, the merchants began to prosper. The increase in refinery and taste in the nobility class had brought an influx of wealth to the merchants, while the heavy taxes from which the nobles' money came harmed the peasants under which they governed. The samurai were also a social class being harmed under this rule of peace. A class of noble warriors was unnecessary in a time of tranquility and concord. Over time, the samurai were left with nothing but their social class to differentiate between themselves and a common peasant (545). Japan was in need of reform; its government was decentralized, there was no national currency, its military was archaic, and the country was in economic disarray. It was at this point where the country was to have their chance to change, as America was to begin a chain of events that would change Japan forever.
             Commodore Perry and his fleet of "black ships" -as Japanese demonologists called them- arrived in Edo Bay on July 8, 1853 (Montgomery 24). Upon demands that he only speak to a Japanese equivalent of the Commodore's ranking or higher, he finally delivered the message from America demanding trading rights with Japan to an official of a nearby village. Perry maintained that the letter be received in Nagasaki within three days, or he would deliver it himself using the force of his fleet (25). Perry added the threat that, "if the friendly letter of the President to the Emperor is not received and duly replied to, he will consider his country insulted and will not hold himself accountable for the consequences" (25). With the letter adequately brought to the Emperor to consider, Perry took leave to the ports of China, rather than wait around for a delayed response from the Emperor. Upon Perry's return to Edo Bay on February 13, 1854, negotiations of the American proposal commenced. The end result of the treaty, agreed upon and signed on March 31, 1854 contained the...