Japan's Tokugawa, or Edo, period existed from 1603 to 1868, until it underwent many rapid key developments, transforming the traditional Japanese government, society, and culture into the modern Meiji Restoration of 1868. The Meiji Restoration overturned the long-reigning Tokugawa shoguns and pushed Japan into a modern era. During the Tokugawa period there were many blossoming developments that prompted the modernisation of Japan to take place such as the decline of the Bakufu (military government) which led to democracy, the changing role of the samurai allowed for social mobility, the arrival of the black ships introduced industrialisation to Japan and Commodore Matthew Perry’s arrival resulted in the Militarisation of Japan. These were
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The Tokugawa Bakufu was the system of government in Japan during 1192 to 1868, it was a feudal military dictatorship headed by the Shogun. The emperor reigned above, but it was the Shogun who dominated the country. The role of the Bakufu was to control the hierarchy and social structure of Japan, as well as the order and economic system of the country. But many events invigorated the weakening and eventual overthrowing of this Tokugawa Rule. Even before the arrival of Commodore Perry, Japanese scholars and nobles were already beginning to question the authority of the Shogunate but the decline of the Bakufu was predominantly influenced by Commodore Perry. The people of society had a growing discontentment for the government and desired …show more content…
The term name “black ships” was the name given to Western vessels arriving in Japan due to the belching black smoke from the funnels of the steamboats. On July 8, 1853, Commodore Perry and his squadron of steamboats and sailing vessels arrived at the shores of Japan to institute a diplomatic relationship between Japan and the U.S. Until that day, Japan was a self-isolated country for 214 years; after the Tokugawa Shogunate established the Edo Bakufu, segregating Japan from the rest of the world. With this self-isolated order, Japan lived for more than 200 years in peace, stability and unity as Japan prevented itself from being colonized by western colonial powers, prevented fragmentation by restricting the powers of daimyo’s, and controlled foreign trade, but on the contrary Japan was also not able to modernise with the advantages and innovations from the outside world. Hence, the arrival of the black ships sparked the transformation of Japan into a modern industrial power. The shock and awe of the Japanese from the modern warships of the westerners revealed the lack of industrial
The Tokugawa Bakufu was the system of government in Japan during 1192 to 1868, it was a feudal military dictatorship headed by the Shogun. The emperor reigned above, but it was the Shogun who dominated the country. The role of the Bakufu was to control the hierarchy and social structure of Japan, as well as the order and economic system of the country. But many events invigorated the weakening and eventual overthrowing of this Tokugawa Rule. Even before the arrival of Commodore Perry, Japanese scholars and nobles were already beginning to question the authority of the Shogunate but the decline of the Bakufu was predominantly influenced by Commodore Perry. The people of society had a growing discontentment for the government and desired …show more content…
The term name “black ships” was the name given to Western vessels arriving in Japan due to the belching black smoke from the funnels of the steamboats. On July 8, 1853, Commodore Perry and his squadron of steamboats and sailing vessels arrived at the shores of Japan to institute a diplomatic relationship between Japan and the U.S. Until that day, Japan was a self-isolated country for 214 years; after the Tokugawa Shogunate established the Edo Bakufu, segregating Japan from the rest of the world. With this self-isolated order, Japan lived for more than 200 years in peace, stability and unity as Japan prevented itself from being colonized by western colonial powers, prevented fragmentation by restricting the powers of daimyo’s, and controlled foreign trade, but on the contrary Japan was also not able to modernise with the advantages and innovations from the outside world. Hence, the arrival of the black ships sparked the transformation of Japan into a modern industrial power. The shock and awe of the Japanese from the modern warships of the westerners revealed the lack of industrial