Final answer:
The Opium Wars were prompted by Britain's desire to correct a trade imbalance with China by selling opium, leading to widespread addiction and a crackdown by Chinese authorities. This resulted in military conflict and the Treaty of Nanjing, which imposed unequal treaty terms, ceded Hong Kong, and marked the start of European dominance over China.
Step-by-step explanation:
The historical events leading to the Opium Wars (1839-1842) began with the trade imbalance between Britain and China. Britain had a significant desire for Chinese goods such as silk, tea, and porcelain, which they had to pay for in silver, draining British finances. To counterbalance this, the British began importing opium into China from their territories in India. Although opium had traditionally been used in moderation within China, the surge in imports led to widespread addiction and social issues. Recognizing the detrimental effects, the Chinese government outlawed recreational opium, but British traders, led by the East India Company, continued the lucrative trade illicitly.
In 1839, Chinese official Lin Zexu took a stand against the opium trade by blockading the European district in Canton and destroying a large opium stockpile leading to British financial losses. In response, the British government dispatched military forces to protect their trading rights, resulting in the outbreak of the First Opium War. During the conflict, the British deployed advanced military technology, including steam-powered gunboats like the Nemesis, to overpower the Chinese. The war ended with the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842, which ceded Hong Kong to Britain, opened five Chinese ports to foreign trade, imposed a hefty fine on China, and granted most favored nation status to Britain, effectively marking the beginning of European colonial influence over China.