Boxer Rebellion

Definition

The Boxer Rebellion was a violent anti-foreign, anti-Christian uprising that took place in China between 1899 and 1901. The Boxers, a secret society of Chinese peasants, sought to drive out foreign influence and Christian missionaries from China, leading to a conflict with foreign powers.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Boxer Rebellion was a reaction to the growing foreign influence and presence in China, particularly the activities of Christian missionaries and the economic concessions granted to foreign powers.
2. The Boxers, a secret society of Chinese peasants, believed that they had magical powers that would make them immune to foreign weapons, leading them to attack foreign legations and Christian churches.
3. The Boxer Rebellion was ultimately suppressed by an international coalition of foreign powers, including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Russia, and Japan, who sent troops to China to protect their interests.
4. The Boxer Protocol, signed in 1901, required China to pay heavy indemnities to the foreign powers and allowed for the stationing of foreign troops in China to protect their interests.
5. The Boxer Rebellion highlighted the growing tensions between China and the foreign powers, and contributed to the decline of the Qing dynasty and the eventual establishment of the Republic of China.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Boxer Rebellion was connected to the Spanish-American War and the expansion of American overseas empire.
  • The Boxer Rebellion occurred during a period of increased foreign intervention and imperialism in China, which was also a time when the United States was expanding its own overseas empire. The United States, along with other foreign powers, sent troops to China to suppress the Boxer Rebellion and protect their economic and political interests in the region. This involvement in China was part of a broader pattern of American expansionism and the desire to establish a greater global presence, which was also evident in the Spanish-American War and the subsequent acquisition of territories such as the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
• Describe how the Boxer Rebellion was connected to the economic imperialism of foreign powers in East Asia.
  • The Boxer Rebellion was a reaction to the growing foreign economic influence and control over China, known as 'economic imperialism.' Foreign powers, such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Japan, had secured a variety of economic concessions and 'spheres of influence' in China, which allowed them to dominate certain regions and industries. The Boxers sought to drive out these foreign economic interests, which they saw as a threat to Chinese sovereignty. The suppression of the Boxer Rebellion by the international coalition ultimately reinforced the foreign powers' economic dominance in China and their ability to extract resources and economic benefits from the region.
• Analyze how the Boxer Rebellion contributed to the decline of the Qing dynasty and the eventual establishment of the Republic of China.
  • The Boxer Rebellion highlighted the Qing dynasty's inability to effectively govern and protect China from foreign intervention, contributing to the dynasty's decline. The Qing's failure to suppress the Boxer Rebellion and the subsequent imposition of harsh terms in the Boxer Protocol, including heavy indemnities and the stationing of foreign troops, further eroded the dynasty's legitimacy and popular support. This, combined with other factors such as the Hundred Days' Reform and the Xinhai Revolution, ultimately led to the collapse of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China in 1912. The Boxer Rebellion, therefore, played a significant role in the broader political and social transformations that reshaped China in the early 20th century.

Related terms

Imperialism:

The policy of a country or government seeking to extend or maintain its authority over other countries or peoples, often through economic or military means.

Spheres of Influence:

Areas of a country or region where another country has significant economic, political, or military control or dominance.

Unequal Treaties:

Treaties imposed on China by foreign powers, such as the Opium Wars, that gave these powers significant economic and political advantages over China.