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Quizzes > History > Regional History

Canton AP World History Quiz: Test Your China Trade Mastery

Explore Qing Dynasty AP World significance, porcelain AP World History def, and the largest port in southern China - dive in!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper cut art of Canton System trade and Qing Dynasty motifs with AP World History quiz prompt on teal background

Are you ready to conquer the canton ap world history quiz and prove your mastery of China's maritime gateway? In this free challenge, you'll put your knowledge of the canton system ap world history to the test, explore the qing dynasty ap world significance, and discover why Guangzhou became the largest port in southern China ap world. You'll even need to recall intricate facts like our porcelain ap world history def. Curious learners and history buffs alike can dive deeper into Chinese dynasties or take the ultimate history challenge now to see if you can ace it!

Which southern Chinese port was the only one open to most European traders under the Canton System?
Shanghai
Macao
Canton (Guangzhou)
Ningbo
Under the Canton System imposed by the Qing dynasty in 1757, foreign trade was restricted exclusively to the port of Canton (Guangzhou). This measure centralized and regulated all European trading under a single port, aiming to control interactions and revenue. Macao, though inhabited by the Portuguese since the 16th century, was technically a leased territory and not part of the official Qing trade policy. This system remained in place until the mid-19th century following the Opium Wars and the Treaty of Nanking. Source
What term describes the Qing dynasty policy that confined all European maritime trade to Canton?
Silk Road
Canton System
Tributary System
Open Door Policy
The policy restricting foreign trade to Canton is known as the Canton System. It was implemented in 1757 to manage and control European merchants through a single port. The Silk Road refers to overland trade routes, while the Tributary System managed diplomatic relations, not commercial regulation. The Open Door Policy was a much later concept concerning equal access to Chinese markets. Source
Which dynasty ruled China during the height of the Canton System?
Ming Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
Song Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Canton System operated under the Qing dynasty, which ruled China from 1644 to 1912. It followed the Ming dynasty and preceded the Republican period. The Tang and Song dynasties were earlier periods unconnected to this maritime trade policy. Source
Which group of merchants was authorized by the Qing to handle foreign trade in Canton?
Manchu Bannermen
Cohong
Mandarin officials
Opium smugglers
The Cohong was a guild of licensed Chinese merchants granted exclusive rights to manage European trade in Canton. They acted as intermediaries for all transactions with foreign traders. Neither Manchu Bannermen nor mandarins performed this commercial role, and opium smugglers operated outside official sanction. Source
Which foreign company held a monopoly on British trade with Canton in the late 18th century?
British East India Company
Dutch East India Company
French East India Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The British East India Company held exclusive trading rights for Britain in Canton until its monopoly was ended in 1833. The Dutch East India Company was active in Southeast Asia, while the Hudson's Bay Company operated in North America. The French East India Company was smaller and had different spheres of influence. Source
What valuable Chinese export dominated British imports from Canton before the Opium War?
Silk
Porcelain
Tea
Spices
Tea was the primary Chinese export to Britain in the 18th and early 19th centuries, creating a major trade imbalance in silver. Silk and porcelain were also significant but secondary to tea. Spices were more closely associated with Southeast Asia. Source
Under the Canton System, what Chinese official was responsible for overseeing customs and foreign merchants?
Grand Secretariat
Hoppo
Viceroy
Emperor
The Hoppo was the Qing commissioner appointed to supervise customs revenue and foreign merchants in Canton. Viceroys governed provinces, but did not directly manage trade. The Emperor set policy, while the Grand Secretariat was a central agency. Source
Foreign merchants under the Canton System were confined to a designated area known as the?
Thirteen Factories
Concession
Treaty Port
Forbidden City
The Thirteen Factories was a cluster of warehouses and offices on the Pearl River bank where foreign traders were restricted to live and work. The Forbidden City was the imperial palace, not a trade zone. Treaty Ports and concessions arose after the Opium Wars. Source
The Qing government collected tariffs on foreign trade in the form of what metal?
Gold
Silver
Tea
Copper
China's silver bullion was the standard medium for paying tariffs under the Canton System, reflecting global demand for Chinese goods. Gold and copper were used domestically in smaller amounts, while tea was an export commodity, not currency. Source
Which treaty officially ended the First Opium War and marked the collapse of the Canton System?
Treaty of Versailles
Treaty of Nanking
Treaty of Shimonoseki
Treaty of Tientsin
The Treaty of Nanking in 1842 concluded the First Opium War, forced China to open five ports including Canton to foreign trade, and ceded Hong Kong to Britain. The Treaty of Tientsin followed the Second Opium War, and the others involve different conflicts. Source
Which foreign power administered the neighboring enclave of Macao adjacent to Canton?
Portugal
Spain
Britain
France
Portugal administered Macao as a leased enclave from the 16th century until 1999. It functioned separately from the Canton trade regulations imposed by the Qing. Britain controlled nearby Hong Kong only after 1842. Source
What item did the British sell to China that led to the outflow of silver from Chinese coffers?
Silk
Opium
Porcelain
Tea
British merchants illegally sold Indian-grown opium in China, which reversed the trade imbalance by draining Chinese silver into British hands. Tea, porcelain, and silk flowed outward but did not cause the silver outflow. This illicit trade sparked conflict leading to the Opium Wars. Source
Which British envoy led the unsuccessful 1793 mission to negotiate trade terms with China?
Lord Amherst
Robert Morrison
Sir Henry Pottinger
George Macartney
George Macartney led the 1793 embassy seeking expanded trade rights and diplomatic recognition, but the Qianlong Emperor refused to alter existing Canton restrictions. Lord Amherst led a later failed mission in 1816. Pottinger negotiated treaties after warfare, and Morrison was a missionary. Source
The Qianlong Emperor's written response to the Macartney mission emphasized which viewpoint?
Chinese self-sufficiency and satisfaction with the existing system
Invitation to establish Western-style universities
Desire for colonial expansion into India
A need for modernization along Western lines
In his 1793 letter, the Qianlong Emperor asserted that China lacked nothing and rejected foreign demands to open more ports, highlighting cultural pride and self-reliance. He saw no need to import British goods or political models. This stance set the tone for later trade frictions. Source
What was the role of the Hong merchants in the Canton System?
Commanders of coastal defenses
Intermediaries between foreign traders and the Qing government
Diplomatic envoys to European courts
Tax collectors for the Emperor
The Hong merchants, or Cohong, were licensed to negotiate contracts, collect tariffs, and guarantee foreign traders' behavior. They mediated all official trade and were personally liable for debts or disputes. They were neither diplomats nor military officers. Source
Which commodity was NOT a major export from Canton in the 18th century?
Porcelain
Gold
Tea
Silk
China did not export significant amounts of gold through Canton, whereas tea, silk, and porcelain were among the primary commodities sought by European markets. Gold mining and trade were largely internal or overland in Central Asia. Source
In the context of the Canton System, what was the function of the 'factories'?
Production centers for goods
Storage areas and offices for foreign merchants
Residential quarters for Chinese officials
Fortified military bases
The 'factories' in Canton referred to warehouses and trading offices (factoria) where foreign merchants lived and conducted business. They were not manufacturing plants or military installations. Chinese officials monitored activity there to enforce regulations. Source
How did the Qing court justify restricting foreign trade to a single port?
To centralize silver currency
To protect national security and preserve social order
To encourage agricultural development
To promote missionary activities
The Qing government argued that concentrating traders in Canton minimized potential threats to state security and social harmony. It allowed tighter surveillance of foreigners and efficient collection of customs duties. Agriculture was managed separately, and missionary activities were discouraged. Source
What was a key factor leading to the breakdown of the Canton System by the mid-19th century?
The American Civil War
Internal revolts only
Opium smuggling and British naval pressure
A famine in Guangdong
Widespread opium smuggling drained Chinese silver and provoked military interventions by Britain. The First Opium War (1839 - 1842) and subsequent treaties dismantled the Canton restrictions. While internal revolts strained the Qing, foreign pressure was decisive. Source
Which Chinese reform movement emerged in response to the Opium Wars and the collapse of Canton exclusivity?
May Fourth Movement
Self-Strengthening Movement
Boxer Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
The Self-Strengthening Movement (1861 - 1895) sought to modernize China by adopting Western industrial and military technology after the humiliation of the Opium Wars. The Taiping Rebellion preceded it, the Boxer Rebellion followed under different grievances, and the May Fourth Movement was in the 20th century. Source
The term 'hong' in the Canton System referred to what?
Guild of licensed Chinese merchants
British trading posts
Customs houses
Manchu banners
A 'hong' was an officially sanctioned merchant house in Canton, collectively known as the Cohong. They held licenses to trade with foreigners under strict regulations. The term did not denote foreign establishments or military units. Source
Under the Canton System, what form of payment did Chinese officials require for tea exports to Britain?
Silver bullion
Paper money
Barter with spices
Gold coins
China insisted on silver bullion as the only acceptable payment for tea, reflecting its monetary system and the global demand for silver. Gold and paper money were not accepted for foreign transactions. Barter was rare in this high-value trade. Source
What technological innovation did foreign traders introduce to speed up voyages to and from Canton in the early 19th century?
Steamboats
Railroad links
Telegraph lines
Clipper ships
Clipper ships, with their sleek hulls and large sail areas, significantly reduced voyage times between Canton and Europe in the mid-19th century. Steamboats arrived later and were used more on inland waterways. Telegraphs and railroads appeared after the First Opium War. Source
What was one consequence of the collapse of the Cohong in 1822?
European traders began direct negotiations with Chinese officials
Trade was completely halted
Canton was closed permanently
Only Russian traders remained
When the Cohong system faltered, individual merchants and foreign companies pressed for direct access to Qing officials, undermining the guild's monopoly. Trade continued under less centralized control, paving the way for treaty ports. Canton was not closed and other nations were already present. Source
How did Lin Zexu's actions in Guangzhou in 1839 affect foreign trade?
He exempted foreigners from tariffs
He expanded the Cohong monopoly
He introduced free-market reforms
He confiscated and destroyed large quantities of opium, leading to the First Opium War
Lin Zexu was sent to Canton to suppress the opium trade and famously confiscated and destroyed over 1,200 tons of British opium. This action directly provoked the First Opium War (1839 - 1842). He did not liberalize trade or change the Cohong system. Source
Which of the following ports was opened for foreign trade alongside Canton by the Treaty of Nanking?
Hong Kong
Guangzhou
Shanghai
Macau
The Treaty of Nanking opened five treaty ports: Canton (Guangzhou), Xiamen, Fuzhou, Ningbo, and Shanghai. Hong Kong was ceded to Britain as territory rather than opened as a port in the same sense. Macau remained under Portuguese administration. Source
During the First Opium War negotiations, the British insisted on which legal principle?
Tribute missions
Chinese sovereignty over foreigners
Equal tariffs on all goods
Extraterritoriality for their citizens
Extraterritoriality allowed British subjects in China to be tried under British law rather than Chinese law. This was one of the key demands in the Treaty of Nanking negotiations. China's sovereignty was compromised, and tribute missions were unrelated. Source
What significant change regarding opium occurred in the Treaty of Tianjin (1858)?
Ban on opium imports
Government-run opium factories
Restriction to Canton port only
Legalization of the opium trade
The Treaties of Tianjin legalized the foreign opium trade and allowed its import under tariff, which formalized what had been illicit commerce. It also opened more ports and permitted foreign legations in Beijing. Prior to this, opium importation was banned and smuggled. Source
Which 1833 British legislation ended the East India Company's monopoly on trade with China, altering dynamics in Canton?
Reform Act of 1832
Navigation Act of 1651
Charter Act of 1833
Corn Laws
The Charter Act of 1833 abolished the East India Company's trading monopoly, allowing private British merchants to trade directly in Canton and challenging the Cohong system. The other acts addressed unrelated matters like navigation, agriculture, and parliamentary reform. Source
During whose reign did China see peak silver imports due to Canton trade?
Yongzheng Emperor
Jiaqing Emperor
Qianlong Emperor
Kangxi Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor's reign (1735 - 1796) saw a high volume of silver inflows as foreign demand for Chinese tea and porcelain grew. While Kangxi and Yongzheng also presided over significant trade, the Qianlong era was the peak before opium disruptions. Source
Which internal Qing rebellion was partly fueled by economic strain linked to the Canton trade system?
Nian Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
White Lotus Rebellion
The White Lotus Rebellion (1796 - 1804) was driven by rural distress as tax burdens rose and silver flowed out of local economies due to Canton trade imbalances. Later uprisings like Taiping had different causes. Source
In 1836, what administrative change did the Qing implement in Canton to improve oversight?
Reorganized the Hoppo's office and restructured the Cohong
Transferred the port to British control
Closed the port permanently
Moved the capital to Guangzhou
Facing corruption and smuggling, the Qing restructured the Hoppo's office and imposed stricter rules on the Cohong in 1836 to regain control. They did not close the port or cede sovereignty. Source
After 1833, what effect did the abolition of the East India Company monopoly have on Canton trade?
Monopoly given to French traders
Trade shifted to Beijing
End of British presence
Increased private British merchants and competition
The end of the East India Company's monopoly allowed private merchants to enter the China trade, increasing competition, reducing Cohong control, and accelerating tensions. British presence expanded rather than ended. Source
How did inconsistent customs procedures in Canton facilitate smuggling?
Variable inspections allowed under-reporting of goods like opium
Use of modern scanners
Strict unified inspections
Zero tariffs on luxury items
Customs officers in Canton applied rules unevenly and occasionally accepted bribes, enabling smugglers to under-declare or hide contraband like opium. There were no scanners, and luxury items were taxed. Source
Which territory was ceded to Britain in the Treaty of Nanking, altering control near Canton?
Taiwan
Hainan
Hong Kong Island
Macau
The Treaty of Nanking ceded Hong Kong Island to Britain in 1842 as part of war reparations, reshaping regional power dynamics. Macau remained Portuguese, Taiwan was Qing, and Hainan stayed under Chinese control. Source
Which European nation secured its own treaty with China in 1844, further undermining Canton exclusivity?
Spain
Russia
Portugal
France via the Treaty of Whampoa
France negotiated the Treaty of Whampoa in 1844, gaining similar privileges to Britain and eroding the Canton monopoly. Spain and Portugal already had different arrangements, and Russia's treaties were overland. Source
Which characteristic of the Canton System most closely aligns with the Qing tributary model?
Exporting tribute goods to all provinces
Foreigners paying annual tribute directly to the emperor
Regulation of foreign merchants through licensed Chinese intermediaries
Diplomatic envoys residing in Beijing
The Canton System adapted the tributary model by using the Cohong as gatekeepers, mirroring how tributary states sent envoys to the emperor. Merchants did not pay formal tribute but were licensed and monitored. Direct tribute missions and distribution across provinces were not part of this commercial scheme. Source
What fiscal paradox did the Qing government face due to the Canton System?
No inflows of precious metals despite high trade volume
Large inflows of silver with limited direct state revenue from trade
Oversupply of tea domestically
Complete fiscal neutrality
Despite massive silver imports fueling the economy, the Qing state collected few direct taxes from foreign trade, relying instead on the Hoppo's surcharges and inefficient customs. This limited their ability to fund modernization. They did not experience no inflows or tea overproduction as fiscal issues. Source
Compared to Japan's Sakoku policy, the Canton System allowed which of the following?
Free missionary activity throughout China
Total isolation with no foreign trade
Unrestricted immigration by foreigners
Controlled trade with several Western nations rather than permitting only one at a single port
Japan's Sakoku (1639 - 1853) limited European access to a single Dutch trading post at Nagasaki, while China's Canton System admitted multiple Western nations (British, French, American, etc.) under strict controls. Neither society allowed free immigration or unfettered missionary work. Source
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand the Canton System -

    Explore the origins and administrative framework of the Canton System in Qing Dynasty China and its role in regulating foreign trade.

  2. Analyze the Qing Dynasty's Global Significance -

    Examine how the Qing Dynasty shaped international diplomacy, commerce, and power dynamics in the AP World History context.

  3. Identify Major Southern China Ports -

    Recognize key trading hubs such as Canton and other southern China ports, and assess their impact on global maritime trade.

  4. Define Porcelain in AP World History -

    Clarify the production, characteristics, and economic value of porcelain and its influence on East - West exchange networks.

  5. Evaluate Imperial Trade Networks -

    Synthesize knowledge of trade systems, ports, and commodities to assess how they interconnected empires and markets.

Cheat Sheet

  1. The Canton System as China's Trade Gatekeeper -

    Implemented in 1757, the canton system ap world history confined all maritime trade to Guangzhou's Thirteen Factories under strict licenses, channeling foreign commerce through the Hong merchants (Cambridge Univ. Press). Remember: "Canton Keeps China Closed" helps you recall the monopoly and port restrictions. This setup stabilized Qing revenues and set the stage for future conflicts over trade rights.

  2. Qing Dynasty's Global Impact -

    Understanding qing dynasty ap world significance means noting its territorial zenith by the mid-18th century, when China stretched from Xinjiang to Taiwan and saw its population surge from 100 to 300 million (Harvard Fairbank et al.). The dynasty's centralized bureaucracy blended Confucian administration with Manchu traditions, influencing modern statecraft across Asia. Keep in mind the mnemonic "3C's": Conquest, Census boom, and Confucian order.

  3. Porcelain's Role in World Trade -

    The porcelain ap world history def highlights kaolin-based ceramics fired above 1300°C to produce translucent, durable ware that became Europe's luxury must-have by the 17th century (British Library Archives). Use "fine china" as a keyword reminder: China's finest exported treasures reshaped global tastes and stimulated maritime routes. Porcelain's popularity exemplifies how Qing artisans drove cultural exchange through one of history's earliest mass-commodity exports.

  4. Guangzhou: Southern China's Trade Hub -

    As the largest port in southern china ap world, Guangzhou handled over 70% of China's foreign trade by the 18th century, linking inland silk and tea producers to European markets (JSTOR Journal of Maritime History). Its strategic Pearl River location made it a gateway for both official tributary missions and illicit opium smuggling. Remember: "G for Guangzhou, G for Gateway" to anchor the port's pivotal role.

  5. From Canton System to Opium Wars -

    Examining canton system ap world history reveals how restrictive trade policies fueled British demands for "free trade," culminating in the Opium Wars (Oxford Univ. Studies). These conflicts dismantled the Canton monopoly, forced open treaty ports, and marked the start of modern Chinese semi-colonial era. A simple timeline trick - "1757 System, 1839 War, 1842 Treaty" - helps you map cause and consequence.

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