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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. Why did Ido and Toda say nothing at the meeting with Perry?

2. What did Commodore Perry pretend to be?

3. What type of structure did Japan have at this time?

4. What group has held power for the last seven hundred years?

5. What was the period in Japan called during the era that Perry arrived?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the scene as the ships steamed into the harbor.

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

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

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

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

6. Describe the role of the Emperor of Japan at that time.

7. Who is Nakajima and what does he tell the Americans and what was Perry's response?

8. What was the composition of the American forces arriving in Japan?

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

10. What was the Tokugawa period and some of its positive aspects?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if it is a successful novel. Explain your rationale with specific examples.

3. Do you think the fact that Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun falls within the genre of historical fiction changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Japan had maintained a fairly rigid policy of isolationism for many years before Commodore Perry arrived, except for a brief period of more openness in the 1500s. Discuss the following:

1. What does the term isolationism mean in context of a country's foreign policy?

2. Discuss three reasons the ruling class of Japan may have had to maintain a policy of isolationism.

3. Discuss three reasons you think the policy of isolationism was not beneficial to the Japanese people.

4. Do you think in this century (end of first decade of 21st century), it is possible for

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun.

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

(see the answer keys)

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