Imperialism Opium War Primary Source Letter to Queen Victoria

This excellent primary source analysis resource for an Imperialism unit features a letter written by a Chinese Commissioner begging England to stop the opium trade.

The primary source is excerpted so that students can focus on the key elements of his argument. In the letter, Commissioner Lin appeals to Queen Victoria to stop the opium trade that eventually leads to the Opium War in 1839.

After reading the letter, there are 7 multiple choice questions to check students reading comprehension and 3 higher level critical thinking questions for students to answer. All are based on Common Core Standards and an answer key is included for your reference.

I found that this activity really helped students to understand the effect of opium on the Chinese and humanize the conflict between England and China. It can easily be completed for homework or as an in-class reading without any additional resources needed.

Both an answer key and editable Google Doc version of the activity are included for your convenience!

This resource can also be downloaded as part of my Imperialism Unit Plan Bundle!

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