SHOGUN JAPAN

Question 1

What geographical features does Japan have?

Answer 1

Japan is a mountainous country located between the Pacific ocean and the Sea of Japan, located East of Asia. Due to their geography, the Japanese during Medieval Japan had natural borders. Fish and rice was their primary source of food due to their geography.

Question 2

What is the terrain like in Japan?

Answer 2

Japan had a mountainous terrain.

Question 3

What is the climate like in Japan?

Answer 3

Japan had hot and humid summers with moderate to cold winters.

Question 4

How would the terrain affect things like farming?

Answer 4

The mountains of Japan provide great natural beauty but restrict the farming area to less than 20% of the land surface. This limited Japans agricultural land.

Question 5

Draw the social hierarchy system of the Tukugawa shogunate.

Explain each of these levels (who made up each class, what they’re roll in society was)

Answer 5

Emperor
Shogun
Daimyo
Samurai
Peasants
Traders and merchants
Outcasts

Question 6

List benefits and disadvantages of Japan’s social hierarchy system.

Answer 6

Japanese feudalism had advantages of stability, military protection, and preservation of culture, but also disadvantages of social inequality, lack of centralized power, and restrictions on social mobility.

Question 7

Who was Tokugawa Ieyasu?

Answer 7

Tokugawa Ieyasu was a Japanese military leader who reunified Japan at the beginning of the 17th century after a long period of civil war. He created a new government controlled by the Tokugawa family that ruled Japan until 1868.

Question 8

Why was the Tokugawa shogunate arguably the most significant?

Answer 8

The Tokugawa Shogunate was notable for restoring order and unity to Japan, and it did this partly through upholding strict social hierarchies. As well as restricting people form moving in and out of Japan.

Question 9

List the defensive features of a Japanese castle.

Answer 9

Japanese castles developed a series of defensive features over the centuries, including inventive variations on moats, earthen embankments, and stone walls

Question 10

What were each of these features used for?

Answer 10

Some of these features are used for killing , confusing and separating the opposition. Making it more easy for them to kill.

Question 11

What were the similarities between Japanese and European castles?

Answer 11

That is, in times of war the castle in both areas was used for defensive purposes. Both used moats and walls as their main means of defence.

Question 12

What was the Bushido code?

Answer 12

The Bushido code was a moral code for samurai and how they should behave and live.

Question 13

What role did samurai play in society?

Answer 13

The main role for samurai in society was to be the warrior class. They were the army as well as the police at that time.

Question 14

What was the signature weapon of the samurai?

Answer 14

The Katana

Question 15

Comparatists Samurai to European knights?

Answer 15

Knights wore armour and Samurai were guarded by bamboo gear. Knights had swords while samurai had katanas. They both had horses.

Question 16

What was the ‘Sakoku’ policy?

Answer 16

The sakoku policy was policy made in 1603 by Tokugawa lemitsu. This policy banned trade between Japan and other countries. As well as restricted people form moving in and out of japan.

Question 17

Why was Sakoku implemented?

Answer 17

It is conventionally regarded that the shogunate imposed and enforced the sakoku policy in order to remove the colonial and religious influence of primarily Spain and Portugal.

Question 18

Who implemented Sakoku?

Answer 18

The Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu.

Question 19

How long did Sakoku last?

Answer 19

While Sakoku, Japan’s long period of isolation from 1639 to 1853.

Question 20

What were the advantages and disadvantages of Sakoku?

Answer 20

Benefits:
Helped its economy as there were fewer disruptions and no need to spend money on conflicts.

Conflicts:
The isolation of Japan led to economic stagnation, limited technological advancement, and a lack of international trade

Question 21

How did Sakoku end?

Answer 21

The policy ended after 1853 when the Perry Expedition with a man called William Adams. Breached the territory of Japan with steam ships and offered a treaty.

Question 22

Explain the Meiji Restoration.

Answer 22

In 1868 the Tokugawa shōgun lost his power and the emperor was restored to the supreme position. The Meiji restoration was a period where Japan went through rapid industrialisation.

Question 23

Who was involved in the Meiji restoration?

Answer 23

The emperor Meiji an the daimyo. [ the states thing]

Question 24

What was the Charter Oath?

Answer 24

The Charter Oath as a document stating , the abolition of feudal privileges, the promotion of education, and the adoption of Western knowledge and technology.