1. Chapter 15: Contact and Change in Meiji Japan
Unit 3: From Isolation to Adaptation

2. Inquiry Question
In what ways does a society’s worldview affect its ability to adapt to rapid change?

3. Contact and Change in Meiji Japan
Read page 327
Cuba and USA

4. The End of Isolation
Commodore Perry’s arrival was not the first time other countries wanted to trade with Japan.
The Portuguese and Dutch had some success with trading with Japan.
Japan controlled this contact
The Dutch and Portuguese had to follow strict rules.

5. The End of Isolation
British, Russian and American ships began to arrive to Japan.
The Japanese response was to keep them out!
Using force when necessary.

6. The End of Isolation Perry’s visit was different….
The Japanese finally loses its battle to remain a closed and isolated society.

7. Perry’s Strategies Perry sailed into the Japanese’s habour with:
2 steamships
2 sail boats
977 men
66 guns
The Japanese had never seen so many white men and guns before.
Most were very nervous.

8. Perry’s Strategies
Perry and his men presented the shogunate a letter from their President Millard Fillmore.
This letter had a list of demands for Japan to:
Trade with the USA
Protection for shipwrecked American sailors
Allow the USA to buy their coal

9. Perry left Japan to allow the shogunate to think about his decision.
He left the 977 men in Japan to keep control.
When Perry returned, one year later, he brought with him :
Eight ships
More men

10. Shogunate and Perry signed the Treaty of Kanagawa.
The shogunate felt very threatened and had no choice but to agree to the Americans’ demand.
Shogunate and Perry signed the Treaty of Kanagawa.
Establish two ports in Japan for American ships
An American consulate (community) in Japan
Free trade between Japan and USA

11. The same year Japan sign the Treaty with USA, Japan signed similar treaties other countries (England, France, Russia)
Japan had lost control over their trade!

12. The Japanese Response to Perry
Japan had held out against trade with other countries for hundreds of years.
Why did the Japanese now decide to allow foreign trade?

13. Reason 1: They were forced.
Perry’s intermediated them with his military strength
Americans had more advanced weapons
Japan did not want to start a war that they might lose.

14. Reason 2: Japan did not want to become another China.
There was a war between China and Britain as a result from trade.
Britain won the war.
As a result, China had to sign many unfair trade treaties with Britain and other European countries.

15. Disorder and Civil War
Many people in Japan did not like the shogunate’s decision to sign a trade agreement with USA and other countries.
They viewed the shogunate as weak.
People began to riot against the shogunate.

16. Disorder and Civil War
The shogun finally decided to resign and have the emperor take over.
Civil Japan broke out in Japan
People who wanted the shogun in power vs People who wanted the emperor in power
In the end, the emperor regain his power.
A new era in Japan was beginning!

18. Activity
Factors that caused Japan to end its isolation.
Create a T-chart to record the factors that motivated Japan to end its isolation. Record the outside factors in the left-hand column and the inside pressures in the right-hand column. Chapter 14 provides additional insight into the inside pressures.
Do at least 3 factors on each column
Outside Factors
Inside Pressures

19. Changing Order

20. Changing Order

21. A Changing Order Prince Mutsuhito became the emperor of Japan.
He was only 21 years old.
Mustsuhito chose a new
name for himself – Meiji.
Meiji = enlightened rule
Emperor Meiji was in power
until he died.(45 years in power)

22. New Ideas About the Government
Now that Emperor Meiji is in power, he realized he need to make some drastic changes to Japan in order to keep Westerners from taking over Japan.
Emperor Meiji and his oligarchy had two goals for Japan:
To create a strong government to unite the country
Model their government after the countries in the West.

23. The Emperor Meiji and his oligarchy also made some other drastic changes:
Moved the government from Kyoto to Tokyo (Edo)
Daimyos had to give their land to the government.
Samurai system was abolished
Need to find new jobs
Peasants and other commoners were given more freedom
allowed to choose:
their occupation
where they live
dress how they would like
Own land

24. Those many changes were made by Emperor Meiji, some things stayed the same:
Fathers continued to have legal authority for their family, making all the decisions. (marriage, education, jobs)
Class distinctions between the commoners and old upper classes remained.
Rural peasant life remain largely the same
Many people could not afford to send their children to school.

26. Survey

27. Five Charter Oath Activity
The Imperial council (Emperor’s advisors) created the goals of the new Japanese society in the Five Charter Oath.
Page 338 – Exploring Sources
The Five Charter Oath
- Restate each of the terms in your own words

28. Five Charter Oath in your own words
1. The assembly will discuss all public matters by public discussion./ All matters will be decided by the people and be publicly discussed.
2. High and low classes will be united carrying out the administrations of the affairs of the state/ All classes shall be included in law making
3. All people will be able to find their own jobs and own their own land
4. Laws will be placed to prevent the bad nature of people/ Old laws of the past will now be stopped and everything will be based on the laws of nature
5.Knowledge from other countries shall be known by government.

29. Industrialization in Japan
Japan was not technologically advanced as other countries, so Japan needed to catch up!
Japan advanced their technology in a short amount of time.

30. Borrowing Technology
Japan started to borrow ideas from other countries.
Meiji leaders hired experts and advisors from around the world to build machines and factories as well as train Japanese workers.
Once the Japanese workers were trained the foreign experts had to leave the country immediately

31. Japanese representatives also visited the USA and European countries.
They went to study the Western culture.
They studied:
Ship building
Military science
Construction
Medicine
After their travels, they came home and reported their findings to the government.

33. 6. Define oligarchy (1)
7. Define Meiji (1)
8. What were the Meiji’s two goals? (2)
9. What happened to the samurai soldiers? (1)
10. Name two new rights the Peasants now have? (2)
11. Why was Japan so far behind in their technology compare to other countries at the time? (1)
12. Why did Japanese representatives visit Europe and the United States? (1)