Download Feudal Japan - 6th Social STudies

Feudal Japan From the beginning of Japanese civilization until 1185 an emperor ruled all of Japan. An emperor is similar to a king, but in Japan he was also a religious leader. However, the emperor began to lose power in a series of wars. A civil war broke out in 1336 that ended the real power of the emperor. The emperor sent armies of what became known as samurai to fight the civil war for him, and when they returned he gave the title Shogun to the leader of the army, so they would not take him over as emperor. This began a new form of control in Japan, where the leaders of different armies controlled smaller pieces of land, rather than one emperor controlling everything-­‐-­‐this is usually called Feudalism. Feudal control began when wealthy landholders (nobles) divided up the land into smaller areas and relied on peasants (serfs) to farm the land and be soldiers-­‐-­‐similar to Medieval Europe. Feudalism is a type of government where a weak monarchy (emperor) tries to control an area of land through agreements with wealthy landholders. Feudalism brought many changes in Japan. The feudal period of Japanese history was a time when powerful families (daimyo) and the military power of warlords (shogun), and their warriors, the samurai ruled Japan. The Yamato family remained as emperor, but their power was seriously reduced because the daimyo, shoguns, and samurai were so powerful. During this time period, the emperor appeared at ceremonies, celebrations, and parades, but had no real control over the people. During the next 700 years of Feudal Japan, different shoguns controlled Japan. Several civil wars were fought among the powerful families and their samurai armies. The Mongols (Genghis Khan) attempted to invade and conquer Japan in the early part of this time period. The Mongols would have easily invaded and conquered a much weaker Japan, however, a famous typhoon hit Japan and destroyed the Mongol boats and saved Japan. In 1543, a Portuguese trade ship landed in Japan for the first time. Japan had never seen European people. The trade ship carried many new products the Japanese had never seen, especially guns. The guns introduced by Portuguese would bring major changes to society. The power of the samurai was seriously threatened. During the following years, traders from Portugal, the Netherlands, England, and Spain arrived, and so did many Catholic missionaries who tried to spread their religion to Japan. Many traditional Japanese leaders disliked the changes brought by Europeans, but the emperor saw this as an opportunity to regain power. Japanese Feudal System: Hindu Caste System: India's caste system has four main classes based originally on personality, profession, and birth. In descending order, the classes are as follows: Brahmin: Consist of those engaged in scriptural education and teaching, essential for the continuation of knowledge. Kshatriya (nobles): Take on all forms of public service, including administration, maintenance of law and order, and defense. Vaishya: Engage in commercial activity as businessmen. Sudra: Work as semi-­‐skilled and unskilled laborers. The most obvious problem with this system was that under its strictness, the lower castes were prevented from aspiring to climb higher, and, therefore, economic progress was restricted. European Feudal System: The basic government and society in Europe during the Middle Ages was based around the feudal system. Small communities were formed around the local lord and the manor. The lord owned the land and everything in it. He would keep the peasants safe in return for their service. The lord, in return, would provide the king with soldiers or taxes. Service for Land Under the feudal system land was granted to people for service. It started at the top with the king granting his land to a baron for soldiers all the way down to a peasant getting land to grow crops. The Manor The center of life in the middle Ages was the manor; the local lord ran the manor. He lived in a large house or castle where people would gather for celebrations or for protection if they were attacked. A small village would form around the castle, which would include the local church. Farms would then spread out from there, which would be worked by the peasants. Hierarchy of Rulers King -­‐ The top leader in the land was the king. The king could not control all of the land by himself, so he divided it up among the Barons. In return, the Barons pledged their loyalty and soldiers to the king. When a king died, his firstborn son would inherit the throne. When one family stayed in power for a long time, this was called a dynasty. Nobles-­‐ Nobles ruled large areas of land called fiefs. They reported directly to the king and were very powerful. They divided up their land among Lords who ran individual manors. Their job was to maintain an army that was at the king's service. If they did not have an army, sometimes they would pay the king a tax instead. This tax was called shield money. Lord -­‐ The lords ran the local manors. They also were the knights and could be called into battle at any moment by their Baron. The lords owned everything on their land including the peasants, crops, and village. Peasants-­‐ Most of the people living in the middle Ages were peasants. They had a hard rough life. Some peasants were considered free and could own their own businesses like carpenters, bakers, and blacksmiths. Others were more like slaves. They owned nothing and were pledged to their local lord. They worked long days, 6 days a week, and often barely had enough food to survive. Your assignment: You must create a chart in your Social Studies notes. You are to compare (similarities) and contrast (differences) Feudal Japan, Feudal Europe, and the Caste System. Feudal Japan Caste System Feudal Europe Who holds the power? What is the largest group? Why is the role of the Nobles important? How was land divided amongst the people? Who was responsible for protection?