Japanese Feudalism

Japanese Feudalism

October 21, 2020

Daily Agenda

Bellwork: Geographical Disadvantages of Japan (5 minutes)

Standard: 7.11

Performance Based Objectives and Learning Targets

Activator: Lesson Vocabulary

Work Time: (30 minutes)

Closing and Assessment, Exit Ticket:

Homework: Finish any incomplete classwork.

Open Ended

Bell Work Question:

Based on your knowledge of the geography of Japan, identify 3 disadvantages Japan has due to its geography.

Standard 7.11

Analyze the rise of a military society in the late 12th century and the role of the shogun and samurai in Japanese society. 

Performance Based Objectives and Learning Targets

Student will be able to construct and communicate arguments citing evidence In Order to analyze the rise of a military society in the late 12th century and the role of the shogun and samurai in Japanese society

Today I will……describe the culture that developed in Japan during the Heian Period

So that I can…..learn to compare the feudal systems of Japan and Europe.

I know I have mastered the objective when….. I can explain feudalism and its role in the rise of a military society in Japan.

Lesson Vocabulary

• Haiku: a three-line poem with 17 syllables

• Shogun: a Japanese word that means "great general;" a military dictator

• Tanka: a five-line poem with 31 syllables

• calligraphy: the art of beautiful handwriting

• daimyo: a great landowner in feudal Japan

• estate: a large piece of land with a house on it

Lesson Vocabulary (Continued)

• martial art: a way of fighting and defending oneself

• samurai: a Japanese warrior who received land from a lord and fought for him

• bushido: the warrior code of honor in Japan

• hari-kari: To kill oneself with a knife

• self-discipline: The power to control one's feelings and actions

Lesson Overview

This lesson describes the culture that developed in Japan during the Heian (hey-an) period during a 400 year period, beginning in A.D. 800.

Japan had borrowed from the Japanese and Korean culture, but during this period, they developed a distinct culture.

Japan Develops Its Own Culture

The life of the Japanese ruling class was different from that of the common people. The common people were mostly farmers and fishermen who lived in small villages. The ruling class was made up of nobles who stayed in the cities.

The nobles played music and games and wrote poetry, especially the tanka and haiku. The tanka is a five-line poem with 31 syllables. The three-line haiku has five syllables in its first line, seven in its second, and five in its third. Haiku is often about nature. Both poems usually show a mood or a feeling. The nobles wrote them for special times and put them in letters.

Tanka Examples

5 lines

31 syllables

Haiki Examples

3 lines

17 syllables

What was Japanese Feudalism

During this time, the emperor was the head of the government. But noble families held the real power. Because the refused to pay taxes, they grew rich and bought much land.

To keep their power, these lords gave away some of their land to other people. These people promised to be loyal to the lords. Soon Japan was divided into many pieces of land by different nobles.

In the late 1100s, one noble family grew more powerful than any other. The leader of this family forced the emperor to appoint him shogun. This word means "great general". For the next 700 years, powerful shoguns governed Japan. They said that they ruled in the emperor's name. In fact, the shogun was a military dictator who controlled officials, judges, and armies.

Open Ended

Identify one reason why the Japanese nobles became more powerful than the emperor.

Who Were Part of Japanese Feudalism

The highest nobles next to the shogun were the daimyos. They controlled large estates, or pieces of land. An army of warriors fought for each daimyo. The daimyos gave land to these warriors who were known as samurai, which means "one who serves." The samurai were fearless soldiers who carried sharp swords. They believed that to die in battle was an honor.

When the samurai were not fighting, they developed strength through sports. They practiced judo and karate, which are martial arts. These are ways of fighting or defending oneself. Sumo wrestling was also popular.

The samurai were also artists. They painted beautiful scroll pictures, wrote poetry, and perfected the Japanese tea ceremony. When they were not using swords, the samurai used brushes to do calligraphy.

Example of Japanese calligraphy

A traditional Japanese samurai

Open Ended

Which martial arts did the samurai practice?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following skills were NOT part of a samurai's education?

• calligraphy

• poetry

• cricket

• painting

What was Bushido?

A samurai had a code of honor called bushido. This code demanded that he be brave and loyal to his lord. He had to obey orders and practice self-discipline, or control over one's feelings and actions. Honor was the most important thing in his life. If he lost his honor, a samurai committed hari-kari. That is, he killed himself with a knife. The nobles believed hari-kari brought back honor.

How Did Japanese and European Feudalism Differ?

Japanese and European feudalism differed in four ways. First, the connection between the European lord and his vassal was a kind of legal arrangement. However, the Japanese based their connection on morality instead of law. A samurai obeyed becasue he believed his daimyo had the right to rule.

Second, when a vassal died in Europe, his property was give to the oldest sone, This often led to civil war. In Japan, a man chose the son who could best take care of the land. If a daimyo had no son, he adopted one.

Open Ended

In Japan, which son inherited his father's land?

How Did Japanese and European Feudalism Differ?

Third, in Europe, lords and vassals thought women were not equal to men, but they still respected women. Japanese warriors expected women to be tough and self-disciplined. They had to accept bad times-even death or hari kari-without complaining.

Fourth, a European knight did not think education was important. However, a Japanese samurai took pride in his poetry and calligraphy.

Multiple Choice

Lesson Review 1:

A ___________ is a three-line poem with 17 syllables

• daimyos

• haiku

• samurai

• tanka

Multiple Choice

Lesson Review 2:

A __________ is a five-line poem with 31 syllables

• daimyos

• shogun

• haiku

• tanka

Multiple Choice

Lesson Review 3:

The military dictator of Japan was the ________________

• shogun

• samurai

• daimyo

• knight

Multiple Choice

Lesson Review 4:

The great landowners of Japan were the ______________

• haiku

• knight

• daimyo

• tanka

Multiple Choice

Lesson Review 5:

The ______________ were Japanese warriors.

• samurai

• knight

• shogun

• daimyo

Open Ended

Exit Ticket:

What do you think?

How did calligraphy and poetry help the samurai win control of his feelings and actions?