The Meiji Restoration was a chain of events that occurred and led up to enormous changes in Japan's political and social structure. It happened during the end of the 19Th century. The changes of Japan were a direct response to the witness of the Black Ships Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States Navy.
The Black Ships was the name given to Western ships arriving in Japan, The name refers mainly to Mississippi, Plymouth, Saratoga, and Susquehanna. The word Black was given because it refers to the black color of the sails and the coal emerging from the ships into the sky.
Matthew Perry's military training put him a good position to negotiate a treaty allowing American trade with Japan. People usually refers to his strong negotiation skills toward the Japanese as "bullying" but he was simply verbally aggressive and forward, if you can call that "bullying then he did what he had to do. Before this Japan only traded with a few small groups for about 200 years.
From this exchange Japan realized that things where missing from there economy and they needed to catch up. Japan began by sending statesmen go to other countries such as Europe and north America and learn the views of life and how foreigners look at life and beyond. Japan decided to replace there feudal system with newer and fresher ideas such thus from western countries. An industrial change took place, factories and ships started to flourish and grow into a mass production industry. Japan soon turned into a great and modernized place in which now is the largest mass production country in the world.
The Black Ships was the name given to Western ships arriving in Japan, The name refers mainly to Mississippi, Plymouth, Saratoga, and Susquehanna. The word Black was given because it refers to the black color of the sails and the coal emerging from the ships into the sky.
Matthew Perry's military training put him a good position to negotiate a treaty allowing American trade with Japan. People usually refers to his strong negotiation skills toward the Japanese as "bullying" but he was simply verbally aggressive and forward, if you can call that "bullying then he did what he had to do. Before this Japan only traded with a few small groups for about 200 years.
From this exchange Japan realized that things where missing from there economy and they needed to catch up. Japan began by sending statesmen go to other countries such as Europe and north America and learn the views of life and how foreigners look at life and beyond. Japan decided to replace there feudal system with newer and fresher ideas such thus from western countries. An industrial change took place, factories and ships started to flourish and grow into a mass production industry. Japan soon turned into a great and modernized place in which now is the largest mass production country in the world.
