Describe Americans first ventures into china and japan in the 1850s and their diplomatic economic cultural and religious consequences?

Answer 1

"After Britain had established certain relationshipswith China, Boston merchants feared that Britain was going to get a little "too friendly" with China's lucrative relationship with America. Caleb Cushing was sent to China to secure a better relationship, or treaty. Chinese diplomats signed the Treaty of Wanghia. The treaty established a stronger trading industry and the right for Americans that were accused of something in China to be charged in front of American courts rather than Chinese.

Japan had completely isolated itself from the rest of the world, around the time when Jamestown was established in the states. Their isolation lasted more than two centuries. Thus, when the West was exploding with new ideas and the industrial revolution, Japan remained quarantined and unaware of what the west was discovering. In 1852, President Millard Fillmore sent a fleet of warships, directed under Commodore Perry, to Japan. The Japanese villagers were shocked at the sight of the massive black ships that had invaded their world. Perry produced silk-bound letters requesting free trade and friendly relations, after threatening to blast his way into the Edo harbor. Perry said he would return in one year to receive Japan's answer. True to his word, Perry returned in February, 1854 and convinced the Japanese to sign the landmark Treaty of Kanagawa on March 31st, 1854.

The effects of creating relationships with the far east were great. American had now aligned itself with the western powers (Britain) and China. The two had a platonic relationship. All of these would one day create a bitter resentment between them.

Despite a simple act, Perry had managed to break down the walls of isolation and the "Meiji Restoration" would end the era of the Shogunate and thrust Japan into the modern world. But of course, Japan would never forget the violent threats received from Commodore Perry despite his claims of friendship. This would lead to a military clash much later."

Sources: The Wayward Whisker, 30 November 2009

The American Pageant, Chapter 18