Abstract
Born in Rhode Island, the second son of a naval officer, Matthew C. Perry (1794–1858) was raised i a community that tolerated and profited from the slave trade. He became a strong supporter of the American Colonization Society but was never an antislavery reformer. Entering the navy as a midshipman in 1809, he saw service with Commodore John Rodgers during the War of 1812. Under Rodgers's tutelage he learned to manage a ship and a crew through attention to duty, strict discipline, daily routines that left little free time, and very limited shore leave. He applied these lessons throughout most of his career. His rigorous standards won him respect but not the affection of his subordinates. Perry's marriage to Jane Slidell, the daughter of a prominent New York merchant banker, enhanced his professional career. Later the marriage of a sister to the younger brother of Commodore Rodgers gave him an important link to a prominent naval officer and family.
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