We did our regular morning routine - devotional, calendar, weather. Janet and I are working on a Four Seasons Lap Book. Beryl and I are doing Story of the World. Vol. 4. Today we learned about Japan opening up to the West and then we did a little role playing game. Essentially in the 15th century Japan closed it's doors to all outside (Western) influences, except for an annual visit by the Dutch to a man-made island. Even if a Japanese fisherman were blown off course he would not be allowed back into Japan for fear of change and of foreign governments coming in and taking over.
In the mid-1800's the United States noticed that Japan had coal and the US needed coal to power their steam ships and other coal powered engines. Merchants also wanted to trade for silk and other things made in Japan. So Commodore Matthew Perry was sent to Japan in 1853 to negotiate a treaty with Japan. He carried a letter from President Millard Fillmore to the Emperor of Japan and came with four black steam ships with lots of guns.
The Emperor was more of a symbolic leader in Japan. The real leaders were the Shogun. Commodore Perry negotiated with a Shogun named Toda. The US position was a threat and the samurai of Japan had gotten relaxed and not so ready for war. They also did not know of the technological advances of the last 200 years. So when Commodore Perry left he told the Japanese leader to decide to make a treaty with the US. He left and came back a few months later. The Japanese decided to open up trade with the US at two ports. There was a big treaty signing banquet.
After we learned about this we did a role playing game (idea from the activity book for STOW4). The photo above is Beryl in the kitchen with a plate of cookies. The cookies represent coal and the kitchen is Japan.
Mom is representing Commodore Perry coming to Japan for the first time.
Beryl/Japan wants to know what Commodore Perry/USA wants.
Mom/Commodore Perry is telling Japan that the USA wants their coal and they better decide to trade with the US when she gets back. Then she goes away and comes back.
She's back knocking on the door again.
Japan/Beryl lets her in to negotiate the treaty.
The treaty is being written.
Mom signs the treaty
Beryl/Japan signs the treaty
The treaty says that 1.) Japan and the USA would be friends, 2.) Japan would open trade with the USA, 3.) Japan would help American sailors if shipwrecked in Japan, 4.) That Japan would have a special trade relationship with the USA.
The a party was held to celebrate the signing of the treaty. (The cookies were a molasses oatmeal cookie with raisins and pecans. Yum!)
