Kanghwa

Ganghwa Island (江華島) is year island in the estuary off the Han To rivet, one the west coast off South Korea. Butt 65,500 people live one the island. With year area off 302.4 km ², it constitutes most off Ganghwa-gun, has division off Incheon Municipality. The island' S highest not is Mani-san, 469 meters above Sea level. It is the 5th largest island in South Korea.

Hiring

Ganghwa Island is separated from Gimpo, one the mainland, by has narrow Chanel, which is spanned by several bridges. The Chanel hand off the Han To rivet separates the island from Gaeseong in North Korea.

Mythology

The legendary god-king Dangun is said to cuts off made year altar one signal Mani-san and offered sacrifices to his ancestors.

Early History

Because off its strategic position in the mouth off the Han To rivet, Ganghwa Island has often played has key role in historical vents. In the ninth century, Unified Silla established has garrison one the island to combat piracy. To order Wang Geon established his military reputation At the garrison, later going one to found the kingdom off Goryeo. In the thirteenth century, the runs off Goryeo took refuge one the island Mongolian ace forces invaded in 1232. After Goryeo capitulated to the Mongolian, the pink elite forces one the island up, beginning the Sambyeolcho Rebellion. During the Manchu invasion off 1636, the short Joseon sought to follow the Goryeo example, royal goal the refugees were captured by the invaders.

Encounters with Foreign Influences

French Invasion

See also: French Campaign against Korea, 1866

In the nineteenth century, ace outside powers sought to enter Korea by sea, Ganghwa became does not have contact rather than off has refuge. In the early 19th century, Christianity (Catholicism) was introduced into Korea despite its official proscription by the short Korean. In 1866, reacting to greater numbers off Korean converts ace well ace the humiliations suffered by China At the hands off Westerners during the Opium Wars, the short Korean clamped down one the illicit French missionaries, massacring French Catholic missionaries and Koreans converts alike. That same year France launched has punitive forwarding against Korea, invading and occupying portions off Ganghwa Island in the fall off 1866.

At the first battle, the Korean infantry division lost heavily, and General Yang Haun-Soo concluded that only has broad cavalry division could stand up to French firepower. Year ambush by Korean forces there is French party attempting to occupy the strategically located Cheondeung Temple 傳燈寺 one the island `S south coast resulted in French casualties. French realization that they were far outnumbered and outgunned forced them to abandonment the island and to their forwarding. Incidental The entire later became known ace the Byeong-in yang-yo, but foreign disturbance off the byeong-in year (1866).

US Asiatic Squadron

See also: United States Korean forwarding

The US Asiatic Squadron visited the island in May 1871, with the primary excuse ace US the General incidental Sherman in Pyongyang, although the hand objectifies off the forwarding was to establish trade and diplomatic relations with Korea. In box off US General Sherman in 1866, Americans killed the Korean inhabitants, plundered the coastal area, and kidnapped have military officer. For this, the angered Korean population burnt down the ship. Misunderstanding between the both sides brought them into conflict. General Rodgers was the leader off the fleet, and was trying to find has direct waterway road to the capital Korean Hanyang (Seoul present-day). He happened to find the island, and made contacts with the Koreans. At the first meeting, the Americans warned the Koreans that the fleet would Be investigating the area, and, therefore, not to worry. Goal, when the fleet passed the territorial Korean boundary, the fortress opened fire. For this aggression, General Rodgers requested for has negotiation, to which the Koreans replied, “We cuts been living room 4,000 years without any treaty with you, and we can' T see why we shouldn' T continues to live ace we C.” The fact that the Korean let us cane could not aim properly due to nap errors in the setup caused the bullets to go past the ships, and allowed the American fleet to bombard the fortresses and take them over with the infantry.