Boxer Rebellion
By: Samantha, Grace, Carter and Evan
Summary of Boxer Rebellion
This took place against a background of severe drought. Empress Dowager Cixi supported the Boxers and on June 21st they declared war on foreign powers. There were 20,000 armed troops to China, defeated the Imperial Army, and captured Beijing on August 14th.
At the end of the 19th century, Japan and Western powers forced China, who was under the ruling of the Qing dynasty to accept foreign control over the economic affairs of the country. China fought the foreigners, but lacked a modernized military and millions were killed fighting. By the last 1890s, a secret group in China, The Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, were attacking Chinese christians and foreigners. Later, the Qing Empress declared war on all diplomatic ties and foreign nations in China.
The Boxer Rebellion ended on September 7th, 1901. It was ended with the signing of the Boxer Protocol. The agreement stated that forts protecting Beijing were to be destroyed, Chinese and Boxer government officials involved were to be punished, and China was not allowed to import arms for two years and agreed to pay more than $330 million in reparations for the foreign nations that were involved. Also, the Qing dynasty, was weakened as a result of the Boxer Rebellion. After an uprising in 1911, the dynasty ended and in 1912 China became a republic.