Final answer:
The Opium Wars were sparked by trade imbalances and British opium smuggling into China, leading to Chinese attempts to ban the drug, British military intervention, and China's subsequent defeat.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cause of the Opium Wars
The Opium Wars were primarily caused by trade imbalances and opium smuggling. As the British sought to correct their trade deficit with China, they increased the illegal export of opium from India into China, leading to widespread addiction and economic disruption within China. The Chinese government's efforts to halt opium imports resulted in the confiscation of opium from British warehouses, which prompted the British to use military force against China.
The ensuing conflict, known as the First Opium War, saw the outdated Chinese military matched against the technologically superior British forces, ultimately resulting in China's defeat and the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing. This treaty granted Britain control of Hong Kong and other concessions.
The Second Opium War followed, with similar outcomes and further weakening China's sovereignty.