ized , ▁and ▁many ▁places , ▁ships ▁and ▁persons ▁have ▁been ▁named ▁in ▁his ▁honor . ▁ ▁Matthew ▁Cal bra ith ▁Perry ▁( A pril ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 7 9 4 ▁– ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 5 8 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Com mod ore ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁who ▁commanded ▁ships ▁in ▁several ▁wars , ▁including ▁the ▁War ▁of ▁ 1 8 1 2 ▁and ▁the ▁Mexican – American ▁War ▁( 1 8 4 6 – 1 8 4 8 ). ▁He ▁played ▁a ▁leading ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁Japan ▁to ▁the ▁West ▁with ▁the ▁Convention ▁of ▁Kan ag awa ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 4 . ▁ ▁Perry ▁was ▁interested ▁in ▁the ▁education ▁of ▁naval ▁officers , ▁and ▁assist ed ▁in ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁an ▁app rent ice ▁system ▁that ▁helped ▁establish ▁the ▁curr icul um ▁at ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Naval ▁Academy . ▁With ▁the ▁advent ▁of ▁the ▁steam ▁engine , ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁leading ▁advoc ate ▁of ▁modern izing ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁and ▁came ▁to ▁be ▁considered ▁" The ▁Father ▁of ▁the ▁Ste am ▁Navy " ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁Civil ▁War ▁And ▁Re const ruction ▁era ▁ ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Christopher ▁Raymond ▁Perry ▁Rod gers ▁( 1 8 1 9 ▁– ▁ 1 8 9 2 ) ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁November ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 1 9 ▁in ▁Brook lyn , ▁New ▁York ▁to ▁George ▁Washington ▁Rod gers ▁and ▁Anna ▁Maria ▁Perry . ▁He