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[[Townsend Harris]], the first American consul to be stationed in Japan, arrived in [[1856]] to take up residence at Shimoda.

[[Townsend Harris]], the first American consul to be stationed in Japan, arrived in [[1856]] to take up residence at Shimoda.

By [[1858]], only a few years later, the Tokugawa shogunate would sign more formal Treaties of Amity & Commerce with [[Harris Treaty|the United States]], [[Dutch-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce|the Netherlands]], [[Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce|the United Kingdom]], [[Russo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce|Russia]], and [[Franco-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce|France]]. These treaties opened the ports of [[Yokohama]] and [[Nagasaki]] (in [[1859]]), [[Niigata]] (in [[1860]]), and [[Kobe]] (in [[1863]]), to Western trade and settlement, in addition to Shimoda and Hakodate which were already open. Tairô [[Ii Naosuke]] and ''[[roju|rôjû]]'' [[Hotta Masayoshi]] had considerable support for their decision to sign these treaties, but the move was also deeply unpopular among other factions within the shogunate and without. In 1858-1859, Naosuke led a series of purges, known as the [[Ansei Purges]], in which over one hundred samurai elites were removed from their shogunate positions, or, in the case of ''daimyô'' like [[Tokugawa Nariaki]], were confined to their homes, or even in a few cases (such as that of [[Yamauchi Toyoshige|Yamauchi Yôdô]]) were forced to step down as lord of their domain. The following year, in 1860, the shogunate sent its first official overseas diplomatic mission, which met with US President James Buchanan in Washington DC. Meanwhile, however, on 1860/3/3, Ii Naosuke was attacked and killed just [[Sakuradamongai Incident|outside the Sakurada Gate]] of [[Edo castle]], by a group of [[ronin]] who felt he had betrayed the country. [[Henry Heusken]], Dutch advisor to Townsend Harris, was similarly assassinated by the end of that same lunar year (January [[1861]]).

By [[1858]], only a few years later, the Tokugawa shogunate would sign more formal Treaties of Amity & Commerce with [[Harris Treaty|the United States]], [[Dutch-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce|the Netherlands]], [[Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce|the United Kingdom]], [[Russo-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce|Russia]], and [[Franco-Japanese Treaty of Amity and Commerce|France]]. These treaties opened the ports of [[Yokohama]] and [[Nagasaki]] (in [[1859]]), [[Niigata]] (in [[1860]]), and [[Kobe]] (in [[1863]]), to Western trade and settlement, in addition to Shimoda and Hakodate which were already open. Tairô [[Ii Naosuke]] and ''[[roju|rôjû]]'' [[Hotta Masayoshi]] had considerable support for their decision to sign these treaties, but the move was also deeply unpopular among other factions within the shogunate and without. The Treaty was also opposed by [[Emperor Komei|Emperor Kômei]], who also voiced his agreement with [[Tokugawa Nariaki]], [[Shimazu Nariakira]], and others that Nariaki's son [[Tokugawa Yoshinobu]], and not the young [[Tokugawa Iemochi]], should be named the next shogun. Shogun [[Tokugawa Iesada]] fell ill and died in 1858 with no heirs, and Ii Naosuke saw to it that the lord of [[Wakayama han|Wakayama]], the 12-year-old (young, and thus easily controlled) Tokugawa Iemochi was named shogun.

 

In 1858-1859, Naosuke then led a series of purges, known as the [[Ansei Purges]], in which over one hundred samurai elites from rival factions were removed from their shogunate positions, or, in the case of ''daimyô'' like Tokugawa Nariaki, were confined to their homes. In a few cases, such as that of [[Yamauchi Toyoshige|Yamauchi Yôdô]], ''daimyô'' were forced to step down as lord of their domain. One of those who lost his position in these purges was Hotta Masayoshi, who despite his support for both the Harris Treaty and for Iemochi (rather than Yoshinobu) being named heir, had been the one who made the disastrous misstep of formally requesting the Emperor's approval, leading to the shogunate having done these two things against formal Imperial opposition.

 

The following year, in 1860, the shogunate sent its first official overseas diplomatic mission, which met with US President James Buchanan in Washington DC.  

 

In the wake of the controversial shogunal succession and signing of the Harris Treaty, Ii Naosuke and his faction, and on 1860/3/3, Naosuke was attacked and killed just [[Sakuradamongai Incident|outside the Sakurada Gate]] of [[Edo castle]], by a group of [[ronin]] who felt he had betrayed the country. [[Henry Heusken]], Dutch advisor to Townsend Harris, was similarly assassinated by the end of that same lunar year (January [[1861]]).

The opening of the ports, along with the tax provisions imposed in the treaties, and other factors, caused a number of significant economic shifts and shocks. As domestic industries and markets were suddenly opened (in a greater way than before) to overseas ones, supply and demand shifted dramatically. Japan faced sudden and severe inflation, as commodities prices and currency values fluctuated. Domestic trade routes changed dramatically, both with changes in technology, and shifts in supply and demand; many regions gained, while other regions which had been prosperous producers of a given good, suddenly lost to competitors. And as a result, the 1860s saw numerous large-scale uprisings and revolts, both by peasants in the countryside, and townspeople in the big cities.

The opening of the ports, along with the tax provisions imposed in the treaties, and other factors, caused a number of significant economic shifts and shocks. As domestic industries and markets were suddenly opened (in a greater way than before) to overseas ones, supply and demand shifted dramatically. Japan faced sudden and severe inflation, as commodities prices and currency values fluctuated. Domestic trade routes changed dramatically, both with changes in technology, and shifts in supply and demand; many regions gained, while other regions which had been prosperous producers of a given good, suddenly lost to competitors. And as a result, the 1860s saw numerous large-scale uprisings and revolts, both by peasants in the countryside, and townspeople in the big cities.

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[[Category:Historical Periods]]

[[Category:Historical Periods]]

[[Category:Bakumatsu]]

[[Category:Bakumatsu]]

[[Category:Edo Period]]

[[Category:Edo Period]]

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