Japan Under Shoguns

Question 1

Who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate, and in which year?

Answer 1

Tokugawa Ieyasu founded the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1603.

Question 2

What title was Tokugawa Ieyasu granted to mark his authority?

Answer 2

He was granted the title of ‘shogun.’

Question 3

How long did the Tokugawa Shogunate rule Japan?

Answer 3

The Tokugawa Shogunate ruled from 1603 to 1868.

Question 4

What was the political structure in Japan during the Tokugawa period?

Answer 4

Japan was a feudal society with a strict hierarchy, where the shogun held real power and the emperor was a symbolic figure.

Question 5

What were the duties of the daimyo under the Tokugawa Shogunate?

Answer 5

Daimyo governed their own domains, collected taxes, and provided military support to the shogun.

Question 6

How did Tokugawa Ieyasu consolidate his power over the daimyo?

Answer 6

He placed restrictions on the daimyo, including controlling marriage alliances, limiting their armies, and implementing the ‘sankin kotai’ system.

Question 7

What were the four main social classes in Tokugawa Japan’s feudal system?

Answer 7

The classes were warriors (samurai), peasants, artisans, and merchants.

Question 8

Who held symbolic power in the Japanese feudal system?

Answer 8

The emperor held symbolic power, while the shogun wielded actual control.

Question 9

What role did the samurai play in Tokugawa society?

Answer 9

Samurai served as warriors and administrators for their daimyo and the shogun.

Question 10

What was the purpose of the “sankin kotai” system?

Answer 10

It required daimyo to spend alternate years in Edo to reduce the likelihood of rebellion and keep them under control.

Question 11

Which class was considered the lowest in the feudal hierarchy, and why?

Answer 11

Merchants, as they did not produce anything valuable like food or goods and were perceived to only profit from others’ work.

Question 12

What restrictions were placed on the daimyo by the shogun?

Answer 12

Daimyo couldn’t marry or build castles without shogun approval, and they had to spend alternating years in Edo.

Question 13

Why were merchants viewed as the lowest class, despite some becoming wealthy?

Answer 13

They did not produce food or goods and were thought to contribute less to society compared to peasants or artisans.

Question 14

How did the “sankin kotai” system help prevent rebellions?

Answer 14

By keeping daimyo financially strained and their families in Edo, it reduced the resources they could use for potential uprisings.

Question 15

What was Japan’s policy towards foreigners and foreign influence during the Tokugawa era?

Answer 15

Japan adopted a strict isolation policy, restricting almost all foreign contact and trade.

Question 16

Which foreign nations were permitted to trade with Japan under isolation?

Answer 16

Only the Dutch and the Chinese were allowed limited trade in Nagasaki.

Question 17

What effect did Christianity have on the Tokugawa Shogunate’s policies?

Answer 17

The spread of Christianity was seen as a threat to the shogunate’s authority and was banned.

Question 18

Why did the shogunate view Christianity as a threat?

Answer 18

They feared it could undermine the power of traditional religions, and that foreign influence could destabilize society.

Question 19

How did the Tokugawa shoguns limit the influence of foreign nations?

Answer 19

They issued edicts banning Christianity, restricted foreign travel, and allowed only minimal contact with specific nations.

Question 20

Why were the Portuguese expelled while the Dutch were allowed to remain?

Answer 20

The Portuguese were expelled due to their combination of trade and missionary work, whereas the Dutch focused on trade only.

Question 21

What was the significance of Commodore Perry’s visit to Japan in 1853?

Answer 21

It pressured Japan to end its isolation and eventually led to the signing of trade treaties with the United States.

Question 22

How did the Japanese initially respond to American demands in 1853?

Answer 22

They asked for time to consider and tried to delay an agreement, but Perry returned with a larger fleet, forcing negotiation.

Question 23

What internal issues contributed to the Tokugawa Shogunate’s decline?

Answer 23

Economic difficulties, unrest among the samurai, and the growing power of the merchant class created instability.

Question 24

What changes in social roles caused unrest among the samurai and merchants?

Answer 24

Samurai lost their military role and struggled financially, while merchants grew wealthy and desired more influence.

Question 25

Which domains led the opposition to the Tokugawa Shogunate?

Answer 25

Domains like Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa, and Echizen led the opposition.

Question 26

What slogan did Japanese modernizers adopt in the 1850s, and what did it mean?

Answer 26

‘Kaikoku joi’ - ‘Open the country to drive out the barbarians,’ reflecting their desire to modernize to resist foreign influence.

Question 27

Why did some daimyos want to restore power to the emperor?

Answer 27

They believed a unified government under the emperor could better defend Japan against foreign influence.

Question 28

Who was Tokugawa Yoshinobu, and what role did he play in the shogunate’s fall?

Answer 28

He was the last shogun, who resigned in 1867, ending the Tokugawa Shogunate.

Question 29

What event marked the official end of the Tokugawa Shogunate?

Answer 29

The Meiji Restoration in 1868 marked the end of the shogunate and the return of power to the emperor.

Question 30

What was the Meiji Restoration, and when did it take place?

Answer 30

The Meiji Restoration in 1868 was the political shift restoring power to the emperor and initiating modernization.

Question 31

How did Japan’s modernization under Emperor Meiji change its military?

Answer 31

Japan modernized its army with Prussian influence and developed a navy modeled after British and Dutch systems.

Question 32

Which Western military systems did Japan model its army and navy on?

Answer 32

The Prussian army model for the army and British and Dutch models for the navy.

Question 33

What infrastructure developments were introduced during the Meiji period?

Answer 33

Railways, telegraph systems, postal services, and increased coal production were key infrastructure developments.

Question 34

How did Japan’s education system change during modernization?

Answer 34

New universities were established, and foreign teachers were hired to improve Japan’s technical and scientific knowledge.

Question 35

What role did samurai play in Japan’s early modernization efforts?

Answer 35

Educated samurai held key administrative positions in the new government, contributing to modernization policies.

Question 36

How did modernization affect Japan’s international standing by the 20th century?

Answer 36

Japan emerged as a powerful, industrialized nation, capable of competing with Western countries.