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Worksheets

Japan Middle Ages

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 10mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What does the word Shinto mean?

a)

Beauty

b)

Divine Wind

c)

Way of the Spirits

d)

Way of the Warrior

2.

The religion practiced by the earliest Japanese was _____.

a)

Confucianism

b)

Hinduism

c)

Shintoism

d)

Buddhism

3.

What describes the geography of Japan?

a)

Most of Japan is mountainous and There is very little farmland in Japan.

b)

Japan is in a tropical region.

c)

Japan is made up of three Islands.

d)

Japan is in the southern hemisphere.

4.

Why did the Japanese emperor create the title of Shogun?

a)

To give his eldest son some power.

b)

To reward his wife’s family.

c)

To build up the military.

d)

So he would not be overthrown.

5.

Which of the following was one of Prince Shotoku’s most important contributions to Japan?

a)

Constitution

b)

The practice of Shinto

c)

Establishing trade with Southeast Asia

d)

The Great Change

6.

During the 800’s C. E., who ruled Japan in place of the emperors?

a)

Regents

b)

Samurai

c)

Shamans

d)

Taika

7.

Which group of people is considered the ancestors of the Japanese

a)

Silla

b)

Yayoi

c)

Koryo

d)

Paekche

8.

Which City was located on the Kanto Plain?

a)

Kyoto

b)

Mito

c)

Nagoya

d)

Osaka

9.

What is the shogunate capital?

a)

Edo

b)

Kyoto

c)

Nagoya

d)

Wakayama

10.

What was a key element of Prince Shotoku’s constitution?

a)

The emperor was second in charge

b)

The emperor was all powerful ruler

c)

The emperor was one of many rulers

d)

The emperor was the head of parliament

11.

What was one difference between the early Japanese and early Chinese governments?

a)

The Japanese allowed women as government officials, the Chinese did not.

b)

The Chinese used exams to choose their government officials, the Japanese did not.

c)

The Japanese paid their government officials very well, the Chinese did not.

d)

The Chinese always allowed foreigners to be government official, the Japanese did not.

12.

What was the primary source of medieval Japan’s wealth?

a)

The hard labor of farmers.

b)

The hard labor of traders.

c)

The hard labor of the military.

d)

The hard labor of manufacturers.

13.

Which of the following does NOT describe The Tale of Genji?

a)

It was written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu.

b)

It was about a Japanese prince.

c)

It was a gift to the emperor.

d)

It was fiction.

14.

What was the leader of a large piece of land in medieval Japanese called?

a)

The emperor

b)

The vassal

c)

Lord, Daimyo

d)

The Samurai

15.

What type of Buddhism was popular in Japan during the middle ages?

a)

Theravada

b)

Zen

c)

Mahayana

d)

Tibetan

16.

What is one way the elite did NOT spend their time during the Heian Period?

a)

wrote poetry

b)

played instruments

c)

strategized war

d)

painted

17.

What was the political system of the Middle Ages where nobles managed lands and provided support and

protection in exchange for serfs’ labor.

a)

Manorialism

b)

Feudalism

c)

Democracy

d)

Monarchy

18.

Which list is in the order of most power to least power?

a)

Shogun, Daimyo, Samurai, Peasant

b)

Samurai, Shogun, Daimyo, Peasant

c)

Samurai, Shogun, Peasant, Daimyo

d)

Shogun, Samurai, Daimyo, Peasant

19.

The Japanese believed their clan chiefs were descended from nature spirits called _____.

a)

Bushi

b)

Kami

c)

Noh

d)

Genji

20.

Use the following excerpt to answer the question.


“They danced very briefly and withdrew under the autumn trees, and guests regretted the approach of sunset... The formal concert, brief and unassuming, was followed by impromptu music in the halls above, instruments having been brought from the place of collections. As it grew livelier, a koto was brought for each of the emperors and a third for Genji.” - Lady Murisaki Shikibu. The Tale of Genji


What aspect of Heian culture is most celebrated, as evidenced by the above quote?

a)

Art

b)

Warfare

c)

Agriculture

d)

Science