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Matthew Calbraith Perry [Note 1] (April 10, 1794 March 4, 1858) was the Commodore of the U.S. Navy

and served commanding a number of US naval ships. He served several wars, most notably in the

Mexican-American War and the War of 1812. He played a leading role in the opening of Japan to the

West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854. Perry was very concerned with the education of naval

officers and helped develop an apprentice system that helped establish a naval curriculum at the United

States Naval Academy. With the advent of the steam engine he was also a leading advocate of

modernizing the U.S. Navy and came to be considered the The Father of the Steam Navy.

Perry's most widely acclaimed achievement was his successful diplomatic mission to Japan. His efforts

resulted in that island nation opening its shores to another country for the first time in more than two

hundred years. This opening would have negative as well as positive consequences. However, it did lead

to the rest of the world gaining much from exposure to Japanese culture. A sharing of ingenuity as well

as commercial and trading links were formed. Japan, it can be argued, succeeded in retaining many

aspects of its own culture while opening itself to the world markets and competing as an economic and

technological power at the global level. At the same time, Commodore Perry can be credited fairly with

helping to transform the world into a global community and the United States into a world power.

Precedents

Perry's expedition to Japan was preceded by several naval expeditions by American ships:

From 1797 to 1809, several American ships traded in Nagasaki under the Dutch flag, upon the request of

the Dutch who were not able to send their own ships because of their conflict against Great Britain

during the Napoleonic Wars.

In 1837, an American businessman in Canton, China, named Charles W. King saw an opportunity to open

trade by trying to return to Japan three Japanese sailors (among them, Otokichi) who had beenshipwrecked a few years before on the coast of Oregon. He went to Uraga Channel with Morrison, an

unarmed American merchant ship. The ship was attacked several times, and finally sailed back without

completing its mission.

In 1846, Commander James Biddle, sent by the United States Government to open trade, anchored in

Tokyo Bay with two ships, including one warship armed with 72 cannons, but his requests for a trade

agreement remained unsuccessful.

In 1848, Captain James Glynn sailed to Nagasaki, leading at last to the first successful negotiation by an

American with "Closed Country" Japan. James Glynn recommended to the United States Congress that

negotiations to open Japan should be backed up by a demonstration of force, thus paving the way to

Perry's expedition.

Background

The Portuguese landed in southern Kyushu, Japan, in 1543 and within two years were making regular

port calls. In 1549, a Portuguese Jesuit priest, Francis Xavier, arrived in Kyushu, and, largely due to his

influence, Christianity began to have a considerable impact on Japan. The Spanish arrived in 1587,

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followed by the Dutch in 1609. Tolerance for Christianity disappeared as Japan became more unified and

the openness of the period decreased. Strong persecution and suppression of Christianity took place

although foreign trade was still encouraged.

By 1616, trade was restricted to Nagasaki and Hirado, an island northwest of Kyushu. In 1635 all

Japanese were forbidden to travel outside of Japan or return. The Portuguese were restricted toDeshima, a man-made islet in Nagasaki's harbor measuring 600 by 240 feet, but were then expelled

completely by 1638. By 1641, the few Dutch and Chinese foreign contacts were limited to this islet in the

Bay of Nagasaki. A small stone bridge connected Deshima to the mainland. A strong guard presence was

constantly at the bridge to prevent foreigners entering and Japanese visiting.

The United States wanted to begin trading with Japan because at Japanese ports the American navy and

merchant ships could restock coal and supplies. The American whaling fleet also had an interest in the

Japanese market.