Edo Japan

Question 1

Feudal system

Answer 1

Based on land, controlled domains, local lords

Class determined by birth

No social mobility but lower ranks improve situations by hard work, etc

Strict rules governed by the behaviour of each class

Question 2

Feudal Hierarchy

Answer 2

Emperor

Shogun

Daimyo

Samurai

Peasants

Artisans

Merchants

Outcasts & Ainu

Question 3

Daimyo

Answer 3

Powerful Japanese noble and landowner

Competed for territory and power

Question 4

Emperor

Answer 4

Supreme ruler of Japan

Question 5

Shogun

Answer 5

A military ruler in feudal Japan

Question 6

Shogunate

Answer 6

A council of advisors to the shogun

Question 7

Tokugawa leyasu

Answer 7

Defeated the rival daimyo in great battle

In 1603 the emperor made him Shogun of Japan

To ensure he stayed shogun he put many rules in place like Alternate Attendance rule

Question 8

Alternate Attendance rule

Answer 8

Required the daimyo to maintain 2 houses which costs a lot (restricts wealth)

Had to leave family members behind in Edo when they leave

If suspected of any uprisings family members would be killed

Question 9

The Bakuhan system

Answer 9

Level one: The Shogunate

Controlled foreign relations

Shogun personally owned 1/4 of all lands, mines, ports and cities in Japan

Level two: The Daimyo

Collected taxes

Controlled and paid for local affairs which used up a lot of money

Question 10

How did the shogun control personal lives?

Answer 10

Dress laws

Marriage laws

Secret police

Renovation laws

Weapons laws

Question 11

Dress laws

Answer 11

Prevented what certain classes could wear, preventing class mixing

Question 12

Marriage laws

Answer 12

The shogun had to approve all marriages

Preventing daimyo families from making unwanted alliances

Question 13

Secret Police

Answer 13

Find dissenters and punish them

Question 14

Renovation laws

Answer 14

Daimyo can’t modify their castles without shogun’s permission

Preventing defences being built

Question 15

Weapon laws

Answer 15

Commoners we’re forbidden from owning any kind of weapons

Prevent Daimyo from raising up armies

Question 16

Samurai

Answer 16

Live in castles controlled by the shogun/daimyo they served

Only they can have swords (small one to cut head, big one to cut in half)

Serve in battle and officers in town

Had privilege but forbidden from trade and business

Live simple lived had no other choice

Question 17

Peasants

Answer 17

Farmed the land

Important because they produce the food for society

Laws controlled their whole life

Forbidden to smoke tobacco or drink rice wine

Need special permission to travel outside district

Question 18

Artisans

Answer 18

Extremely skilled but ranked lower than peasants

This is because they need other materials to be produced for them first

Objects artisans made were useful and beautiful

Question 19

Merchants

Answer 19

Bought items from artisans to trade or sell

Arranged for the shipping and distribution of food and stored rice in their warehouses

Similar to bankers because rice was their currency

Since they don’t produce anything they are ranked lower

Question 20

Outcasts

Answer 20

This class was shamed because of their work
Their work in some way involved death: butchers, dispose animal carcasses

Weren’t allowed to change jobs

Weren’t allowed to enter a peasants home

Weren’t allowed to be in a city after 8 pm

Question 21

Ainu

Answer 21

Indigenous people of northern Japan (Hokkaido)

Lived in Ezochi separate from the rest of Japan

The Japanese started to take over their lands later becoming Hokkaido

They attempted to assimilate the Ainu

Restricted their living only on lands the government gave them

Question 22

Women in society

Answer 22

The class a woman is born into determines her responsibilities

Women in rural areas have more freedom than upper class women

Women were always considered lower than men

Women didn’t have legal existence during the Edo period: couldn’t own property

Question 23

Samurai virtues

Answer 23

Honour

Bravery

Unquestioning loyalty

Self discipline

Self denial

Question 24

Samurai schools

Answer 24

Stressed filial piety/devotion to the parents on to the students

Question 25

Roles of duty and obligation

Answer 25

Ruler to Subject

Father to Children

Husband to Wife

Older brother to Younger brother

Friend to Friend

The first role is to be wise and nuts and protect and support the other

The second role is to obey, respect and honour the other

Question 26

Gonin Gumi

Answer 26

The lower classes were in groups of five families

Everyone could be punished if one is disobedient

These members are supposed to help each other

Question 27

Seppuku

Answer 27

Initial suicide performed in Japan as an alternative to public shame

Samurais had the privilege to commit sepukku if the failed others

Question 28

What were the traditional arts in Japan?

Answer 28

Kabuki

Japanese tea ceremony

Sumo wrestling

Bunraku

Woodblock prints

Martial arts

Question 29

The floating worlds

Answer 29

Cultural activities took place in these areas of the cities

The rules are more relaxed here

They let the shogun keep this area open but under surveillance

Used to catch people planning bad things or saying something drunk