual aids. At the conclusion of presentations, flip charts will be posted around classroom. / -Completed flip charts
Note: The idea for this portion of the lesson was inspired by another lesson plan I found at Edsitement/National Endowment for the Humanities. The Lesson is called Imperialism and the Open Door, and the link is