Chapter 3: Henry’s ‘Great Matter’

1853 Matthew Perry arrives in Japan

1858 Tokugawa government agrees to accept US trade 1868 The Meiji Restoration

1877 The Satsuma Rebellion Enquiry Question: Did the policy of restricting foreign access do more good than harm to Japan?

Key vocabulary

Ronin A samurai without a master, who might wander or work as a mercenary Samurai Japan’s hereditary class of warriors, who became government administrators in the

Edo period Satsuma Rebellion Uprising by discontented samurai hoping to reverse the Meiji Restoration Seppuku Ritual suicide performed by samurai, done by slicing open the stomach with a katana Shimabara Rebellion Rebellion involving

Japanese Christians in 1637 Shinto The traditional Japanese religion, formed from a collection of local practices and beliefs Shogun A warlord who ruled Japan on behalf of the emperor Shogunate Military government head by a shogun Sumptuary laws Rules explaining what clothing different ranks in society could wear

Key people

Francis Xavier Leader of the fi rst Jesuit missionary to Japan Matthew Perry US naval offi cer who attempted to force Japan to open its ports to American trade Saigo Takamori Leader of the Meiji Restoration who later opposed the new government’s policies and led the Satsuma Rebellion Tokugawa Iemitsu Third Tokugawa shogun, who created the system of restricting access to foreigners Tokugawa Ieyasu Founder of the Tokugawa shogunate Tokugawa Yoshinobu The last Tokugawa shogun, who failed to prevent the Meiji

Restoration Toyotomi Hideyoshi Warlord who unifi ed Japan in the late 16th century