The Boxer Protocol
The Boxer Protocol Press Release: The Open Door, the Boxer Rebellion, and McKinley’s use of the military in China.
In response to recent events in China, President McKinley has sent the United States Military into China as part of an International force to rescue foreigners in China. This happened when Congress was out of session, so the President did not seek your permission to send the military. The crisis has been brought to an end, and a "Protocol" has been drafted to help settle the situation.
You now need to create a press release to tell your constituents what you think about the events in China, and what you think our policies towards China should be moving forward.
Context of McKinley’s policy toward China
207 BCE - 220 CE The Han dynasty in China expands sections of the “Silk Road” trade route, increasing trade in goods from China to the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
1877 Map by German geographer, cartographer and explorer Ferdinand von Richthofen. He was the one who first used the term "Seidenstraße" (Die Seidenstrassen, which literally translates to "Silk Road")
1266-Italian merchants Niccolò and Maffeo Polo reach the capital of Kublai Khan's Chinese empire, (the city is now known as Beijing, China). They travel back to China decades later with Niccolò’s son Marco.
Below is a map from the book written about Marco's travels
1400’s China develops a great “treasure fleet” of boats spreading Chinese trade into the Indian Ocean and African coast. These boats dwarfed European boats of the same era. Zheng He was the leader of the treasure fleet.
the below image is a 17th Century Chinese print showing what the Treasure Fleet looked like.
1500’s Domestic problems lead to the destruction of China’s “treasure fleet”, and increasing isolation of China.
1514 The Portuguese are the first Western European country to establish trade with China, when they open both a formal embassy and trading pirates.
1557- the Chinese government gives the Portuguese trading rights on the peninsula of Macao (south of Canton)
1637- British Captain Weddell attempts open British Naval trade with China through the East India Company. He opened trade negotiations, but resistance from Chinese officials makes the trip a commercial failure.
Below drawing is of a fleet of British East India Company boats traveling to China
1784: the American ship Empress of China sails from New York to China to trade cloth, pepper and ginseng for Chinese tea, silk and spice.
(below is a picture of the Empress of China taken in 1876)
1800’s In an effort to end a trade imbalance that favored China, English traders begin bringing Opium to China to trade. Up to this point most of the trade had involved Westerners buying Chinese goods, the Opium trade gave England an advantage.
(below is a picture of an opium warehouse in India, and a map of the Opium Trade.)
1839 - Understanding both the commercial consequences (loss of the advantage in the trade imbalance), and social consequences (addicted citizens) of the Opium Trade, China attempts ban the sale of opium in the port city of Canton. This leads to the “First Opium War”. The Chinese are defeated by the more modern British military.
(below art is titled “The First Battle of Chuanbi, November 1839”, by Captain Peter William Hamilton)
1842 the Nanjing Treaty ends the First Opium War. This is the first of many “Unequal Treaties.” These treaties are used to open other cities in China to trade, gave foreign legal jurisdiction over Chinese territory in these cities, foreign control of tariffs, and an increase in Christian missionaries in China. The goal of these Christian missionaries was to spread Christianity in China.
(Below picture is of Christian Missionaries in China)
1844: The United States gains the same trading rights as the United Kingdom under Treaty of Wanghia.
1850’s: Increased European Imperialism leads to British desire to gain more trade powers in China. This leads to the start of the Second Opium War. The French aid the British in the War. The United States ignored an alliance offer from the British, but in response to an attack on a United States Navy vessel, the American Navy attacks Chinese forts in Canton. The Chinese and American governments would sign an agreement for neutrality during the war.
(Chinese print of the British attack of Canton)
1858 The Treaty of Tianjin is signed ending the Second Opium War. The treaty gave Great Britain, France, Russia, and the United States the right to station ambassadors in Beijing. Eleven more Chinese ports would be opened for foreign trade, foreign vessels including warships would be allowed to navigate freely on the Yangtze River, foreigners would be allowed to travel in the internal regions of China for the purpose of travel, trade or missionary activities, religious liberty was given to all Christians in China, the opium trade was legalized, and China was forced to pay damages to France and Britain.
As a consequence of the “Unequal Treaties”, during the second half of the 19th Century, China is divided up into “Spheres of Influence”, where a foreign power (mostly European) has a great deal of influence over certain regions in China, what becomes known as their “Sphere of Influence”.
(below is a French Cartoon from 1898 titled “En Chine Le gâteau des Rois et... des Empereurs” which translates to "China -- the cake of kings and... of emperors"). In the cartoon A pastry represents "Chine" (French for China) and is being divided between caricatures of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, William II of Germany, and Nicholas II of Russia, while a French Marianne, and a samurai representing Japan, watch the division of China.
1884 Congress passes the Chinese Exclusion Act, banning Chinese Laborers from entering America for 10 years.
Below is a 1882 cartoon from Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper titled "The Only One Barred Out"
1893 American historian Frederick Jackson Turner wrote that for three centuries “the dominant fact in American life has been expansion.” The “extension of American influence to outlying islands and neighboring countries,” he believed, this meant there would be even more expansionism.
February 1898 USS Maine explodes and sinks in Havana harbor
April 1898 Spain and the U.S. declare war on each other over Cuba
Summer 1898 Hawaii annexed to U.S.
The Boxer Rebellion Begins
October 1898- In China a group known as “Righteous and Harmonious Fists” began protesting against the presence of foreigners in China, especially the presence of religious missionaries. The group became known as “Boxers” because their training rituals looked like they were boxing. In October of 1898 the Boxers opposition to foreigners became violent and a group of Boxers attacked the Christian community of Liyuantun village where a Chinese temple had been converted into a Catholic church.
(below is a photo of a Boxer)
December 1898 Spain signs Treaty of Paris ending the Spanish-American War. Spain gives control of Cuba, and Puerto Rico, and Guam to the United States, The United States purchases the Philippines from Spain for 20 million dollars. Ownership of the Philippines leads some to push for America to trade with China.
September 6, 1899, U.S. Secretary of State, John Hay, sends the first “Open Door Note” to France, Germany, Britain, Italy, Japan, and Russia
Text of "Open Door Note" (modified/link to original)
In order to remove any causes of irritation between countries, and to give the benefits of commerce with China to all nations, the Government of the United States would like to see all Powers with “spheres of influence” in China cooperate and agree to;
First. Not interfere with any other country’s treaty port or any vested interest within their "sphere of interest" in China.
Second. That the Chinese treaty tariffs shall apply to all goods shipped to all such ports that are within said "sphere of interest" (unless they be "free ports"), no matter what country it came from, and that duties shall be collected by the Chinese Government.
Third. That it will levy no higher harbor dues on vessels of another nationality frequenting any port in such "sphere" than shall be levied on vessels of its own nationality, and no higher railroad charges over lines built, controlled, or operated within its "sphere" on merchandise belonging to citizens or subjects of other nationalities transported through such "sphere" than shall be levied on similar merchandise belonging to its own nationals transported over equal distances.
1900 - The Chinese government starts to support the Boxers-
up until this point the Chinese government had tried to suppress the fighters, who had been going through the countryside destroying Churches, killing missionaries as well as Chinese people who had converted to Christianity, but now the Chinese Government was struggling against foreign powers, and began to see the Boxers as an ally.
May 1900- A group of Boxer fighters go to Peking (Beijing) with the slogan "Support the Qing government and exterminate the foreigners." These groups of fighters make their way to the areas of the city where foreign diplomats live. When those locations, called legations, are attacked they telegram the governments of the countries they represented to ask for military protection.
In June a small group of United States Marines arrives to guard the United States legation. The Marines end up fighting a number of Boxers who were attacking the location.
Below is a picture of some of the Marines who were sent to rescue the legation.
June 21, 1900- Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi issues an Imperial Decree of declaration of war against foreign powers.
This decree declared war against Russian Empire, United States, United Kingdom, Japan, France, German Empire, Italy, Spain, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Through the declaration the Chinese Government allied itself with the Boxer Rebellion.
On June 20, Boxers and Chinese soldiers began a siege of the areas of Peking where the Foreign Legations were located.
July 3, 1900 - John Hay sends a second "Open Door" Note. (modified/link to original)
In this critical state of events in China, the United States feels it is appropriate to explain the attitude of the United States.
We adhere to the policy started by us in 1857, of peace with the Chinese nation, of furtherance of lawful commerce, and of promotion of lives and property of our citizens by all means guaranteed under international treaties and by the law of nations.
If wrong is done to our citizens we will hold the responsible authors to the uttermost accountability. We regard the condition at Pekin as one of virtual anarchy, whereby power and responsibility are practically placed upon the local provincial authorities. So long as they are not helping the rebels, and they use their power to protect foreign life and property we regard them as representing the Chinese people, with whom we seek to remain in peace and friendship.
The President wants to work with the other powers to open up communication with Pekin, to rescue the American officials, missionaries, and other Americans who are in danger, to protect everywhere in China, American life and property, to guard and protect all legitimate American interests, and to prevent a spread of the disorders to the rest of China.
The policy of the Government of the United States is to seek a solution which may bring about permanent safety and peace to China, preserve Chinese territorial and administrative entity, protect all rights guaranteed to friendly powers by treaty and international law, and safeguard for the world the principle of equal and impartial trade with all parts of the Chinese Empire.
Hay
August 14, 1900-
The force of around 2,500 American soldiers that had been commanded by President McKinley to join an international military force going to rescue the foreigners trapped in Peking, arrive in Peking.
Below is a painting showing American soldiers scaling a wall in Peking in their effort to rescue the legations.
The Chinese Relief Expedition would spend one year in China fighting against both the Chinese Imperial Army and the Boxer Rebels.
They occupied a number of cities. The below map is of the occupation zones of Bejing. The British occupied the quarter in yellow. French in blue. U.S. in green and ivory. German in red. Japanese in light green.
During this year members of the international military force not only killed boxer rebels, but there was also killing of innocent civilians, raping of women and girls, and looting of property.
Representatives of the International military force and China have met to establish peace in China - they created the Boxer Protocol.
BOXER PROTOCOL (modified/link to original)
Peking, September 7, 1901
Peace Agreement between the Great Powers and China
Representatives from Germany, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Spain, United States, France, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, and China have met for the purpose of establishing peace in China.
ARTICLE 1.
1) The Emperor of China must formally express his regrets for the assassination of the German Minister Baron von Ketteler to the German Government.
2)The Chinese Government must build on the spot of the assassination of Baron von Ketteler, a statue with an inscription in the Latin, German, and Chinese languages which shall express the regrets of His Majesty the Emperor of China for the murder committed.
ARTICLE II.
1) The Imperial Chinese Government must punish the leaders of the crimes committed against the foreign Governments and their nationals.
2) The Imperial Chinese Government must suspend official examinations for five years in all cities where foreigners were massacred or submitted to cruel treatment.
ARTICLE III. The Emperor of China must apologize to the Emperor of Japan for the assassination of Mr. Sugiyama, Chancellor of the Japanese Legation.
ARTICLE IV. The Chinese Government must build an apology monument in each of the foreign or international cemeteries which were desecrated, and in which the tombs were destroyed.
ARTICLE V. China must prohibit the importation into its territory of arms and ammunition, as well as of materials exclusively used for the manufacture of arms and ammunition for two years. This ban may be extended every two years if the Powers think it is necessity.
ARTICLE VI. His Majesty the Emperor of China must pay the Powers an indemnity of 330 million dollars. This sum represents the total amount of the indemnities for States, Companies, or Societies, private individuals and Chinese, referred to in Article 6 of the note of the 22nd December,1900.
ARTICLE VII. The Chinese Government has agreed that the quarter occupied by the Legations shall be considered as one specially reserved for their use and placed under their exclusive control, in which Chinese shall not have the right to reside, and which may be made defensible. China recognized the right of each Power to maintain a permanent guard in the said quarter for the defence of its Legation.
ARTICLE VIII. The Chinese Government has consented to destroy the forts of Taku.
ARTICLE IX. The Chinese Government will allow the Powers in the Protocol to occupy certain territories for the maintenance of open communication between the capital and the sea.
ARTICLE X. The Chinese Government has agreed to;
I) prohibit forever under pain of death, membership in any anti-foreign society.
3) prohibit examinations in all cities where foreigners were massacred or subjected to cruel treatment.
4) declaring all local officials responsible for order in their respective districts, and that in case of new anti-foreign troubles or other infractions of the Treaties, these officials shall be immediately dismissed without possibility of being given new functions or new honours.
ARTICLE XI. The Chinese Government has agreed to negotiate the amendments deemed necessary by the foreign Governments to the Treaties of Commerce and Navigation and the other subjects concerning commercial relations with the object of facilitating them. The Chinese Government agrees to assist in the improvement of the courses of the Rivers Peiho and Whangpoo.
ARTICLE XII.. An agreement has also been reached concerning the modification of Court ceremonial as regards the reception of foreign Representatives. In exchange for the Chinese Government meeting the conditions laid out by the Powers, the Powers agreed terminate the situation created by the disorders of the summer of 1900. The foreign representatives are authorized to declare in the names of their Governments that, with the exception of the Legation guards mentioned in Article VII, the international troops will completely evacuate the city of Peking on the 7th September, 1901, and, with the exception of the localities mentioned in Article IX, will withdraw from the Province of Chihli on the 22nd September, 1901. The present final Protocol has been drawn up in twelve identical copies, and signed by all the representatives of the contracting countries.
Time to Debate the Future of our Chinese Policy.
Study the documents below and decide if you think America should work to continue trying to expand commerce with China.
President William McKinley, Message to Congress, December 3, 1900 (modified/link to original)
The recent troubles in China came from the antiforeign agitation. Foreign activity had spread across China, carrying new ideas among a primitive people which for centuries followed a national policy of isolation. The Chinese viewed this as an alien invasion. They feared it would destroy their Country.
The group known as the Boxers encouraged the destruction of foreigners and of every foreign thing. The Chinese Government was unable to stop them. They attacked foreigners, destroyed their property, and slaughtered native converts to Christianity.
A small force of marines was sent to Peking for the protection of the American legation. Still the danger increased. The legations were surrounded and attacked. This led to a joint relief expedition. The United States sent 5,000 men. Thanks to the American and foreign militaries, hundreds of foreigners were rescued.
The policy of the United States involved no war against the Chinese nation. We only worked to rescue the legation, secure the safety of American life and property in China, and prevent the tragedy from spreading or from happening again.
The matter of indemnity for our wronged citizens is a question of grave concern. China should increase guarantees of security for foreign rights and immunities, and, most important of all, by the opening of China to the equal commerce of all the world.
O.P. Austin, Does Colonization Pay?, The Forum 1900 (modified/link to original)
Phelps was a journalist and statistician. President William McKinley made him chief of the Bureau of Statistics of the Department of Commerce and Labor on May 9, 1897
Modern progressive nations are trying to control spots in the tropics, mainly in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. These places can produce tropical agricultural products.
In return, the progressive nations bring to the people of those places the products they need. Progressive nations develop the territory by building roads, canals, railways, and telegraphs. They can establish schools and newspapers for the colonies. They give these people the benefits and blessings of civilization which they have not, and are not able to create on their own.
American factories are making more than the American people can use: American soil is producing more than they can consume. Fate has written our policy for us; the trade of the world must and shall be ours.
We will establish trading posts all over the world for American products. We will cover the ocean with our merchant marine. Great colonies governing themselves, flying our flag and trading with us, will grow about our posts of trade. Our institutions will follow our flag on the wings of commerce.
William Allen Rogers, A Fair Field and No Favor! Uncle Sam: "I'm Out For Commerce Not Conquest!", Harper’s Weekly, 1899
Joseph Keppler, The First Duty, Puck 1900.
A female figure as "Civilization" wearing a breastplate and helmet, and holding a spear, standing before a benign Chinese emperor, while in the background, a dragon labeled "Boxer" with billowing clouds of smoke labeled "Anarchy," "Murder," and "Riot" is coming over the city wall into the international Legation Quarter.
Victor Gillam, “Some One Must Back Up.” Judge, 1900.
Uncle Sam driving the “Auto-Truck of Civilization and Trade”, “Progress”, “Force if Necessary”, “Cotton” “Dry Goods” “Education”
Driving towards a dragon labeled China, carrying a man with banner reading 100 Million Barbarians.
J. S. Pughe, Putting his foot down. 1899,
Uncle Sam (to the Powers): Gentlemen, you may cut up this map as much as you like; but remember, I’m here to stay. And that you can’t divide me up into spheres of influence.
Thomas Nast “The World’s Plunderers” Harper’s Weekly, 1885
Emil Flohri, “AND, AFTER ALL, THE PHILIPPINES ARE ONLY THE STEPPING-STONE TO CHINA,” Judge, 1900
Uncle Sam, carrying products of modern civilization, uses the Philippines as a stepping-stone to get across the Pacific to China (represented by a small man with open arms)
Louis Dalrymple, “Columbia’s Easter bonnet”, Puck, 1901.
Columbia puts on her “Easter Bonnet” shaped as a warship labelled “World Power.”
William Allen Rogers, Is This Imperialism?, Harper's Weekly, 1900
The text below the cartoon is a quote from President William McKinley's speech accepting the Republican Nomination for President July 12, 1900; "No blow has been struck except for liberty and humanity, and none will be."
William Allen Rogers, The Boxers, Harper's Weekly, June 9,1900
William Allen Rogers, The Dragon's Choice, Harper's Weekly, August 18,1900
Louis Dalrymple, “Commerce vs. Conquest”, Puck, February 2, 1898
Caption: “Uncle Sam (to John Bull) — Don't scare him, John, the way those other fellows are doing. Tell him all we want is to have him open his harbors and markets to everybody!”
Platform of the American Anti-Imperialist League, 1899, (modified/link to original)
On June 15, 1898, the Anti-imperialist league formed to fight U.S. annexation of the Philippines, citing a variety of reasons ranging from the economic to the legal to the racial to the moral. It included among its members famous people such as Andrew Carnegie, Mark Twain, Carl Schurtz, William Jennings Bryan, and the labor leader Samuel Gompers.
We believe imperialism is hostile to liberty, and is an evil from which it has been our glory to be free. We regret that it has become necessary in the land of Washington and Lincoln to be reminded that all men, of whatever race or color, are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
We maintain that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. We insist that the forced rule of any people is "criminal aggression" and disloyal to the ideas of our Government.
We condemn the policy of Imperialism. It seeks to put out the spirit of 1776. The United States have always protested against the belief of international law which allows the subjugation of the weak by the strong. The United States cannot begin to agree on the ancient lie that might makes right.
The debate over Imperialism is a contest that must go on until the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States are rescued from the hands of their betrayers.
Mark Twain, “I Am a Boxer” speech to the Berkeley Lyceum, New York, November 23, 1900 (modified/link to original)
Mark Twain, the famous author, was the Vice President of the Anti-Imperialism League of America
Why shouldn't China be free from the foreigners, who are only making trouble on her soil? If they would all go home, what a pleasant place China would be for the Chinese!
We do not allow Chinamen to come here, and I say in all seriousness that it would be a graceful thing to let China decide who shall go there.
China never wanted foreigners any more than foreigners wanted Chinamen, and on this question I am with the Boxers every time. The Boxer is a patriot. He loves his country better than he does the countries of other people. I wish him success.
The Boxer believes in driving us out of his country. I am a Boxer too, for I believe in driving him out of our country.
Empress Dowager of China- imperial message to all the Chinese provinces. (modified)
The present situation is becoming daily more difficult. The various Powers cast upon us looks of tiger-like voracity, hustling each other to be first to seize our innermost territories.
Should the strong enemies become aggressive and press us to consent to things we can never accept, we have no alternative but to rely upon the justice of our cause.
If our hundreds of millions of inhabitants would prove their loyalty to their emperor and love of their country, what is there to fear from any invader? Let us not think about making peace.
Udo Keppler,“ Are our teachings, then, in vain?” Puck 1900
Confucius and Jesus stand side-by-side worrying about the failure of all parties to practice what they preach. The banners of both side pronounce fidelity to the “golden rule.”
Boxer banner (Chinese forces flags): “Do not do unto others what you would not that others should do unto you. Confucius”
Missionary banner (Allied forces flags): “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them. Jesus”
WHO IS THE BARBARIAN?
Puck Magazine The Real Trouble Will Come with the ‘Wake’, 1900
The bear represents Russia, the lion is Britain, the rooster is France, the eagle is Germany, the two-headed eagle is Austria, Japan is the tiger and the bald eagle is the United States
William H. Walker, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” Life, 1901.
Chinese Man talking to Uncle Sam about the violence against the Chinese by European and American Soldiers Acts xxvi, 28.”
