The Second Opium War (Chinese: 第二次鴉片戰爭), also known as the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the
Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the French Empire against the Qing dynasty of China that lasted from 1856 to 1860. It was the second major war in the Opium Wars, fought over issues relating to the exportation of opium to China, and resulted in a second defeat for the Qing dynasty. The agreements of the Convention of Peking led to the ceding of Kowloon Peninsula as part of Hong Kong.
The war followed on from the First Opium War. In 1842, the Treaty of Nanjing—the first of what the Chinese later called the unequal treaties—granted an indemnity and extraterritoriality to Britain, the opening of five treaty ports, and the cession of Hong Kong Island. The failure of the treaty to satisfy British goals of improved trade and diplomatic relations led to the Second Opium War (1856–60).In China, the First Opium War is considered to have been the beginning of modern Chinese history.
It was outlawed in 1804, and it not only declared the colonies free of Britain but it helped to inspire Vermont to abolish slavery in its 1777 state constitution. Hope this helps.
