Praxis II Citizenship

Answer: C - The most important consequence of the Meiji Restoration was that it transformed Japan into a modern, industrialized society. Prior to the Restoration in 1853, Japan was living under the feudal Tokugawa Shogunate. In an attempt to protect itself from Western colonizers, Japan typically refused to participate in international trade or economic development. Once U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry instigated Japan’s economic transition, a group of progressive samurai overthrew the Shogunate, facilitating the country’s economic shift. Japan readily adapted to industrialization, becoming a prosperous industrial nation in less than 50 years.