Chapter 6 Final Exam Review

1. Chapter 6 Final Exam Review SS 8 Ms. Pakkar

2. Big ideas • Breaking apart of feudal structure • Compare/contrast to European feudalism

3. Key Concepts • Geography • Classical Period • Kamakura Period and Japanese Samurai, Bushido • Feudalism • Reunification of Japan

4. Geography • How many islands and which one is which? • Hokkaido (northern), Honshu (middle, largest), Kyushu (next to Honshu), Shikoku (smallest) • Japan is an archipelago, which means what? • Chain of islands/island nation • Key geographical features? • Ring of Fire = prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions • Mount Fuji • Closeness to Korea and China = cultural influences

5. Timeline • Early Period • Jomon = hunter-gatherer & fishing ; first inhabitants of Japan • Ainu = Aboriginal people of Japan • Yayoi = developed agriculture; came after the Ainu • Yamato Period = intro’d idea of imperial sun line ; clan • Religion = Shinto (until mid 6th C); Zen Buddhism • Nara Period • Huge Chinese influence – gov’t, laws (Taiho Code), city-structure • Heian Japan • Imperial court engaged in Aware and unaware of hard work of the ordinary people • Rise of the Fujiwara family – 2nd only to imperial sun line (puppet rulers) • Kamakura Period • Feudal era after Taira and Minamoto Civil War; MinamotoYoritomo establishes himself as shogun with his own bakufu

6. Japanese samurai • Who were they? • skilled archers and swordsmen employed by the powerful lords who were gaining control over Japan’s land. • How did they come about? • Imperial court/nobles too busy with Aware and arts (delicacy and refinement)  wealthy land owners develop armies to take control • Local lords gain power by collecting taxes from those living on their land • Gempei Wars: Taira vs. Minamoto • Warlords created their own armies with samurai

7. Kamakura Era &bushido • Kamakura values • Emphasis on military values, loyalty, obedience, service • Rejection of indulgent culture of the Heian era • Bushido values • Discipline and self-control, loyalty and sincerity, valour at any cost, self cultivation (martial arts, philosophy, literary arts), humble living • Seppuku (honorable death): ritual suicide escape shame or avoid capture; involved disembowelment (l to r) • Zen Buddhism • Emphasis on meditation and finding the truth, simplicity and discipline

8. Bushido cont’d • Armour and weapons • Iron collar and facemask, visoredhelment, leather shin and thigh guards, chest protector • Swords (katana), spears (mounted samurai), bow and arrow • Leisure/arts • Poetry • Stories – told by traveling storytellers accompanied by lute (stringed instrument) • Ink brush paintings and sculptures • Tea ceremony: meditation • Japanese gardens/Ikebana (art of flower arrangement) • Calligraphy (shodo: “way of writing) • The role of women? • No special treatment • Expected to raise children according to bushido • Expected to live by the same virtues – honour and courage • Secondary to men

9. Feudal japan • Duty and obligations taken very seriously – on & giri • On = Obligation to others; a kind of a debt that must be paid. A child owes on to his/her parents, teachers, etc. Although some debts may be impossible to pay off, they would have the duty to try. • Giri= Obligations that can be paid back • Ranking of persons • person’s rank in society gave a person special treatment or given respect from inferior persons • Women = lower rank than men • Respect given by prostration (bow) • Good manners = efficient society

10. Feudal pyramid

11. Reunification of japan • What was the situation like? • Too many warlords, weak shogunate under the Ashikaga clan – Onin War (civil war) • The key players in the reunification process? • Oda Nobunaga (daimyos) – promoted to General for bravery; supported weak Ashikaga shogunate, but kept power for himself • Hideyoshi – Oda’s ally who took over after Oda died in ambush; great general, but failed invasion of Korea & China • Tokugawa Ieyasu – Oda’s other ally who rose to power during council’s struggle for power; respect to imperial court; forced daimyos to spend ½ year in Edo; families stayed in Edo when they went back to their fiefs; rich daimyos taxed; monitoring of suspicious daimyos

12. European contact cut • Europeans entred Japan in the 16th C • Welcome because? • Trade, especially guns • Who was not welcome and was eventually persecuted? • Christian missionaries; seen as a threat to Japanese culture; Christians banned and killed • Japan cut off from the rest of the world for over 250 years after 1637 • What was Japan’s only link to the rest of the world? • small Dutch trading community on the island of Deshima, which was closely monitored.

13. Edo japan • Good geographical area – why? • Prime agricultural land and good harbor • Under the Tokugawa era, the arts prospered. How? • Wood block painting popular • Kabuki theatre popular – actors rise in ranking • Crafts • Merchants and traders gained importance as their services and products gained demand (like in Europe) – they also lent money to nobles and rose from their previously despised ranking • How did lack of contact with the world effect the Japanese? • Feeling of distinction; refinement of traditional ceremonies and the arts

14. Decline of feudal structure • Explain • Edo Japan – actors gain better reputation • Merchants and traders gained importance = their services and products increased in demand (like in Europe) – they also lent money to nobles and rose from their previously despised ranking

15. Compare/contrast w/ Euro Similarities Differences