The Meiji Restoration
Open the interactive lesson
Decisions, questions and your own progress, in the app
Emperor Meiji on horseback, 1872 · Uchida Kuichi · Public domain · Source page
The story
After American warships forced Japan to open its ports in 1853, a group of samurai overthrew the shogun and restored power to the young Emperor Meiji in 1868.
What happened next
Japan then modernised at great speed, building railways, factories, schools and a modern army. Within 40 years it defeated Russia in war.
Remember
- The samurai class was abolished
- The capital moved from Kyoto to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo
- Japan’s first railway opened in 1872
Review question
What forced Japan to open its ports in the 1850s?
Answer: American warships. Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in 1853 with steam warships and demanded trade.
Image credits
- Emperor Meiji on horseback, 1872 · Uchida Kuichi · Public domain · Source page
