In China, western influence had been increasing since the Opium Wars when China had been forced to sign one sided trade agreements with more powerful nations. People, mostly peasants, had started to blame western influence for more of their problems, such as famine and floods. Chinese nationalists wanted to save their country from these technologically advanced foreign influences. A secret society of these nationalists, called the Boxers by westerners, grew. The Dowager Empress Cixi started to support the Boxers in 1898. Boxer attacks on foreigners and Chinese Christians increased in 1899. In 1900, 100,000 Boxers were fighting to protect China from foreigners. An international army put down the rebellion in 1901. Because of the treaty ending
