Embarked in a naval career as midshipman at the age of fifteen.
Advanced to the rank of Lieutenant
Served on the USS Cyane during its patrol off Liberia to suppress piracy and the slave trade in the West Indies
Commanded the USS Shark
Planted the United States flag, physically claiming the Florida Keys as American property
Acted as fleet captain for Commodore Rodgers
Perry returned for shore duty to Charleston, South Carolina
Assigned to command the USS Concord
Second officer of the New York Navy Yard, which was later renamed the Brooklyn Navy Yard
Supervised the construction of first naval steamship, Fulton
Promoted to the rank of captain
Conducted the first U.S. naval gunnery school while commanding USS Fulton off Sandy Hook on the coast of New Jersey
Promoted to the rank of commodore and made chief of the Philadelphia Navy Yard
Commanded the African Squadron, which was engaged in suppressing the slave trade
Made second-in-command of the Home Squadron and captain of USS Mississippi
Sailed up the Tabasco River (the present day Grijalva River) and demonstrated naval might against the city of Tabasco
fter returning to Commodore David Connor's main force, Perry took part in the Tampico Expedition in which ended when the Navy occupied Tampico
Needed repairs to the Mississppi forced Perry to return to shipyard at Norfolk, Virginia His return to the U.S. did give his superiors the chance to finally give him orders to succeed Commodore Connor in command of the Home Squadron
Returned to the fleet during the siege of Veracruz and his ship supported the siege from the sea
Captured Tuxpan
Captured Carmen
Captured last port city on the Gulf coast, San Juan Bautista (present day Villahermosa), capital of Tabasco
Perry was sent on a mission by President Millard Fillmore to establish trade with Japan
Perry signs the Treaty of Kanagawa
Returned to Japan after exploring alternatives in the China Sea should the treaty with Japan fail. He appears with four sailing ships, three steamers, and 1600 men.
After a brief standoff, Perry landed for peace and trade talks and began to negotiate with the Japanese to establish a trade agreement.
Perry returned to the United States
Perry published three volume set: Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan
