The making of modern China, 1860–1997 - 2 Defeat and humiliation,…

The idea

The Boxer Rebellion (1898–1900) was a violent anti-foreign, anti-Christian uprising in northern China, significant for exposing Qing weakness and provoking foreign intervention. Causes included resentment of foreign privileges, missionary activity, economic disruption and natural disasters. Empress Cixi initially hesitated, then tacitly supported the Boxers, declaring war on foreign powers in 1900. Events: Boxers besieged the foreign legations in Beijing; the Eight-Nation Alliance relieved the siege and occupied Beijing. Consequences: the Boxer Protocol (1901) imposed indemnities and foreign troops in Beijing, further humiliating China and hastening reform and revolutionary sentiment. This significance must be assessed in terms of impact on Qing authority and foreign control.

What earns the marks

• Explains multiple causes: foreign imperialism, missionary presence, economic hardship, and the role of secret societies.
• Analyses Cixi’s attitude: her initial ambivalence, subsequent support for the Boxers, and the decision to declare war on the foreign powers.
• Describes key events: the spread of Boxer violence, the siege of the legations, and the intervention of the Eight-Nation Alliance.
• Assesses consequences: the Boxer Protocol, heavy indemnity, stationing of foreign troops, and the impact on Qing prestige and reform movements.
• Evaluates the significance of the rebellion in the broader context of late Qing decline and the rise of revolutionary nationalism.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating the Boxer Rebellion as solely a peasant uprising without linking it to foreign imperialism.

  Put it right: Show how foreign encroachment and missionary activity fuelled the rebellion.

• Assuming Cixi consistently supported the Boxers from the start.

  Put it right: Note her initial hesitation and the political calculations behind her later support.

• Overlooking the long-term consequences, such as the Boxer Protocol and its impact on Qing finances and sovereignty.

  Put it right: Include the indemnity and foreign military presence as key outcomes.

Exam tips

• Plan your answer to cover causes, Cixi’s role, events, and consequences in a balanced way.
• Use specific evidence, such as the siege of the legations and the terms of the Boxer Protocol, to support your arguments.
• When assessing significance, consider both immediate and long-term effects on China’s domestic and international position.