Chapter_8__Section_3_Presentation

Chapter 8 – Japan

Section 3: Growth of a Military Society

• Overview of the rise of samurai and shoguns

  • Samurai and shoguns replaced emperors as the primary power in Japan.

  • Samurai defined by their honorable lifestyle.

  • Disruption occurred due to challenges to shoguns' power from invaders and rebellion.

  • Revival of order and reunification of Japan by strong leaders.

The Rise of the Samurai

• Late 1100s Context

  • The emperor and court focused on art and literature in Heian, leading to a decline in political power.

  • Power struggles among nobles over land intensified.

  • Large landowners, or daimyo, sought to defend their estates by hiring samurai warriors.

• Characteristics of Samurai

  • Most samurai were from noble families; positions were often inherited.

  • Compensation for samurai included land or food from their lords.

  • Loyalty was required to both the emperor and the lord, demonstrating the feudal structure.

Shoguns Rule Japan

• Struggle for Power

  • Strong noble clans vied for dominance, notably during the 1150s with conflicts like the Minamoto clan victory.

  • Minamoto clan established a government under the emperor as a figurehead, maintaining ceremonial power.

  • In 1192, the Minamoto leader took the title "shogun," a military general ruling in the emperor’s name.

Discussion Questions

1. How did shoguns manage to assume control over Japan?

2. Why might the Minamoto shogun have allowed the emperor to remain a figurehead?

Bushido: The Samurai Code

• Social Privileges and Restrictions

  • Samurai enjoyed privileges but had strict social limitations, such as prohibition from attending theater and engaging in commerce.

• Principles of Bushido

  • The samurai code, known as Bushido, emphasized qualities like bravery, honor, and loyalty to one’s lord.

Foreign Invasion

• Mongol Threat

  • Kublai Khan's invasion attempts in 1274 were repelled by the shogun.

  • A second invasion in 1281 also ended in defeat for the Mongols but left Japan in disarray.

Internal Rebellion

• Power Struggles

  • Conflict arose as the emperor contested the shogun’s authority.

  • Daimyo also initiated revolts against shogunal power.

  • By the 1400s, the shogunate lost significant control, leading to fragmented authority across Japan.

Unification Efforts

• Oda Nobunaga's Role

  • In the 1500s, Oda Nobunaga sought to unify Japan using newly introduced firearms.

  • The introduction of guns by Portuguese traders marked a tactical shift in warfare.

• Continued Unification Efforts

  • Nobunaga's assassination did not end attempts to unify Japan.

  • By 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu rose to power, defeating his enemies and gaining control.

• Establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate

  • In 1603, the emperor appointed Tokugawa as shogun, initiating the Tokugawa shogunate, which persisted until 1868.