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US-China Trade and Relations Overview

Sep 16, 2025

Overview

This content provides an index and navigation options for the JSTOR resource "America's First Adventure in China: Trade, Treaties, Opium, and Salvation," outlining its sections and available downloads.

Book Structure and Navigation

  • The work is organized by chapters covering major historical themes on US-China relations.
  • Each chapter can be accessed in PDF or XML format for reading or research.
  • Sections include introduction, main chapters, notes, bibliography, and index.

Key Sections in the Book

  • "First Contact: The Voyage of the Empress of China" details the initial US-China trade encounter.
  • "System Men: The Rise of Perkins and Company" discusses American trading firms in China.
  • "All for a Cup of Tea: Finding Goods for the Canton Market" covers trade commodities.
  • "Beachhead of God: The First Wave of Missionaries" examines American missionary activity.
  • "Rising on Smoke: Opium and Identity in Canton" addresses the opium trade and social impacts.
  • "Formal Ties: The Caleb Cushing Mission" reviews US diplomatic missions.
  • "Centrifugal Force: The Spread of People, Goods, Capital, and Ideas" explores broader exchanges.
  • "Heavenly War: Americans and the Taiping Rebellion" analyzes US responses to Chinese conflicts.
  • "Cooperation: Burlingame and the Reinvention of Sino-Western Relations" discusses diplomatic evolution.
  • The book ends with a conclusion, notes, bibliography, and index.

Access and Support Features

  • Users can log in or register for JSTOR to access full content.
  • Institutional and library access is supported for broader reach.
  • Workspace and Artstor tools help organize and save research content.
  • Comprehensive support, privacy, and cookie policy information are provided.

Key Terms & Definitions

  • Empress of China β€” The first American ship to sail to China, symbolizing US-China trade beginnings.
  • Canton Market β€” The primary Chinese port open to foreign trade in the 18th–19th centuries.
  • Opium Trade β€” The commerce of opium, which had social and economic effects in China.
  • Missionaries β€” Individuals sent to promote religious conversion in foreign regions.
  • Caleb Cushing Mission β€” A key US diplomatic mission establishing formal relations with China.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Access and download the needed chapter PDFs from JSTOR for detailed study.
  • Read "First Contact: The Voyage of the Empress of China" for the next class discussion.
  • Review the introduction section to understand the themes of US-China early interactions.