Year 8 History Exam Semester 2

Bushido

The code of honour and morals followed by the samurai.

Ronin

A samurai without a master.

Serf

A peasant who worked the land for a lord and could not leave without permission.

Lord

A noble who owned land and gave protection to vassals or knights in exchange for service.

Peasant

A poor farmer or labourer in the feudal system.

Code of Chivalry

The set of rules knights followed

Shinto

A traditional Japanese religion focused on nature spirits and ancestors.

Buddhism

A religion that teaches about enlightenment through meditation and following the Eightfold Path.

Samurai

A Japanese warrior who served a daimyo or shogun.

Heretic

A person who held beliefs against the teachings of the Church.

Feudal System

A social hierarchy where land was exchanged for loyalty and service.

Meiji Restoration

The 1868 event where power was restored to the Emperor of Japan

Magna Carta

A document signed in 1215 limiting the power of the English king and granting rights to nobles.

Edo

The old name for Tokyo; capital during the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Role of the Medieval Church

The Church provided education

Causes of the Black Death

Spread by fleas on rats; poor hygiene and lack of medical knowledge.

Effects of the Black Death

Mass deaths

Fall of Feudalism in Europe

Caused by peasant revolts

Difference between Japanese noble and peasant women

Noble women had education and roles in art and culture; peasant women worked farms and had few rights.

Factors that led to the fall of the shoguns

Western influence

Role of Samurai in Japanese society

Warriors who served daimyo

Life for peasants in Japan and Europe

Hard labour

Japanese Religions: Shinto vs Buddhism

Shinto focuses on nature and ancestors; Buddhism on meditation and enlightenment.

Battle of Hastings

In 1066

Feudal System Pyramid

King → Nobles/Lords → Knights/Samurai → Peasants/Serfs.

Japanese Society Pyramid

Emperor → Shogun → Daimyo → Samurai → Peasants → Merchants → Outcasts.

Role of the Church Source Example

A painting of a priest blessing a peasant shows the Church’s influence on daily life.

Reliability in Source Analysis

Primary sources show real views of the time but may be biased.

Meiji Restoration Significance

Restored imperial power

What was the samurai’s code called?

Bushido

The Magna Carta was signed to…

Limit the king’s power.

Which religion focuses on nature spirits?

Shinto

Who was at the top of Japan’s feudal hierarchy?

Emperor

What was one major effect of the Black Death?

Fall of feudalism