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

Short Answer Questions

1. What do the native inhabitants call the two ships?

2. Why were the feudal lords required to leave their wives and children in Edo?

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

4. What are the American ships ordered to do?

5. What did those in favor of trade want from the West?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What did the native Japanese who served the Dutch have to do?

3. Describe the Dutch's visit to Edo to see the head Shogun.

4. Where did messengers ride when the ships were spotted, and what was the consequence?

5. What were some negative aspects of the Tokugawa period?

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

7. What happened on Friday, July 8th, 1853, at the opening of the book?

8. What was one consequence of the Japanese's isolation for the Americans?

9. Describe the time before this setting when the Japanese were not cut off from the rest of the world.

10. Who were the daimyos?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Dutch were the only regular trading partners of the Japanese and they basically lived like slaves. They submitted to Japanese control in order to gain the enormous profits that came from Japanese trade. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think the Dutch paid too high a price for their "enormous profits"? Explain your answer.

2. How do you think the Japanese thought of the Dutch? Do you think the Japanese respected the Dutch? Why or why not?

3. Many corporations today are accused of making profit the "bottom line." What do you think that means? Do you agree?

4. Would you work for a company whose open or implied philosophy was "profit at any cost"? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

Commodore is in some ways a larger-than-life hero, especially considering he is an historical personage. Despite incredible odds, he accomplishes his goals. Discuss the following:

1. Does having a larger-than-life hero make that person less of a hero? In other words, which is more admirable--a hero who ultimately always "lands on his feet," or one who strives against impossible odds and doesn't succeed?

2. Does a character have to be successful in order to be a hero? Would you have considered Commodore Perry a hero had he not obtained a treaty with the Japanese? Would he even be mentioned except in passing in history books? Explain your answer.

3. Choose one other character besides Perry who you might call a hero and explain why you choose that person.

4. Does every work of fiction have to have a hero? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 3

One major theme of Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun is that of the meeting of two dissimilar cultures and how the two cultures evolved to signing a treaty of mutual benefit. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast some of the major cultural differences between the Americans and Japanese. Consider differences in the area of food, art, gender, and warfare.

2. The Japanese and the Americans each thought the other group barbaric. Discuss the term barbaric and analyze the ways in which each group applied the word to the other. Is either group accurate in naming the other barbaric? Discuss with examples.

3. Discuss the advantages of two cultures having a mutual exchange of ideas, trade and military support.

4. Discuss the disadvantages of two cultures having a mutual exchange of ideas, trade and military support.

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