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Questions and Answers
What was the primary role of the Shogun in the Tokugawa Shogunate?
What was the primary role of the Shogun in the Tokugawa Shogunate?
- To act as a religious leader of Zen Buddhism
- To serve as a chief military leader and ruler of Japan (correct)
- To oversee the agricultural production in villages
- To manage trade relations with foreign countries
Which code of conduct was followed by samurais during the Tokugawa period?
Which code of conduct was followed by samurais during the Tokugawa period?
- Chivalry
- Seppuku
- Kendo
- Bushido (correct)
Which of the following accurately describes the economic condition during the Tokugawa Shogunate?
Which of the following accurately describes the economic condition during the Tokugawa Shogunate?
- The economy was stable but characterized by heavy taxation on peasants (correct)
- Feudal lords distributed wealth equally among all classes
- Merchants gained significant wealth and influence over society
- Japan experienced rapid economic growth and industrialization
What was one consequence of the heavy taxation on peasants during the Tokugawa era?
What was one consequence of the heavy taxation on peasants during the Tokugawa era?
What was one major impact of the limited outside influence during the Tokugawa Shogunate?
What was one major impact of the limited outside influence during the Tokugawa Shogunate?
Flashcards
Tokugawa Shogunate duration
Tokugawa Shogunate duration
The Tokugawa Shogunate ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867.
Bushido
Bushido
A code of conduct for samurai in Japan, emphasizing loyalty, courage, and honor.
Tokugawa leyasu
Tokugawa leyasu
The first Tokugawa shogun, who unified Japan after the Sengoku period.
Feudal Japan's social hierarchy
Feudal Japan's social hierarchy
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Closed Japan policy
Closed Japan policy
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Study Notes
The Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1868)
- Marked a period of relative peace and stability following centuries of civil war in Japan.
- Japan's historical development paralleled Western Europe's, featuring periods analogous to ancient empires and a medieval era marked by feudalism.
- A rigid social hierarchy characterized by significant wealth disparities existed.
- Peasants, classified as surfs, formed the lower rung of this hierarchy.
- Feudalism, an agricultural-based social system, structured society with the Shogun akin to kings.
- Powerful landowning daimyo lords served as vassals to the shogun.
- Samurai, a warrior class, often owned land and served daimyo lords.
- Unlike some societies, Japan and Europe weren't heavily dependent on water control for agriculture.
- Powerful shoguns faced limitations in controlling daimyo autonomy, influencing the development of greater individual rights and freedoms.
Bushido and Tokugawa Leyasu
- Bushido, the samurai code of conduct, governed samurai behavior. This was similar to the knight's code of chivalry.
- Tokugawa Ieyasu, consolidating his power, emerged as Japan's sole ruler after the Battle of Seki.
- He adopted the title of shogun, while maintaining the Emperor as a figurehead.
- Edo (modern-day Tokyo) became Japan's capital.
Economic and Social Structures
- Despite relative stability, the Tokugawa period saw a significant gap between rich and poor.
- Heavy taxation burdened peasants, leading migration to urban centers like Edo.
- Urbanization fueled cultural developments, such as Kabuki theatre.
- Kabuki theater, predominantly male-performed, became a highly elaborate and popular art form.
- Zen Buddhism, emphasizing discipline and enlightenment, was the dominant religion.
- The shogunate suppressed Christianity and restricted foreign trade, contributing to Japan's isolation.
Isolationism and the Meiji Restoration
- Isolationism characterized the Tokugawa regime, leading to limited development.
- This isolation continued until the arrival of Commodore Perry in the 1850s, introducing advanced weaponry.
- The ensuing period, known as the Meiji Restoration, marked Japan's rapid modernization over a decade.
- Rapid modernization led to the rise of fascism.
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