Burlingame Treaty

Quick Facts: Who was Burlingame Treaty?

Subject:

Burlingame Treaty

Known for:

1868 treaty establishing friendly relations and trade between the US and Qing China.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Burlingame Treaty (Chinese: 中美天津條約續增條款), also known as the Burlingame–Seward Treaty of 1868, and formally titled the Sino-American Treaty of Peace, Amity, and Commerce, was a landmark treaty between the United States and Qing China, amending the Treaty of Tientsin, to establish formal friendly relations between the two nations, with the United States granting China the status of most favored nation with regard to trade. It was signed in the capital of the United States, Washington, D.C. in 1868 and ratified in the Chinese capital, Peking in 1869.

Career & Major Achievements

The most significant result of the treaty was that it effectively lifted any former restrictions in regards to emigration to the United States from China, leading to large-scale immigration to the United States beginning in earnest by Chinese immigrants. China and the United States concluded the Burlingame–Seward Treaty in 1868 to expand upon the Treaty of Tientsin of 1858.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The new treaty established some basic principles that aimed to ease immigration restrictions and represented a Chinese effort to limit foreign interference in internal Chinese affairs.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1868: 1868 Milestone — The Burlingame Treaty (Chinese: 中美天津條約續增條款), also known as the Burlingame–Seward Treaty of 1868, and formally titled the Sino-American Treaty of Peace, Amity, and Commerce, was a landmark treaty between the United States and Qing China, amending the Treaty of Tientsin, to establish formal friendly relations between the two nations, with the United States granting China the status of most favored nation with regard to trade.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Burlingame Treaty

True or False: “True or False: The Burlingame Treaty immediately and completely ended all restrictions on Chinese emigration to the United States.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The treaty was a major step that effectively lifted *former* restrictions, but the process of large-scale immigration was gradual and continued to face various challenges and limitations over time.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdülmecid II — Historical peer (Born in 1868) (1868): Last Ottoman Caliph and prominent Turkish aesthete, head of the Osmanoğlu family.
• Adah Isaacs Menken — Historical peer (Died in 1868) (1868): American actress, painter, and poet known for sensational stage performances.
• Alice Hamilton — Historical peer (Born in 1869) (1869): Pioneering toxicologist and advocate for occupational health and safety.
• Alphonse de Lamartine — Historical peer (Died in 1869) (1869): French poet, author, and statesman whose career spanned revolutionary fervor and republican ideals.
• Aimé Bonpland — Historical peer (Died in 1858) (1858): French explorer and botanist, renowned for his scientific travels with Alexander von Humboldt.
• Alexis Soyer — Historical peer (Died in 1858) (1858): Pioneering French chef, writer, and inventor celebrated for his work in Victorian England.

Frequently Asked Questions about Burlingame Treaty