China Opium WarsThe Opium Wars were a series of three wars between the Chinese and the British; fought primarily over the illegal opium trade in China during the 19th century. They manifested the contrasting nature of both nations and demonstrated China's misconceptions about its own superiority. The Opium Wars led to the humiliating defeat of the Chinese against a country they considered “barbarians”. There were many problems with the trading system in China; even before the opium trade began. China, considering itself the more civilized and advanced country, felt no need to meet Britain's demand for freer trade, a "barbarian" country, and was worried that the British wanted the land. Britain, however, did not want the land and only wanted to trade, believing it was their right to do so. These misunderstandings and differing opinions were just the beginning of more to come. They laid the foundations for hostilities between Britain and China. China's monopolistic trading system caused great frustration to the British. Incompatible views between Britain and China on trade led to the First Opium War. All trade in China was channeled through the city of Canton and was regulated by a group of Chinese merchants known as “cohong” who imposed irregular taxes. No direct contact between foreigners and Chinese was permitted. Such limitations and conditions caused dissatisfaction among foreign traders, particularly the English ...