The First Opium War took place from 1839 to 1842. It faced the Qing Dynasty and the British Empire, and broke out as a result of the differences between both countries regarding opium trafficking, as the Chinese wanted to prohibit this activity, that was very profitable for the British. The war began with the British Expeditionary Fleet shelling Guangdong Kowloon and finally defeating the Qing Dynasty, ending with the signing of the Treaty of Nanking, which granted European powers free access to Chinese ports. This war was the first large-scale war initiated by Western countries against China. The war opened the door to China's retreat, and marked the beginning of China's modern history.
