AP Success - AP World History: Lin Zexu's 1839 Letter to Queen Victoria
Lin Zexu (Lin Tse-Hsu) Writing To Britain's Queen Victoria, 1839"We find that your country is sixty or seventy thousand li [three li equal one mile] from China. Yet there are barbarian ships that strive to come here for trade for the purpose of making a great profit. The wealth of China is used to profit the barbarians. That is to say, the great profit made by barbarians is all taken from the rightful share of China. By what right do they then in return use the poisonous drug to injure the Chinese people? Even though the barbarians may not necessarily intend to do us harm, yet in coveting profit to an extreme, they have no regard for injuring others. Let us ask, where is your conscience?"
Question 1
Which of the following best reflects the perspective of Lin Zexu in the provided source?
Lin Zexu offers a formal alliance with Britain to promote international trade regulations.
Lin Zexu expresses a desire to expand the opium trade with Britain for mutual benefit.
Lin Zexu acknowledges the superiority of British trade practices and seeks their guidance.
Lin Zexu criticizes the British for their role in the opium trade and its detrimental effects on China.
Question 2
The source provided is indicative of tensions between China and which of the following during the 19th century?
Great Britain
Portugal
Japan
The Ottoman Empire
Question 3
Lin Zexu's letter to Queen Victoria is historically significant for its association with which event?
The Taiping Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion
The Treaty of Nanjing
The Opium Wars
Question 4
The 'barbarian ships' mentioned in the source most likely refers to which of the following?
European merchant vessels engaged in the opium trade
American whaling ships operating in the Pacific
Japanese naval forces during the Sino-Japanese War
Viking explorers reaching the coast of China
Question 5
What can be inferred about China's view of international trade during the time of Lin Zexu's letter?
China viewed international trade as beneficial but was concerned about the moral and social implications of certain goods.
China was fully open to Western influences and the importation of foreign goods.
China was primarily interested in exporting goods and had little interest in imports from the West.
China had a policy of complete isolation and refused all forms of international trade.
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