Commodore Matthew Perry: American Black Ships in the Land of the Samurai

Commodore Matthew Perry: American Black Ships in the Land of the Samurai

One hundred and fifty years ago, an American commodore was assigned by the American President to go to “the barbarian land.” The commodore’s name was Matthew Perry and the land was Japan (Walworth 18). He was curious enough to become interested in the mission, even though it was said that “the Japanese were the least interesting people in the world” at that time (Graff 63).

Japan had been closed to the outside world for 250 years. When foreign people entered Japanese waters, even if they were shipwrecked by accident, they were interned in jails and some of them were killed (Lubor 33). The reasons for the Japanese isolationistic policies were the military threats of Western countries and the invasive influence of Western people who brought Christianity and cultures different from the Japanese. Also the Japanese knew how Western military had dominated many countries, including the gigantic China so easily (Duus 56-57).

At that time, the United States saw that Japan might be ideally situated to serve as a coaling station for the new steam-powered ships of the U.S. Navy as well as a new opportunity for trading. Actually, during the Japanese isolation, many American ships hunting whales off the coast of Japan needed a port for supplies; however, Japan was cruel to sailors shipwrecked on its shores and not interested in any trade with foreigners (Lubor 33). That is why, Perry prepared for this expedition for a long time by gathering information and collecting the gifts for the Japanese to impress them (Walworth 23).

When Perry arrived at Uraga in Japan with five black ships in 1853, the Japanese did not welcome him and tried to force him to re...

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...tute of Navy and studied military technology. In 1868, a new government was established and made the first constitution refereed by Germany. Unfortunately, after this era, the Japanese started dominating other Asian countries just as the West did before. It was an ironical aspect of Perry’s opening pu of Japan to the world.

Works Cited

Duus, Peter. {The Rise of Modern Japan}. Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 1976.

Fallows, James. "After Centuries of Japanese Isoation, a Fateful Meeting of East and West." {Smithsonian} July 1994: 20-33.

Friedrich, Otto. "How Japan Turned West." {Time} Aug. 1983: 37.

Graff, Henry F. {Bluejackets with Perry in Japan}. New York: New York Public Library, 1952.

Lubor, Steven. "Smithsonian Goes to Japan." {The Public Historian}. 1995. 33-45.

Walworth Arthur. {Black Ships Off Japan}. Hamden: Archon Books,1966.