In the 19th century, Britain tried to remedy a trade deficit with China by hooking the country on opium. Tensions rose as more and more Chinese citizens became opium addicts, eventually leading to war. Learn more about the Opium Wars in this episode.
Today
Charles Sumner, Revisited (part 1)
<p>The first installment of the deeper examination of Charles Sumner's life begins with his early years, including his close relationships with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Samuel Gridley Howe.</p> <p><strong>Research:</strong></p> <ul> <li>"Sumner, Charles (1811-1874)." Encycl ... Show More
35m 52s
Sep 2021
Afghanistan's Opium Nation: Drug Lords, Warlords, and Drug Wars
For decades, starting a few years even before the Taliban took power the first time around, Afghanistan has dominated the world’s opium and heroin market, in some years producing up to 90% of the global supply. It’s also provided hundreds of millions of all dollars for all sorts ... Show More
44m 48s
Aug 2021
Benjamin T. Smith, "The Dope: The Real History of the Mexican Drug Trade" (W. W. Norton, 2021)
For over a century Mexico has been embroiled in a drug war dictated by the demands of their neighbor to the north. In The Dope: The Real History of the Mexican Drug Trade (W. W. Norton, 2021), Benjamin T. Smith offers a history of the trade and its effects upon the people of Mexi ... Show More
44m 39s
May 2024
Histoire du trafic de drogue - L'ère des empires (1/6)
<p>Au XIXe siècle, l’opium se répand à travers toute l’Asie, sous l’impulsion des puissances coloniales.<br/><br/>Parallèlement, l’industrie pharmaceutique occidentale découvre des produits miraculeux : morphine, cocaïne, héroïne. L’addiction devient un fléau mondial et un enjeu ... Show More
24m 25s