Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
The making of modern China, 1860–1997 - 1 Opening up China to foreigners,…
Full specification wording
Paper 3, Option 38.2: The making of modern China, 1860–1997 - 1 Opening up China to foreigners, 1860–70: The impact of the spread of foreign language schools, teaching English and French; growing awareness amongst the elite of other cultures and ideas; the impact of missions and missionaries; the Tianjin massacre of 1870 and its immediate consequences.
Foreign language schools spread in treaty ports, teaching English and French to Chinese students, often to supply interpreters and compradors for foreign firms.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 3
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Foreign language schools spread in treaty ports, teaching English and French to Chinese students, often to supply interpreters and compradors for foreign firms. This education exposed the elite to Western cultures and ideas, fostering a growing awareness of other political and scientific concepts. Missions and missionaries established schools, hospitals and churches, spreading Christianity and Western knowledge, but also provoking resentment. In 1870, the Tianjin massacre saw a mob kill French missionaries and Chinese Christians, triggered by rumours of kidnapping and hostility to foreign influence. Immediate consequences included a diplomatic crisis, French naval demonstrations, and a Qing apology with compensation. Assess the impact of these developments on Sino-foreign relations and Chinese society.
What earns the marks
- Explains the purpose and spread of foreign language schools, including the teaching of English and French.
- Analyses how these schools contributed to a growing awareness among the elite of other cultures and ideas.
- Assesses the impact of missions and missionaries, including their educational, medical and religious activities.
- Explains the causes and events of the Tianjin massacre of 1870.
- Evaluates the immediate consequences of the massacre, such as diplomatic tensions, compensation and increased foreign pressure.
- Uses specific examples, such as the Tongwen Guan or the role of French missionaries in Tianjin.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Assuming foreign language schools only served foreigners.
Put it right: They also trained Chinese for government and commercial roles, influencing elite outlooks.
Treating missionaries as only religious.
Put it right: Recognise their broader impact through education, healthcare and cultural exchange.
Confusing the Tianjin massacre with later Boxer events.
Put it right: Place it in 1870 and distinguish its specific causes and consequences.
Exam tips
- Structure your answer around the four clauses: language schools, elite awareness, missions, and the Tianjin massacre.
- Use specific dates and names, such as 1870 and the French consulate in Tianjin, to support your points.
- Connect the massacre to wider patterns of anti-foreign sentiment and its consequences for Qing diplomacy.
Try the lesson
The start of the Paper 3, Option 38.2: The making of modern China, 1860–1997 - 1 Opening up China to foreigners, 1860–70: The impact of the spread of foreign language schools, teaching English and French; growing awareness amongst the elite of other cultures and ideas; the impact of missions and missionaries; the Tianjin massacre of 1870 and its immediate consequences. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
What was the primary trigger for the Tianjin massacre of 1870?
Listen
Foreign language schools spread in treaty ports, teaching English and French to Chinese students, often to supply interpreters and compradors for foreign firms. This education exposed the elite to Western cultures and ideas, fostering a growing awareness of other political and scientific concepts. Missions and missionaries established schools, hospitals and churches, spreading Christianity and Western knowledge, but also provoking resentment. In 1870, the Tianjin massacre saw a mob kill French missionaries and Chinese Christians, triggered by rumours of kidnapping and hostility to foreign influence. Immediate consequences included a diplomatic crisis, French naval demonstrations, and a Qing apology with compensation. Assess the impact of these developments on Sino-foreign relations and Chinese society. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains the purpose and spread of foreign language schools, including the teaching of English and French. Analyses how these schools contributed to a growing awareness among the elite of other cultures and ideas. Assesses the impact of missions and missionaries, including their educational, medical and religious activities. Explains the causes and events of the Tianjin massacre of 1870. A common slip: Assuming foreign language schools only served foreigners. Instead, they also trained Chinese for government and commercial roles, influencing elite outlooks. Exam tip: Structure your answer around the four clauses: language schools, elite awareness, missions, and the Tianjin massacre.
See it
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Cultural exchange and education
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Missionary impact
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Anti-foreign violence
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Diplomacy and foreign pressure
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Cultural exchange and education
- Foreign language schools spread in treaty ports, teaching English and French, and exposed the elite to Western cultures and ideas.
- Missionary impact
- Missions and missionaries established schools, hospitals and churches, spreading Christianity and Western knowledge, but also provoking resentment.
- Anti-foreign violence
- In 1870, the Tianjin massacre saw a mob kill French missionaries and Chinese Christians, triggered by rumours of kidnapping and hostility to foreign influence.
- Diplomacy and foreign pressure
- Immediate consequences included a diplomatic crisis, French naval demonstrations, and a Qing apology with compensation.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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