Chapter 5: Japan

Why was arable land in ancient Japan so valuable?

• the land was flat and swampy
• the land was good for farming
• the land contained gold and silver
• the land was close to a river and allowed for trade

Who in the Japanese feudal system does the following best represent:
-live a simple life
-must obey all orders
-master the martial arts
-defeat or dishonor one must commit Seppuku

• Emperor
• Shogun
• Samurai
• Peasants

What did the Japanese people believe gave the emperor of Japan his power?

• that he was descended from heaven and had a mandate to rule
• that he was the living form of the volcano god that lived in Mt. Fuji
•  he was the most intelligent man and philosopher in all of Japan
• that he was the most skilled general and his army could not be defeated

What was NOT a characteristic of the traditional Japanese religion?

• reincarnation
• ancestor worship
• shrines by natural beauty
•  nature spirits called "kami"

What did the samurai call their strict code of honor?

• nirvana
• dharma
• chivalry
• bushido

Which of the following describes the physical geography of Japan?

• mostly flat plains with some swamps
• mostly river valleys with rich fertile soil
• mostly high plateaus with some deserts
• mostly mountainous with some coastal plains

Why does Japan have limited natural resources?

• Japan is made up of mountainous islands.
• Japan's soil is not fertile and cannot grow their own crops
• Japan is made up of the world's largest desert
• Japan's armies were defeated by China and they took the resources

What caused most of the wars in Japan's history?

• religious differences
• control of the land
• secret knowledge of silk production
• control of the trans-Saharan trade routes

Which two important beliefs influenced art in ancient Japan?

• Shinto and Zen Buddhism
• Shinto and Confucianism
• Hinduism and Confucianism
• Confucianism and Zen Buddhism

What did the most powerful samurai get for their service?

• rice
• land 
• money
• servants