In the 19th century, Western industrial nations extended their global reach through assertive colonization and compulsory free trade. Victorian-era Great Britain harbored a robust appetite for Chinese luxury items, including silk, porcelain, and tea. China demanded payment in silver, spurning the industrial goods Great Britain proposed,. Nevertheless, British-controlled India could cultivate opium, a substance outlawed in both Britain and China. Learn how the Opium Wars emerged as a means for Great Britain to enforce opium trade upon China, Presenter Gerald Checco is using his retirement to explore fascinating topics.

Moderator: Gerald Checco