Samurai

Question 1

By the 1100s, what was happening to Japan’s government?

Answer 1

By the 1100s, central government losing control of the empire

Question 2

Who were hired into Japan’s armies?

Answer 2

Landowners hired armies of samurai, trained professional warriors

Question 3

How did Japan become a feudal warrior society?

Answer 3

Use of samurai, trained professional warriors, developed into feudal warrior society in Japan

Question 4

How was Japan’s feudal system similar to the system in Europe?

Answer 4

•In exchange for allegiance, military service, nobles gave property to samurai

Question 5

What did the samurais receive as payment for their services?

Answer 5

• Unlike in Europe, where knights were usually paid with land grants, only most powerful samurai received land
• Most paid with food, usually rice
• Those given land did not work, live on land

Question 6

In Japan’s warrior society, who worked the land?

Answer 6

The samurai’s lands were worked by peasants, who gave the samurai money or food for payment each year.

Question 7

What was the role of the samurai?

Answer 7

• Main role of samurai, that of highly skilled warrior
• Wore armor, were skilled with many weapons, often fought on horseback
• Expected to be in fighting form all the time, ready to do battle should need arise

Question 8

What were the position of the samurai in Japanese society?

Answer 8

•As time passed, samurai rose in status in society, enjoyed many privileges

Question 9

How were samurais treated in Japanese society?

Answer 9

• Crowds parted to let them pass when samurai walked down street
• People dropped eyes out of respect—and fear—because samurai had right to kill anyone who showed disrespect

Question 10

What was the code of ethics that samurais’ follow?

Answer 10

•Samurai followed strict code of ethics, known as Bushido, “the way of the warrior”

Question 11

What did the Bushido require?

Answer 11

• Bushido required samurai to be courageous, honorable, obedient, loyal
• Word samurai means “those who serve;” each had to serve, obey his lord without hesitation,

Question 12

What did samurais have to do when they fail?

Answer 12

•Samurai who failed to obey, protect lord expected to commit seppuku — suicide by ritual disembowelment

Question 13

What were the activities that samurai did?

Answer 13

•Pursued activities requiring great focus, like writing poetry, arranging flowers, performing tea ceremonies

Question 14

What was the belief system of the samurai?

What did this belief stress?

Answer 14

• Many samurai accepted Zen Buddhism
• Spread from China to Japan in 1100s
• Zen stressed discipline, meditation as ways to focus mind, gain wisdom

Question 15

What was the role of women?

What did women have to follow and do for their families?

How were women treated in Japanese society?

What rights did women have?

Answer 15

Both men, women of samurai families learned to fight

Usually only men went to war

Female samurai had to follow Bushido

Were prepared to die to protect home, family honor

Samurai women honored in Japanese society

–Could inherit property

• Allowed to participate in business

Question 16

Did Japan have a central government?

Who were the most powerful people?

Answer 16

Rise of the Shoguns

For most of the 1100s, Japan had no strong central government. Local nobles, the heads of powerful clans, fought for power

Question 17

In 1192, who was Minamoto Yoritomo?

How was he able to rule?

Answer 17

•1192, Powerful clan leader Minamoto Yoritomo forced emperor to name him shogun, “general,” Japan’s supreme military leader.

Shogun ruled in emperor’s name

Question 18

Who was the figurehead?

Who was the ruler? Who ran the government?

Answer 18

• Emperor remained at top of society, but became mere figurehead
• For nearly 700 years shoguns ruled Japan

•Shogun formed military government at Kamakura

Question 19

The Shogun government was called _________ Shogunate, a military dynasty that ruled Japan until 1333

Answer 19

•Kamakura Shogunate, military dynasty, ruled Japan until 1333

Question 20

What happened when the Mongols invaded Japan twice in 1200s?

Answer 20

• 1200s, Kamakura Shogunate faced major threat—Mongols
• 1274, again in 1281, large Mongol fleets attacked Japan
• Each time Japanese defeated them, with help of powerful storm that wiped out enemy fleet

Question 21

How did the Mongol invasion weakened the Shogunate?

Answer 21

• Japanese referred to storms as kamikaze, “divine wind”; believed they showed that the gods favored Japan
• Mongol invasions weakened Kamakura Shogunate
• Many lords thought shogun had not rewarded them enough; loyalties broke down
• 1338, Shogunate overthrown

Question 22

What happened to Japan when the shogunate was too weak?

Answer 22

A new shogunate took power but was too weak to gain control of Japan.

With the loss of centralized rule, Japan splintered into many competing factions.

Question 23

Daimyo were local powerful __________.

How did they gain power?

What did they build?

Answer 23

Daimyo

• Numerous local daimyo, powerful warlords with large estates, gained control of territories, battled for power
• Daimyo built large fortified castles to defend lands

Question 24

How did the Daimyo build protection for themselves and the people?

Answer 24

• Castles often on hills, protected by walls, surrounded by water
• Towns often grew up around them
• Daimyo began to use peasants as foot soldiers, samurai on horseback

Question 25

How was firepower introduced into Japan?

Answer 25

* 1543, Portuguese introduced firearms * Daimyo began to arm soldiers with guns * Some samurai refused to use them * Died wielding swords against superior firepower

Question 26

In the 1500s, there were 3 powerful leaders - Oba Nobunaga Toyotomi Hideyoshi Tokugawa Leyasu How did these men take control? What did they achieve?

Answer 26

Generals Take Control * 1500s, three strong daimyo worked to take control of Japan * Oda Nobunaga, first to arm soldiers with guns, defeated opponents easily. •By death in 1582, controlled half of Japan * Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Oda’s greatest general, continued efforts; by 1590, controlled most of Japan * 1600, Tokugawa leyasu won decisive battle. Gained complete control of all Japan. 1603, emperor made Tokugawa shogun. Event began the Tokugawa Shogunate

Question 27

Who were Japan's ruling warrior class? Who was at top of society? Who was next level? Who was the next class? Who were at the bottom?

Answer 27

- At top of society, **emperor.** Only a figurehead - Next was **shogun**, held real power as military ruler. - Below shogun, **daimyo** — owed shogun loyalty - Under daimyo, **samurai** who served them

Question 28

Who were below the ruling class? Who were these people?

Answer 28

* Below ruling warrior class were three classes * Peasants, artisans, merchants

Question 29

Can the lower class rise in Japanese society?

Answer 29

* Members of lower classes could not rise in social status * Could not serve in military or government, or hold government positions that might challenge power of warrior class

Question 30

Who were the people that made up about 80% of Japan's population? What were they required to do?

Answer 30

* Peasants made up vast majority—about 80 percent—of Japan’s population * Forbidden to do anything but **farming** * Supported selves by growing rice, other crops on daimyo, samurai estates

Question 31

What were the peasants' status in Japan?

Answer 31

* In Japan, farming considered honorable trade * Peasants enjoyed **relatively high status, just below samurai** * However, peasants paid most of taxes, led hard lives

Question 32

Which class was below peasant farmers?

Answer 32

* Below peasants were artisans * Artisans often lived in castle towns; made goods like armor, swords

Question 33

Who were at the bottom of society?

Answer 33

* **Merchants** at bottom of society * Not honored because did not produce anything * Merchants often grew wealthy * Could use wealth to improve social position

Question 34

What was the status of women during Tokugawa period?

Answer 34

* During Tokugawa period, women’s status declined * Led restricted lives * Had to obey males * Even samurai class women lost many rights, freedoms

Question 35

What happened to the samurais as time passed? How did their role change?

Answer 35

* Role of male samurai changed * Peace put many out of work * Not allowed to engage in trade * Many ronin—masterless samurai—fell on hard times * Some became farmers, others warriors for hire, or bandits

Question 36

How was Japan's relations with the West during the Tokugawa Period?

Answer 36

Tokugawa Period went hand in hand with Japan’s increasing contact with Europeans. Initially the Japanese welcomed European traders and missionaries

Question 37

What did trade do to Japan? Which people came to Japan?

Answer 37

* Trade with Europe **boosted Japan’s economy** * **Christian missionaries** changed Japanese society * Many Japanese became Christian;

Question 38

How did the Tokugawa shoguns feel about the Christians missionaries? What did the shoguns do?

Answer 38

* Over time Tokugawa shoguns grew concerned with spread of Christianity; began to persecute Christians, kill missionaries * Also began to **restrict foreign trade, travel**

Question 39

By 1650, how was Japan's relations with the outside world?

Answer 39

By 1650, Japan had shut its doors to all Europeans except the Dutch. Japan continued this policy for more than 200 years.

Question 40

What was art and literature like in this feudal culture?

Answer 40

* In art, colorful woodblock prints called **Ukiyo-e,** “pictures of the floating world,” became popular * In literature, realistic stories became popular, as well as form of poetry called **haiku** * Three lines with 17 syllables; many haiku deal with themes of nature, harmony

Question 41

What was the theater tradition in Japan? The theater show was called \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Answer 41

* Slow-moving Noh plays told stories through use of masks, stylized dance, music * 1600s, new type of theatre with more action, plot, humor—**kabuki** * Women initially performed kabuki, but later banned and replaced by men

Question 42

In 1392, a powerful general called Yi Song-gye gained control of __________ (where?) What kingdom did he set up?

Answer 42

* In 1392, powerful general, Yi Song-gye gained control of Korea * Established **Choson kingdom** –Choson, or Yi, dynasty became one of Korea’s longest ruling dynasties –Lasted until 1910 Formed government based on Confucianism

Question 43

Who invaded Korea? What did Korea invent? Who took over Korea for a long time?

Answer 43

* Korea prospered * Produced many cultural achievements, including creation of Korean alphabet * Late 1500s, Japan invaded twice * Koreans held off Japanese using ironclad warships * Fighting with Japan left Korea in ruins * Early 1600s, Chinese invaded * By 1640s, Korea had become vassal state to Qing dynasty in China

Question 44

After so many invasions, how did Korea become known as the _________ Kingdom?

Answer 44

* As result, Choson kings increasingly isolated Korea, except for trade with China * In West, Korea became known as “**Hermit Kingdom**” because of isolation