Locking Out the World

1848. Ranald MacDonald, a 24 year old Metis, insisted that he be set adrift in a small boat off the coast of Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan.

The captain and crew of the Plymouth, the American whaling ship that Ranald MacDonald was leaving, tried to persuade the young man to stay with them. Why did he want to enter a country that was known to execute

strangers? When the rudder from his boat was later found floating in the sea, word was sent to North America that the young Metis was dead.

Ranald MacDonald was the son of Princess Raven, a Chinook, and Archibald MacDonald, a Scottish official of the Hudson's Bay Company. He

grew up in the Pacific Northwest of the early 1800s. As a child, he had heard of three Japanese sailors who were shipwrecked and landed in Fort

Vancouver. Ranald MacDonald was fascinated by these men and the country they came from, a country that would not let them return.

As Ranald MacDonald grew, so did his plan to visit Japan. He felt a connection between his Chinook ancestry and the Japanese. He dreamed of becoming an interpreter and teacher, to gain fame and fortune when Japan

would eventually open up to the world.

Q: Why do you think the Japanese sailors who had landed in Canada were not allowed to return?

Threats from the West The Portuguese sailors who arrived in

1543 were generally welcomed in Japan

By the late 1500s-1600s, however, the attitude towards foreigners had started to change

They were seen as a threat to the Shogun's control

If local daimyo were given strong European weapons, they may be able to challenge the Shogun's authority

In 1597 there was a rumour that missionaries were acting as spies for Spain

The shogun arrested 6 missionaries and 20 Japanese who had converted

They were executed by crucifixion They became the first Christian

martyrs in Japan

New Ways of Belief and Thought Loyalty to a Christian God and the Church were believed to be threats

to the shogun's authority

In 1614 all Christian missionaries were ordered to leave Japan

Churches were destroyed All converts were in danger of execution

This persecution did not stop until 1640

Thousands of Japanese were killed 70 missionaries were killed

Most converted daimyo followed the shogun's orders to give up their religion

Peasants and Ronin were harder to convince

It must have been quite inconceivable to him [the shogun] how these people without power and wealth could resist the ruler's will, unless they were mysteriously seduced and supported by a foreign power. They were clearly traitors who deserved the sternest punishment.

Exclusion Laws Although they were not allowed to enter Japan,

missionaries still arrived, often disguised as traders

Because of this, Shogun Iemitsu passed exclusion laws

All Christian missionaries and foreign traders were forced to leave Japan

Newcomers could no longer enter Japanese citizens were not allowed to travel

abroad Ships which were able to travel long

distances were destroyed and no new ones were to be made

Any Japanese citizens who were out of the country were not allowed to return

Many foreign objects were forbidden

Books with Christian messages Scientific books

Cutting off Contact Iemitsu also made travel within Japan

more difficult and controlled

Special documents were needed to travel from one domain to another

A curfew was put in place to stop elicit travel at night

Wheeled transport was banned In 1639 Portuguese ships and all

foreigners were banned

Except Dutch, Korean and Chinese traders

The Dutch were only allowed on a small island in Nagasaki's harbour

These actions were deemed essential for national security

Eliminate threats to shogun's power and protect Japanese culture

Exceptions to Exclusion The only European traders allowed to

remain in Japan were the Dutch

They were considered less of a threat because they were only interested in trade, not religion

There were strict rules they had to follow, however

The Dutch traders' families were not allowed to join them

Japanese servants were not allowed to talk to them

Once a year they were required to travel to Edo and pay their respects to the shogun

Had to stay for 3 months They were asked many

questions about the West

Cultural Contact The shogun had a small group of Japanese

scholars learn from the Dutch traders

They were to learn Dutch medicine and language

They were known as the Dutch Scholars

The Dutch Scholars were instructed to learn Western ways

Sons of samurai were sent to learn the Dutch language

This led to some positive results

In 1720 European books (except ones on Christianity) were allowed

The study of astronomy was encouraged Most Japanese people were not exposed to

Western ideas, however

Maintaining Rule in Japan

During the time of exclusion and minimal contact, Japan was still operating under the Feudal System

The economy was still tied to agriculture and fishing

The social classes remained extremely rigid and unchanging

The shogun was determined to prove that Japan was strong and that he was strong in his rule