When Commodore Matthew Perry sailed to Japan and demonstrated American naval strength, he forced the empire to engage in trade with the United States. How did this new, strong-armed relationship influence both parties? Pupils consider...

Students research the different groups in Feudal Japan. In this Japanese people lesson, students are broken into different groups representing the different roles in Japan. They research their group and have a "tea party" in which they...

What have US-Japanese relations been like since the conclusion of World War II? Why do some commentators identify Japan's postwar years as a subordinate independence? Invite your young historians to research Japan's status in the world...

Gagaku is music traditionally played in the Japanese imperial courts of long ago. Learners listen to this and other traditional Japanese music to gain an understanding of culture and music history. They work to identify Japanese...

Students discuss the decision after World War II of Japan's to follow a policy of pacifism. After reading an article, they identify the ways Japan is strengthening its military. They watch a video to discover how their Constitution was...

Sometimes the New Order becomes synonymous with its implications for European countries, but what about its consequences for East Asia? The final instructional activity in a four-part series teaches scholars about World War II. High...

Take an in-depth look at the historical events in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in this 69-slide PowerPoint. Photos, facts, and transcripts are outlined in this presentation in order to answer the stated essential question in slide 2: "What...

Learners study imperialism in Africa. For this Imperialism lesson, students consider how democratic revolutions around the world led to imperialism in Africa. 

Students study the Age of Revolutions. In this Latin America lesson, students consider how democratic revolutions around the world led to imperialism in Latin America. 

Learn more about the Grand Alliance with a scaffolded lesson plan that includes four activities. Class members use primary sources to complete a map exercise, understand the goals and objectives of each individual nation, and participate...

In this world history worksheet, students read a selection about the Treaty of Kanagawa as well as Internet articles about the topic and then respond to 8 short answer questions.

Students become familiar with family crests in general and Japanese family crests in particular. Students become familiar with the history of Japanese family crests.

Students use primary sources to analyze advertisements, prices, and styles of Lincoln Logs from Carson Pirie Scott catalogs from 1952 to 1960. Students then compare modern-day toy to Lincoln Logs of the 1950s by analyzing differences in...

Learn about the origins of the Samurai, The First Warrior Government (The Kamakura Shogunate, 1185-1333, The Second Warrior Government: The Ashikaga Shogunate of the Muromachi Period (1338-1573), The Third Warrior Government: the...