The Vikings and Japan Under the Shoguns Review

Comprehensive practice flashcards covering Viking history, expansion, and society, as well as Japanese geography, shogunate political history, and social structure.

Which three Scandinavian countries did the Vikings primarily originate from?

Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.

What is the generally accepted date range for the Viking Age?

Around 793 to 1066 CE.

How did Scandinavian geography, particularly in Norway, influence the Viking lifestyle?

Norway had many mountains and fjords with limited farming land, making the sea extremely important for transport, fishing, and trade.

What event in 793 CE is traditionally considered the beginning of the Viking Age?

The Viking attack on the Christian monastery at Lindisfarne, off the coast of England.

What year is commonly cited as the end of the Viking Age?

1066 CE.

Who were the Jarls in Viking social hierarchy?

The wealthy upper class, including powerful nobles, wealthy landowners, and military leaders.

Who were the Karls in Viking society, and what legal status did they hold?

Free people (such as farmers, craftspeople, merchants, traders, and warriors) who could own property and had legal rights.

Who were the Thralls in Viking society?

Enslaved people with very limited rights who performed agricultural and household labour.

What were the assemblies called where free Viking people met to discuss community matters and make legal decisions?

Things.

What three materials were commonly used to construct Viking longhouses?

Timber, turf, and stone.

What advantage did the shallow draft of Viking longships provide during raids?

It allowed ships to cross seas, travel up rivers, and approach shallow coastlines to land quickly and escape before defenders could organize.

What was a knarr and what was its primary function?

A broader Viking ship mainly used to transport cargo, animals, supplies, and trading goods across long distances.

Does historical evidence support the popular idea that Vikings wore horned helmets into battle?

No, the popular image of Vikings wearing horned helmets is not supported by evidence for normal Viking battle equipment.

How are berserkers described in historical and literary sources?

Warriors associated with extreme aggression, fearlessness, and fighting in a frenzy.

Why were Christian monasteries target locations for Viking raiders?

They contained valuable gold, silver, and religious treasures, and often had weaker military protection than fortified settlements.

In which direction did Swedish Vikings primarily travel, and what regions did their river networks reach?

They travelled east through eastern Europe, connecting to Russia, Byzantine territories, and Islamic trading networks.

What foreign goods did Vikings obtain through their international trading networks?

Silver, luxury products, silk, and spices.

Who established a Norse settlement in Greenland after being exiled from Iceland?

Erik the Red.

Where in North America was archaeological evidence of a Norse presence discovered around 1000 CE?

L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada.

What domains were associated with the Norse god Thor, and what was his famous weapon?

Thunder, strength, and protection; his weapon was the hammer Mjölnir.

What was Valhalla in Norse mythology?

Odin's great hall where selected warriors who died in battle could be taken.

What was the Viking writing system called, and what were its individual characters named?

The futhark, with individual characters called runes.

What was the name given to the regions in England where Danish laws and Scandinavian culture were dominant?

The Danelaw.

Who were the three main individuals claiming the English throne during the succession crisis of 1066?

Harold Godwinson, Harald Hardrada, and William of Normandy.

What occurred at the Battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September 1066?

King Harold Godwinson's English forces defeated the invading Norwegian army and killed Harald Hardrada.

What was the outcome of the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066?

William of Normandy's army defeated the English army, Harold Godwinson was killed, and William became King of England.

What is the Bayeux Tapestry and how long is it?

An embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres long that depicts events surrounding the Norman conquest.

Name five modern English words derived from Old Norse.

Sky, egg, window, husband, and law.

What are the four main islands of the Japanese archipelago, and which one is the largest?

Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu; Honshu is the largest and most populated.

Why did settlements in historical Japan predominantly develop in coastal plains and river valleys?

Japan is extremely mountainous, making flat farming land very limited and highly valuable.

Why was rice so central to society and political power in feudal Japan?

Rice was a major food staple, an agricultural product, and directly connected to wealth and taxation.

What geographic route served as the primary pathway for continental Asian cultural influences to enter Japan?

Korea.

How was the written language system established in early Japanese society?

Japanese people adapted Chinese characters to suit their own spoken language.

Which major Buddhist temple built at Nara during the Nara Period became famous for its giant Buddha statue?

Tōdai-ji.

How was authority divided between the Emperor and the Shogun in Japan's military political system?

The Emperor held symbolic/traditional authority, while the Shogun held practical political and military authority.

Who established the Kamakura Shogunate in 1192?

Minamoto Yoritomo.

What event destroyed the Mongol fleet during the second invasion of Japan in 1281?

A huge typhoon struck the fleet, destroying many ships.

What is the literal translation and significance of the term 'Kamikaze' regarding the Mongol invasions?

It means 'divine wind' and referred to the storms interpreted by the Japanese as divine protection against the Mongols.

Who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1603?

Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Where was the political centre of the Tokugawa Shogunate located?

Edo (modern Tokyo).

What was the official hierarchical social structure of Tokugawa Japan from top to bottom?

Emperor, Shogun, Daimyo, Samurai, Peasants, Craftspeople, Merchants.

What was the alternate-attendance system (Sankin-kōtai)?

A policy requiring daimyo to spend alternating periods living in their domain and in Edo, leaving their families in Edo.

How did the alternate-attendance system help the Tokugawa Shogun maintain control over the daimyo?

It kept the daimyo under surveillance and drained their financial resources through travel and residence costs, reducing their ability to fund rebellions.

How did the role of the samurai change during the prolonged peace of the Tokugawa Period?

Many samurai transitioned from being active frontline military warriors into educated administrators, officials, and bureaucrats.

What does 'Bushido' mean, and what were its primary ethical values?

It means 'way of the warrior', emphasizing loyalty, courage, honour, duty, discipline, and self-control.

What was seppuku in samurai culture?

A form of ritual suicide performed following dishonour, as punishment, or in situations involving loyalty and defeat.

Why were peasants placed above merchants in the official Tokugawa social hierarchy?

Peasants produced essential food and rice for the economy, whereas merchants made money off goods produced by others.

What is Shinto, and what are kami?

Shinto is Japan's indigenous religion; kami are sacred spiritual beings or forces associated with nature, geographic features, and ancestors.

What traditional gateway structure marks the entry into a sacred Shinto space?

A torii gate.

Why did Zen Buddhism become particularly influential among the samurai warrior class?

Its emphasis on meditation, discipline, concentration, and controlling the mind strongly suited the physical and mental demands of warrior culture.