What is Matthew C. Perry?
{{For|the actor|Matthew Perry (actor)}} [[File:Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry.png|thumb|right|180px|Perry in c. 1850]] '''Matthew Calbraith Perry''' (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was a Commodore of the [[U.S. Navy]] and commanded a number of ships. He served in several wars, mostly known in the [[Mexican-American War]] and the [[War of 1812]]. He played a leading role in the opening of [[Japan]] to the West with the Convention of [[Kanagawa]] in 1854. Perry was very concerned with the education of naval officers and helped develop a system that helped the [[United States Naval Academy]]. With the advent of the [[steam engine]], he became a leading advocate of modernizing the U.S. Navy and came to be considered The Father of the Steam Navy. Perry was born on April 10, 1794 in [[Newport, Rhode Island]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=804|title=Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858) - Find a Grave Memorial|accessdate=January 9, 2011}}</ref> He was the younger brother of Commodore [[:en:Oliver_Hazard_Perry|Oliver Hazard Perry]], who commanded U.S. naval forces in the [[:en:Battle_of_Lake_Erie|Battle of Lake Erie]] in the [[War of 1812]]. Matthew Perry was never married and had no children. Perry died on March 4, 1858 in [[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]] from unknown causes. He was buried at [[:en:Common Burying Ground and Island Cemetery|Island Cemetery]] in [[Newport, Rhode Island]]. ==References== {{reflist}} ==Other websites== {{commons|Matthew Perry (naval officer)}} * [http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/teach/pearl/kanagawa/friends4.htm A short timeline of Perry's life] {{US-bio-stub}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Perry, Matthew C.}} [[Category:1794 births]] [[Category:1858 deaths]] [[Category:Military people from Rhode Island]] [[Category:People from Newport, Rhode Island]]