Lindsay Lemont Mrs. Olson, 01 AP European History 22 January 2013 Japan and the West

Background: Two Centuries of Isolation Japanese self-imposed isolation Not allowed to leave island Only a few Dutch and Chinese foreigners could enter Knew more about Europe than Europe knew of them First Europeans thought to arrive in 1542 Large amount of travel to and fro Japanese wanted to trade Obtained clocks and maps Learned about printing and shipbuilding Began using potatoes and tobacco Converted to Christianity

Background: Two Centuries of Isolation Reasons for policy Political events in Japan Europeans arrived to island torn by war and rivalries Tokugawa clan took over as shoguns Discovered that many of the Europeans wanted to take over Japan Wanted to eliminate Christianity in Japan

Background: Two Centuries of Isolation Shoguns followed a military bureaucracy or dictatorship Feudal system (Shoguns>Great Lords>Samurai, etc.) Merchant class expanded Lords fell into debt with merchants Samurai were impoverished Lines drawn between social classes

Background: Two Centuries of Isolation Economic, social, and economic life of Japan thrived Secularization of ideas Emphasis on the Bushido code Revival of the cult of Shinto Western ideas emerged in Japan Several Japanese learned Dutch Demand for European goods Well-informed about politics in other countries

The Opening of Japan Perry found many potential allies Nobles Samurai Merchants Scholars Patriots Country began down a course for national self- assertion Signed treaties with America and many European nations

The Opening of Japan Americans and Europeans considered the Japanese backwards Treaties were unfair to the Japanese Not the treaties of equals Lower tariffs for imported good Foreigners from Europe and America were not subject to Japanese law Same rules did not apply in regard to those foreigners residing in Europe

The Opening of Japan Anti-foreign reaction began to develop Wanted to overturn the Tokugawa shogunate Drive out Westerners An English man was killed by Japanese British bombarded the capital of Satsuma Lord of Choshu ordered that vessels be fired upon Embarrassed the Shogun Angered Europeans

The Westernization of Japan Lords of Choshu and Satsuma decided to deal with the West with European military and technical equipment Forced resignation of shogun Restored emperor to power Planned to use imperial power to consolidate and fortify Japan New emperor by the name Mutsuhito Mushito- Meiji

The Westernization of Japan Turned into modern nation-state Feudalism was abolished Legal system was reorganized New army and navy were organized National currency, postal service, school system

The Westernization of Japan Industrial and financial modernization First steam ship- Dutch First foreign loan- England First telegraph- Yokohama to Tokyo First railroad Foreign trade rose to $200 million Population rose- 33 million to 46 million