. Europe and other continents . to the more barren FlG- 2!)1- A Japanese peasant family travelling,northern islands. J^rom these Mongolians are descended the present Japanese, apeople noted for their smallness of stature and their won-derful artistic instinct. Centuries before the time of Christ they had developeda civilization resembling that of their kinsmen, the fine taste led to the manufacture of many beautifularticles of silk, metal, glass, and wood. Like the Chinese,they for a long time did not care for modern civilization,and closed their ports to the outside world. In 18
. Europe and other continents . to the more barren FlG- 2!)1- A Japanese peasant family travelling,northern islands. J^rom these Mongolians are descended the present Japanese, apeople noted for their smallness of stature and their won-derful artistic instinct. Centuries before the time of Christ they had developeda civilization resembling that of their kinsmen, the fine taste led to the manufacture of many beautifularticles of silk, metal, glass, and wood. Like the Chinese,they for a long time did not care for modern civilization,and closed their ports to the outside world. In 1853,however, United States war-ships under CommodorePerry entered Yokohama and induced the Japanese toopen their ports to our commerce. After this importantstep the country, in 1868, was freely opened to theworld. One great drawback to the advance of Japan was thenature of the government, which resembled that of Europein the Middle Ages. While the Mikado was nominallyemperor, the real power was in the hands of noblemen 408 ASIA. who, by the feudal system, had large numbers of peasants,not only to work for them, but to fight when necessary. After the coun-try was openedto foreigners thepower of thenoblemen waslessened, andthe Mikado be-came the realemperor. Atpresent he isaided by twolegislative . bod-ies, one consist-ing mainly ofnoblemen, theother elected by qualified voters. There is also a Cabinetappointed by the Mikado, as the Cabinet of the UnitedStates is appointed by the President. Recent Advance. — Since these changes the Japanesehave become noted for their willingness to learn thelessons of Western civilization, and their progress hasbeen truly marvellous. New schools have been started,and education has been made compulsory. Americans andEuropeans have been induced to go to Japan to teach,and Japanese students have been sent to Europe andAmerica to study in the universities and to learn whatthey could of Western civilization. Thus, in a generationthe Japanese have add
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectgeograp, bookyear1901
