Questions and Topics We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

All the readings are primary-source documents written or created from either the Japanese or American perspective during the nineteenth-century years (1800s) during which diplomatic and economic relations between the two societies was increasing.

Please discuss your impressions of the ways in which Japanese and Americans viewed each other. What things did they seem to notice about each other, and what things were they interested in understanding about each other? What was surprising to you about the mutual views expressed? What did individuals from each side find important about the other? What areas created confusion or misunderstanding? How do the legal documents included in the readings provide context for the ways in which Japanese and Americans came into contact with each other and the ways in which they viewed each other? 

Organize your paper thematically, not by document or text! Obviously there are many potential themes to discuss, so you must pick and choose. As long as you stick close to the texts, citing examples and relating the texts to each other, you will be on the right road.

That being said, there is no one “right answer” for this paper. You have a lot of latitude to relate these readings to one another.  The best papers will deal in a serious way with the majority of the readings. 

You may use a simplified system for citing these primary sources.  Please give the title and page number when you quote or use an idea from these texts.  For the images, simply cite the caption of the picture.