Commodore Matthew C. Perry

Goal• What were the

impacts of Commodore Perry’s visit to Japan?

What Did the U. S. Want?

Coaling stations.

More trading partners.

A haven for ship-wrecked sailors.

The Treaty of Kanagawa - 1854

The Treaty of Kanagawa - 1854

1. Peace and friendship between the United States and Japan.

2. Opening of two ports to American ships

3. Help for any American ships wrecked on the Japanese coast and

protection for shipwrecked persons

4. Permission for American ships to buy supplies, coal, water, and other necessary provisions in Japanese ports.

March 31, 1854

An Unequal Treaty?

• Convention of Kanagawa 1854 –

diplomatic relations

• Five years later – treaties with most

European nations

• Some Samurai deeply resented

(hated) these “unequal” (unfair)

treaties forced on Japan

In 1862, just before the start of the Meiji period, Tokugawa sent officials and scholars to China to study the situation there. A Japanese recorded in his diary from Shanghai…

The Chinese have become servants to the foreigners. Sovereignty may belong to China but in fact it's no more than a colony of Great Britain and France.

Japan Learns a Lesson

1867 - Mutsuhito establishes a new Gov’t

Meiji Restoration1868 -1912

Chronology1573-1600, “Warring States” - Transitional Era1635, Shogunate forbids Japanese to travel overseas1639, Portugese ships forbidden; Japan closed to outside world1641, Dutch Trading Mission is moved to Nagasaki1600-1868, Tokugawa Period - Centralized Feudalism era1853-54, Perry Mission to “open” Japan1854, Japan concludes friendship treaties with U.S., Britain, France & Netherlands; three ports open to foreign trade1868, Meiji Restoration1877, Satsuma Rebellion1881, Sale of government industries to new zaibatsau1889, Meiji Constitution1894-5,Sino-Japanese War, Japan becomes imperialist power1904-5, Russo-Japanese War1910, colonization of Korea1912, emperor Meji dies

What was the Meiji Restoration?

• See Meiji Charter Oath

IWAKURA MISSION

• 1st Meiji investigation of European and American institutions

• Included Meiji government ministers

• Sought info on technology, education, the army

• Were very impressed with Germany and USA – increased pressure for modernisation

1871-1873

Feudalism Abolished• Mass education based

on American system• Samurai privileges

abolished• Samurai cannot wear

swords in public• Jobs open to all

The armed forces• military conscription was introduced• Western experts were imported to create

new railways, armies, fleets, and industries

• Navy based on Britain’s• Army based on Germany’s

Politics: the constitution

• An authoritarian constitution based on German model 1889, establishing the Diet (parliament)

• Only 1% could vote• By 1871 the daimyo domains had been surrendered

to the throne and turned into prefectures with governors

The first diet convenes 1890

Oligarchy: the Genro

• Real power exercised by an informal Choshu and Satsuma oligarchy called the Genro

• They controlled politics and big business

• The Sat-Cho elite = oligarchs• The Emperor “reigned but did not

rule” despite the constitution

Sino-Japanese War1894-1895

Russo-Japanese War1904-1905

Shinto

How does Shintoism reinforce nationalism?

Religion

• Shinto replaces Buddhism as the state religion

• Why?

Economy:The Zaibatsu

• Zaibatsu: family businesses with close links with the government and military

• Diversified conglomerates• Eventually the big 4 dominated over

50% of stock exchange• Japan did not rely on foreign investment

Mitsubishi

NissanMitsui

Kawasaki

MEIJI RESTORATION: CAUSES> MEIJI RESTORATION> EFFECTS:

-SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC UNREST

-FOREIGN PRESSURE

-DAIMYO AND SAMURAI REVOLT

-STRONG CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

-BUSINESSES ADAPTED WESTERN METHODS

-LEADERS ENCOURAGED INDUSTRIALIZATION

-BUILT AND EMPIRE

-EXTENDED INFLUENCE IN KOREA

-CONFLICT WITH CHINA AND DEFEAT OF RUSSIA; EXPANSION OF INFLUENCE-IMPERIALISM OF EUROPEDCOPIED

Write a thesis statement in response to this question:

“The Meiji restoration in Japan was not a true revolution because ordinary people played little part in the process of

change”

You have 10 minutes to reread your notes and write your thesis!