View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What could the samurai do to commoners for disrespect?

2. How many families could live there at a time?

3. What did Commodore Perry do when the Japanese tried to board?

4. What happened when Shogun Ieyasu died in 1616?

5. What do the people wonder that the ships might mysteriously be pushing to shore?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Edo's first response to the messengers and why is it amazing?

2. What was special about the Englishman, Will Adams?

3. Why did the Dutch submit to the rigid restrictions of the Japanese?

4. Who commanded the American forces and why did they come to Japan?

5. Who were the daimyos?

6. Who were the lower classes in the cities and what was one advantage to their class?

7. What percentage of Japanese were farmers and what was their life like?

8. Who is Kayama; what did he want, and what was Commodore Perry's response to him?

9. Describe the scene when the Susquehanna and Mississippi landed.

10. Discuss the lead Shogun at the time of Commodore Perry's arrival.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Most protagonists are a mixture of admirable traits and character flaws, and Commodore Perry is no exception.

1. Trace and analyze situations when Commodore Perry demonstrates his admirable traits. Give specific examples to illustrate your analysis.

2. Trace and analyze Commodore Perry's character flaws, and explain how the flaws help or hinder his obtaining his objectives.

3. After analyzing Commodore Perry's strengths and weaknesses, decide if he is an appropriate "hero" of the story. Is there anyone else who might be a more admirable "hero"?

Essay Topic 2

The setting of Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun is quite important. Research the feudal system under which Japan existed in the mid 19th century and answer the following questions:

1. How was the feudal system organized? Could one move from the class of their birth to another class? Who was responsible for the protection of the peoples of Japan? Who made the decisions?

2. Discuss three advantages and three disadvantages of the feudal system.

3. What did the Americans seem to think of the feudal system? Give examples.

4. Did your research reveal any countries today that are organized in a feudal-like system? Discuss any that are mentioned.

5. Why do you think most countries abandoned the feudal system?

Essay Topic 3

When Shogun Ieyasu died in 1616, being a Christian became punishable by death and Christians were persecuted en masse. The cross was stamped annually and even in the nineteenth century, the Dutch and formerly Christian Japanese families were force to stamp Christian symbols. Discuss the following:

1. Research the persecution of Christians in Japan in under the Tokugawa Shoganate and write an informative essay about the topic. Include your thoughts on why the Shoganate was ohstile towards Christianity and whether you think the hostility had any justification.

2. How do you think Japanese Chrisitans could have impacted the status quo? Consider the idea that all are equal in God's eyes according to many Christian denominations.

3. What is an example of a nation in the 21st century who practices religious intolerance? Compare/contrast their manifestation of intolerance with that of Japan in earlier centuries.

4. What do you think is the reason some people/nations are intolerant of religions that are different from their own?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,154 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample