Question
Here is the question : COMMODORE PERRY’S “BLACK SHIPS” OPENED WHAT COUNTRY’S BORDERS IN 1853?
Option
Here is the option for the question :
- Switzerland
- Japan
- Vietnam
- New Zealand
The Answer:
And, the answer for the the question is :
Explanation:
On July 8, 1853, under the leadership of United States Commodore Matthew C. Perry, two coal-burning steamships towing two sloops reached Japan’s Edo Bay, which is now known as Tokyo Bay. The smoke from the steamships could be seen on the horizon. It would be a step forward for humanity if Perry were successful in his objective to bring a stop to the decades-long policy of isolation practiced by the island nation. According to contemporary sources, with the arrival of these mysterious ‘black ships’ in Japan, a large number of painters immediately flocked to the bay in order to illustrate them.
In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States Navy led a squadron of four ships into the harbor of Edo (modern-day Tokyo), Japan. The ships, which were painted black and equipped with powerful guns, became known as the “Black Ships.” The arrival of the Black Ships marked the beginning of a new era in Japanese history and opened Japan’s borders to the world after centuries of isolation.
For more than 200 years, Japan had maintained a policy of sakoku, or “closed country,” which restricted foreign contact and trade. The only exceptions were a few Dutch and Chinese traders who were allowed to do business at the port of Nagasaki. However, in the mid-19th century, the United States and other Western powers began to seek new markets and trading partners in Asia, which led to increased pressure on Japan to open its borders.
Commodore Perry was sent to Japan by U.S. President Millard Fillmore with a letter requesting that Japan open its ports to American ships for trade and refueling. Perry arrived in Edo Bay in July of 1853, and after several months of negotiations, he was able to secure a treaty with the Japanese government that opened two ports to American ships and established a U.S. consulate in Japan.
The arrival of the Black Ships and the opening of Japan’s borders had a profound impact on Japanese society and culture. It led to an influx of Western ideas and technologies, including science, medicine, and industry, and helped to spur the modernization of Japan’s economy and military.
However, the opening of Japan also had negative consequences, including the loss of traditional Japanese culture and the exploitation of Japanese resources by foreign powers. The unequal treaties that Japan signed with Western powers in the wake of the opening also led to resentment and a growing sense of nationalism in Japan, which would eventually lead to the country’s militarization and expansionism in the early 20th century.
Commodore Perry’s Black Ships opened Japan’s borders in 1853 and marked the beginning of a new era in Japanese history. While the opening of Japan helped to spur its modernization and economic development, it also had negative consequences and led to a growing sense of nationalism and militarization in the country. The opening of Japan remains an important moment in the history of East-West relations and continues to shape our understanding of the world today.