Curated OER
Modernization in Japan: Japan followed the model of Western powers by industrializing and expanding its foreign influence.
Showcase the effects of modernization of Japan. This is a well-put-together resource, great for taking notes, and providing clear information. The class learns about open trade with Japan, the Meiji Era, the Sino-Japanese War, and...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mit: Black Ships and Samurai
Imagine seeing gigantic ships bellowing black smoke pulling into a harbor- the kind of ship you've never seen before! Perry and his black ships opened Japan and enabled two incredibly different cultures to meet. Authors provide fantastic...
US Navy
U.s. Navy Museum: Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan
This lesson plan discusses the American initiative to open Japan to western trade. It also features a biography of Commodore Perry, an exploration of the Japanese class system, and various learning activities.
Brown University
Brown University Library Center: Perry Visits Japan: A Visual History
Showcases a beautiful Japanese scroll that depicts Commodore Matthew Perry's landing in Japan in 1854 and a set of lithographs by Willam Heine that illustrate Perry's expedition. These visual images accompanied by student essays are...
Other
Whaling Library: Taiji Winds of Change
A thorough discussion on the topic of whaling in Japan during the time of Commodore Perry's expedition. Essay also discusses the reasons leading up to the desire to open Japan to the Western World.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: An American Ship
The subject of the painting "An American Ship" by Shinsei is probably the U.S.S. Powhatan, Commodore Matthew Perry's flagship on his second expedition to Japan in 1854. View pictures of the painting and read about Perry's expedition in...
Curated OER
Milestones to Pearl Harbor: The "Black Ships" Open Japan
An easy-to-understand site on the opening of Japan to the West via Commodore Perry and and the intimidating Black Ships.