Unit 8 - Medieval and Renaissance Europe and Japan

Unit 8- Medieval and Renaissance Europe and Japan 

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Medieval to Renaissance Europe



Medieval Era 

(c. 500-1500)



-Also known as the: 

Age of Faith due to dominance of Christianity and Islam.

Postclassical Age, a transition between Classical and Modern civilizations.

Middle Ages, which implies they are not as important as Classical or Modern Ages. 



Middle Ages are divided into three periods:



  • Early Middle Ages or “Dark Ages”,  (c. 500-1000)



  • High Middle Ages (1000-1350)



  • Late Middle Ages (1350-1500)

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Dark Ages

-Fall of Western Rome in 476 CE resulted in decline of civilization in Western Europe for several centuries



-While the Byzantine Empire and Islamic caliphates kept Greco-Roman learning alive in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, Northern and Western Europe were overrun with Germanic barbarian tribes



-Destroyed much of what remained of Western Roman civilization

-Written records and trade became scarce




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Invaders

-After the Western Roman Empire collapsed, there was no one to defend the people from Germanic invaders as they swept into towns



-This time period is also known as the “Dark Ages” in Europe, because there was little learning or trade. Survival was what mattered most



-Eventually these Germanic tribes formed their own kingdoms and governments



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Germanic culture 

-Germanic tribes were characterized by:

-Nomadic movements, however, eventually settled.

-Colorful oral traditions (songs and epics)



-Illiteracy led to a decline in learning

-Polytheistic religion – Wotan was a chief war god, also known as Odin by the Norse

-Highly decentralized government. Loyalty to clan and chieftain 



Warrior culture – the “comitatus” (the war band promoted loyalty and bravery). 

Blood Feuds – wergilds (value placed on a man determined based on rank) were used to pay “blood money” to avoid ongoing bloodshed.

Tribal assemblies advised leaders. 

Trial by ordeal – appealing to divine judgment. 

Acquisition of slaves – often these were prisoners of war.



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Vikings

-Invaded from Scandinavia



-Settled in areas today known as Russia, Iceland, and Greenland, and briefly in North America



-Most Viking attacks took place in the 9th and 10th centuries



-Tribal units were led by chieftains.

-Lack of arable land led to exploration and invasion.

-Observed a polytheistic religion, but many converted to Christianity following the fall of the Roman Empire. 



Recall: Vikings settled along areas north of Constantinople and traded with Slavs.







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Angles and Saxons



The Angles were a group that would be the first to settle in Great Britain after the Fall of Rome.

The Saxons would initially settle northern Germany, but later move into Great Britain.

Gradually both converted to Christianity and eventually adopted literacy. 

English is a Germanic language as a result of the invasions by these Germanic people. 

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Franks

The Franks would be the people that would settle northern France, Belgium, and western Germany



The Franks were the first Germanic people to convert to Christianity, under their leader Clovis.

The Franks are one major influence in the spread of Christianity in Europe



The Franks would fight the Muslim Moors at the Battle of Tours in October 732

-topped spread of Islam into Europe at that time

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Magyars

Originated in the Ural Mountains in NW Russia and migrated westward to settle near Danube River in what is now Hungary in the 10th century C.E. 

Converted to Christianity and adopted literacy. 



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Outline 1

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Pages 600-601



Medieval Europe 

Main idea: after Rome fell, western  europe underwent many political and culture changes 



After the Fall of Rome 

  • Middle ages: lasted from 500 to 1450 CE in western europe, also known as the medieval period 

  • Medieval: a period in history that spanned from 500s to the 1500s from the latin medium (middle) and aevum (age)

-during this period, western europe was very different from what it had been under rome’s strong control government and army 



-germanic leaders seized power in Rome, divided it into small kingdoms that were always at war 

-leaders faced the challenge to keep their people safe and secure 



-kingdoms thrived because of the regions ,mostly moderate climate, and rich soil

-farmers could grow crops, have livestock and eat 



-there were many forests which provided wood for building

-mountains contained wealthy of minerals (iron) that germanic people made weapons out from



-major rivers gave people lots of fish


Political and Cultural changes

-waterways became routes and network for trading 

-germanic people in the west were not as interested in trading and preferred their own traditions to roman ways



  • Franks: tribe who invaded Western Roman empire 

-had their own ideas about government 

-created powerful kingdoms by uniting 



-did not write down laws, or create large centralized governments like the Romans did 

-people obeyed the unwritten rules and traditions of their king



-they lived in small villages, worked the land and tended their herds

-cities disappeared as trade disappeared (became more rural)



-christianity helped Western Europe unit in the early Middle ages 



Before 500s

Germanic tribes (angles,Jutes, Saxons) practiced their traditional religions and worshipped many gods 



  • Convert: to change one’s religion 



-when germanic leaders rose to power, manu converted to Christianity 



ClouisL ruled the franks, first to convert 

-as he converted, his subjects did too 

-even though the western roman empire had disappeared, the city of rome itself retained a certain amount of powers and strength 



-it remained the center of Christniaty and home of the Pope 

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Pages 602-603 

Charlemagne 

Job: first emperor of the Holy Roman empire 

Home: kingdom of the Franks 



A mighty ruler

-200 years after Clovis died, Charlemagne became Frankish king in 768 and proved to be a natural leader

-he had a vision for his reign  

-wanted to unite the germanic kingdoms 



-he the frankish king battled slavs, lambards, and saxons 



-brought many germanic tribes together, became strongest leader in western europe

-he established new laws to keep order and appointed officials 



-took care of his subjects, founded schools and protected the weak against injustice 



-he wanted to strengthen christianity throughout the empire, though



A Christian Empire

-like pas frankish kings, Charlemagne was christian 

-he wanted to spread his faith by uniting tribes 



-after he conquered saxons, he would kill anyone that refused to convert to Christianity 

-he killed more than 4,000 saxons who rebelled 



Charlemegne defended pope Leo II, people passed laws that took power away from nobles of rome, and people rebelled 

-leo asked charlemagne to help and he did successfully

-leo surprised him by crowning him emperor of rome

-charlemagne became 1st german emperor of later holy roman empire 

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Pages 612-613



Church and Crown

Main idea: In the middle ages, the church controlled lives and challenged the authority of kings 



The Role of Church 

-roman catholic church dominated people’s lives from the cradle to the grave 

-strongest unifying force in medieval europe 



  • Clergy: religious leaders who oversee the ceremonies and deliver the teachings of the christian church 

-these leaders formed a clergy 

-the pope led this group, included bishops and priests 



-priest was in charge of a single church, bishop oversaw a group of churches 



  • Cathedral: a towering church built during the middle ages

-bishops exercised their authority here 

  • Monastery: a christian religious community

-christians withdrew from medieval society to live in these 

-monks (who were apart of monasteries) spent time prays and reading the Bible

-monks kept knowledge alive



-monasteries became the center of learning 



Struggle for Power 

-power and wealth of church increased in 1000s



-church's received free land from the nobles, and the kings returned to power 



-there was a power struggle between kings and the church 

-appointments could be made from kings and religious leaders but kings wants more power over religious appointments 

-ban was lifted and religious leaders gained full control of religious appointments  



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Role of the Church in Medieval Europe 

-roman catholic church was a dominant force in people’s lives during the middle ages, influencing things from birth to death 



  • Served as a unifying force during a chaotic time and in politics 



-was initially  threatened by various germanic tribes 

-they were able to survive due to several tribes converting to Catholicism, such as Franks and Magyars 



Important people in the church:

-the religious leaders who oversaw important religious ceremonies and delivered important teachers were the clergy 

-consisted of everyone in the Church who held power, from priests to the Pope



-the church had an established clergy hierarchy by the time of the Middle ages:



  • Pope: head of the church 

  • Cardinals - advisors to the Pope, administrators of the Church 

  • Bishops - religious leaders of s specific region 

  • Priests - religious leaders over a parish, village, or town church 

-telling people what to, the only one reading the bible and are literate 

-people would go up to then instead of the highest one which is the pope 

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Rise of the Papacy

-The bishop of Rome, known as “pope” (papa in Latin) and “Pontiff” which means “bridge builder” continued to play a leader role after the downfall of Western Rome 



-Pope Gregory I “the Great” served as pontiff from 590-604 and helped to develop what would become the Roman Catholic Church in a secular (wordly) power




Pope gregory I: achievements 



during his papacy, he: 

-collected and administered funds to rebuild roads, raise armies for defense against the Lombards, and help the poor (any of whom were refugees) 



-he developed much of the Latin liturgy and “Gregorian chant” used in Catholic worship 



-he commissioned St. Augustine to lead a mission to England to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity 




Spread of Christianity: 

-to help expand “western Christendom” the catholic church made a powerful ally in the Franks, the Germanic tribe that settled in Gaul (france).



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The Frankish Kings 



496

-frankish king Clovis became the first-major germanic king to convert to Christianity, forming an alliance with the Church 



732

-Charles Martel defeated the Muslim Moors at the Battle of tours in northern france

-this ended the expansion of islam in europe at the time 



-his son, Pepin the short, fought against the Lombards in italy, gaining the favor of the church and staring the carolingian dynasty 



800

-pope Leo III crowned Pepin’s son, Charlemagne, as the first Holy Roman emperor, cementing the alliance 






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Islands of Light during europe’s dark ages 



-monasteries played a critical role in preserving Christian faith and classical Greco-Roman heritage during Dark Ages 



-monasteries were communities of faith made up of men (monks) and women (nuns) who devoted themselves to a spiritual life 



-Monasteries promoted education, maintained libraries, and copied important Christian and Greco-Roman texts (mostly in Latin) serving as “islands of light in a sea of darkness.” 



-Self-sufficient–grew own food, etc. Isolated from the public



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The Benedictine order 



-founded by St. benedict of Nursia

-from 480 to 543 



-based on his famous rulers, which influenced all fo western monasticism 

-rulers provided a spiritual and administrative guide 



-Benedictines were devoted to a life of “pax, ora, et labora” (peace, prayer, and work)



benedictine monks made three vows:

-poverty

-chastity

-obedience 



-the order became very financially and politically powerful 

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Charlemagne



-Charlemagne was a Frankish ruler, becoming king in 768 and Holy Roman Emperor in 800 on Christmas Day.



-Charlemagne’s goal was to unite all of the Germanic tribes under his rule, by battling tribes like the Slavs, Lombards, and Saxons.




Charlemagne empire: achievements and decline 



-charlemagne unified most of western europe 

-an achievement that would not be achieved again until the time of Napoleon 



-the “carolingian renaissance” promoted christianity and education with the help of monasteries and priests 



Charlemagne Crowned Holy Roman Emperor



-Charlemenagne was a devout Christian and zealous  defender of Christianity, often giving money, land, and resources to the Catholic church to protect or assist the pope 



-as a way to acknowledge his power and reinforce his relationship with the church, pope leo III crowned Charlemagne Holy roman emperor, december 25 800 



-following this, there were greater security within the Church, emphasis by Charlemagne on education and scholarship, economic and religious reformers, and a standardized form of writing in his empire 





Charlemagne group discussion prompts 

-why would Pope leo III want to crown Charlemagne as “Holy roman emperor?”

-what does he gain from this act?


-who would have had a problem with this action? Why?



What does this event imply about the power of the church and the power of the state in the medieval European context?











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Treaty of Verdun

-Charlemagne died in 814, roughly 50 years after taking power, with his son Louis the Pious taking over



-When Louis died, Louis’ sons (Lothair I, Ludwig the German, and Charles the Bald) fought over the legitimacy of the eldest brother’s claim to the title of emperor, as they did not believe him to be the rightful heir



-After a bloody civil war, the Treaty of Verdun signed in 843, split Charlemagne's Holy Roman Empire into three sections for each of the sons.






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Outline 2 




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 Pages 606-607



Feudal Society 



Main idea: in the middle ages, feudalism grew out of the need to provide security and defense 



A new system 

-kings in western europe and england could not defend their kingdoms because they were vast

-to help them, they held onto their land to protect their subjects 



  • Feudalism: a political and social system in which a vassal receives protection from a lord in exchange for obedience and service 

-system developed in the 800s, kings gave pieces of their land to noblemen known as lords

  • Lord: a nobleman who received land from a king in medieval feudal society 

-a lord in turn grants parts of this land called fiefs to lesser noblemen called vassals 

  • Vassal: a lesser nobleman who received land and protection from a feudal lord in exchange for obedience and service 

--the vassals paid taxes on the land and pledged their military service to the lord

-this meant that a vassal had to organize his own army of fighting men 

-many vassals were soldiers in the army and served as knights 

  • Knight: a warrior in medieval europe

-they were warriors on horseback

-the lord protects his vassals in exchange for their service 



-vassals were supposed to be loyal to the king 

-many vassals switched their allegiance to their lord

-this was the man who guarded their families, after all

-as a result, lords were supreme rulers in their own territory 



A New social order

-the new system created a social order that was as tingly structured as a pyramid 



-the top had the king, 2nd then the church officials and noblemen who included lords and some vassals, 3rd the knights

-lords lived in fortified castles that were guarded by knights, third third class in feudal society 



-relatively few people belonged to the upper three classes 

-the majority of people in the middle ages found themselves at the bottom of the pyramid 

-this class included peasants and serfs 



-some peasants worked as artisans and merchants, most were farmers and laborers 

  • Serf: a person who worked the land of a medieval lord 

-they were tied to the land and gave their lord most of whatever they produced

-in return, their lord gave them shelter and protection 

-serfs were not slaves, they were allowed to buy their freedom 

-but with no skills or education to help them earn money, they were powerless to change their condition 




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Pages 610-611

The Manor system 

Main idea: life on the manor was hard for most people but provided nearly everything they needed, including security 



A self-contained world 

-the rough accommodations of peasants and serfs were part of everyday life in europe’s feudal society 

-the homes were part of the manor system which tied the lowest class of people to the land and their lord 

  • Manor: a self-contained world located on land belonging to a lord 

-the manor was the system’s basic unit

-a typical manor included a manor house, a church, a village, and lands with meadows, forests, pastures(land used for grazing), and farms 

-the village provided such necessary businesses as a mill, bakery, and forge where metal was worked into tools



-the manor’s farmland was divided into strips: one for the lord, one for the church, and the rest for the peasants and serfs 

-these laborers farmed the lord’s lands as well as their own 

-the paid the lord rent for their lands and fees for everything they used on the manor (including the woods and meadows)



Life on the manor

-life for peasants and serfs on the manor was hard

-their average lifespan was 30 years

-one out of six children did not survive in early childhood

-those who grew into adulthood spent their lives performing  hard physical labor and got by on a diet of bread, cheese, and vegetables 



-peasants and serfs did get time off, on sundays and religious holidays 

-with the lords permission, they could attend nearby fairs and markets



-workers lived in one-room huts with dirt floors

-the lord and his family lived much more comfortably in the manor house 

-the rooms in his fortified stone house had tiled floors, tapestries on the walls and fine furnishings 

-after managing his lands, judging court cases, or hunting wild game, the lord would feast on meat, fish, bread, cheese and fruit in his large dining room




-peasants and serfs were sometimes admitted to the manor house on holidays or when the estate was under attack



-the church was the center of life on the manor 

-church officials conducted religious services and also carded for the sick and needy

-some educated priests even instructed children in the bible



-the church required peasants and serfs to work its land for gree and give one-tenth of their produce to the church, but workers did this willingly

-they believed that doing these things was the key to escaping eternal punishment 

-and thought they would attain a better life after death 



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Western Christianity

Between 850 and 1000, Western Christendom teetered on the brink of survival in the face of invasions by pagan Vikings, Muslim Arabs, and the Magyars (future Hungarians).

By 1050, most Vikings were Christians, the Arabs had been turned back, and the Magyars had settled down in the Danube Valley and converted to Roman Catholicism (Christianity). 

By this time, two systems had developed that would shape medieval society during the High Middle Ages (c. 900/1000-1350):

Feudalism

Manorialism

 



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Feudalism

Invasions in the late Dark Ages led local landholders to band together to defend themselves.

RESULT = FEUDALISM: a political-military system of landholding and governing based on the exchange of land for services.




Social class:

King = Owner of all land in kingdom. (often did not live in the same area or manor system as the lords and other classes) 

Lord = Landholder

Lords gave land to vassals in exchange for protection.

Vassal = Noble/Knight who swore his loyalty to the lord in exchange for land. 

This piece of land was known as a Fief (fiefdom).

Serf = Peasants worked land to provide food in exchange for shelter and protection.









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Manorialism

As Germanic warlords settled down, they became landholding estate owners in the feudal system.

Manor estates of Medieval times were based on the latifundia estates of the Roman Empire.

Manor system (manorialism) was the social-economic system dependent on self-sufficient estates.

Peasants provided labor for the lord in exchange for protection and food security.

Over time, most peasants became serfs working the land; they could not be bought or sold like slaves but they had limited rights.



Manor Life:

Serfs rarely traveled more than 25 miles from the manor in their lifetimes.

Usually, 15-30 families lived in a manor village.

The Lord (knight or higher-up noble) lived in the manor house and reserved part of the land as his “demesne.” 

Food, clothing, fuel, lumber, and leather goods were all produced on the manor.

Salt, iron, and other unusual products could be purchased at regional markets.

By the 11th century, agricultural production increased due to a number of new innovations:

Three-field system

Horse-drawn Plow

Water Mills




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Outline 3

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Pages  548-551; 562-567 




Pages 548-549



The Geography of Japan



Main idea: Japan’s geography has greatly affected its historical and cultural development 



An Island Nation

-japan is an archipelago 

  • Archipelago: a collection of islands

-located in the vast Pacific ocean 

-the country’s thousands of islands stretch out in a long arc along the east coast of Asia 



-most of Japan’s population lives on four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu

-these four islands have a total area of about 145,000 square miles

-roughly the size of the state of montana 



-Honshu is the largest island

-along with Kyushu it has been the historic heartland of political, economic, and social development in Japan  



-South korea is more than 120 miles away from Japan 

-china is about 500 miles away 



-japan’s isolation has a huge impact on its culture 

-for much of its history, Japan was far enough away from mainland asia to escape invasions and major migrations 



-japanese nation developed largely from one ethnic group 

-common ethnicity gave the Japanese a strong sense of unity 



-japan’s nearest neighbors still influenced the country’s culture 

-imported many ideas and institutions from china and korea and adapted them to form a unique japanese culture 



A Mountainous Land 



-the islands of japan are actually the peaks of mostly submerged mountains and volcanoes 

-japan lies along the ring of fire 



  • Ring of fire: an area of intense earthquakes and volcanic activity that arcs around the basin of the pacific ocean 



-1,500 earthquakes and thousands of volcanic eruptions rock Japan every year



-because of underwater earthquakes, Japan also is at risk from  huge ocean waves called tsunamis 

-destructive storms called typhoons (hurricanes) are common

-japan’s mountainous terrain limits the amount of space available for farming and for building homes 



-only about 12 percent of the country’s land can be farmed, and Japan’s population is crowded onto a few coastal plains 



-apart from seafood and vast forests, Japan lacks ay important natural resources, such as metals or coal 

-geographic difficulties have helped make the Japanese a hardy people 



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Pages 550-551 



Early Beliefs and Cultures 



Main idea: religion was at the center of society organized into family groups in early Japan 



Traditional religion 

-with its rugged mountains and lush forests, Japan has an especially beautiful landscape 

  • Shinto: “ways of the gods”

-its scenery and views inspired Japan’s most ancient religion shinto 

-based on the belief that spiritual powers reside in nature 

-followers of shinto worship divine spirits or gods called kami 



-the religion recognized millions of kamo, randing from the sun, moon, and storms to individual animals, trees, streams, and rocks 



-anything in nature that inspires a sense of religious wonder is considered a kami or the hoem of a kami 



-followers of shinto regard mountains as especially important homes for shinto gods 



 -might be because of Mount Fuji’s size, near Tokyo, has long been considered sacred 



-shinto has no founder, no holy scriptures, no moral code, and no clear date of origin 



-it does not have elaborate temples

-the worshippers focus on simple shrines, or places that are considered sacred 

-gates called torii often mark a shrine’s entrance 



-shinto worship is relatively simple 

-worshippers visit shrines, purify themselves by washing, clap to attract the god’s attention, and then whisper  a short prayer, Shinto priests perform more elaborate rituals 

  • Ritual: a religious ceremony 

-often involve bells, music, and dancing 



Social structure 

-people from siberia and korea first settled Japan about 30,000 years ago

-the first culture, the Jomon, emerged about 10,000 years ago 

-the jomon people were hunters, gatherers, and fishers who lived in caves and shallow pit dwellings 



-they made simple potter, baskets, and clothes from natural materials

-around 3000 BC they began basic farming 



300 BC

-a new wave of immigrants with a significantly more advanced culture, the Yayoi arrived from mainland Asia 

-they knew how to grow rice, work metal, and weave 

-their skills changed japan dramatically

-as farming flourished, people built villages that grew into large communities 



  • A powerful clan ruled each community

  • Clan: a group of families who share a common ancestor 

-each clan had a chief who was a religious leader or a mighty warrior

-the chief who could be male or female, headed a social class system in which a small aristocracy  was supported



  • Aristocracy: an upper class that is richer and more powerful than the rest of society 

-supported by many farmers, artisans, and slaves



300 AD

-the power of aristocracy increased

-this growth in power was reflected in the large tombs built for people of high social status 



-vast earthen mounds covered the tombs 

-the largest of these tombs rivals Egypt’s great pyramids in scale



-The Shinto religion served as a strong unifying factor in early Japanese society 

-the worship of particular gosa abound together families, clans, and regions 



-later, shinto would help unite Japan's many independent kingdoms under a single leader

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Pages 562-563



Samurai and Shoguns 



Main idea: between 1192 and 1867, powerful military families ruled Japan with the support of armies of hired warriors 



A structured society



 -by the mid 1000s, the power of the central government in Japan was fading 

-the emperor’s responsibilities were limited to religious functions



  • Daimyo: a class of large landowning families in medieval Japan

-they were the real rulers of Japan , leaders of landowning families 

-as the power of the central government decreased, the daimyo grew stronger and more independent 



-they changed their local estates into self-governing states 

-they had the power to decide whether someone under them would live or die 



-each daimyo had an army of hired warriors called samurai 

  • Samurai: a hired warrior in medieval Japan 

-swore allegiance to a daimyo 

-in return the samurai received money and land 

- the samurai were vassals of the daimyo 

  • Vassal: a person who received protection from a feudal lord in exchange for obedience and service 



  • Feudalism: a political and social system in which a vassal received protection from a lord in exchange for obedience and service 

-was the main system of government in medieval europe, and the main system in japan 

-the greatest daimyo came to lead many lesser lords and their armies 

-this created powerful rival groups that battled for control of japan



Military rule

-Japan’s daimyo fought one another until the Minamtoto family defeated them all 



1192 

-the family’s leader Yoritomo became shogun

  • Shogun: the military ruler of medieval japan

-means “general”

-Yoritomo effectively governed Japan, and the emperor became a figurehead 

-the Minamoto family began a long line of hereditary rulers 

-the dynasty held power until the 1300s

-the warrior culture of this period was based on a code of behavior 

  • Bushido: a strict code of behavior followed by the samurai

-”the way of the warrior”

-bushido fused aspects of three religions: Shinto’s devotion to family and ruler, Zen Buddhism’s focus on inner peace and fearlessness, and confucianism’s service to state and country 



-the code promoted loyalty, bravery, and honor much like the code of chivalry followers by knights (warriors) around the 800s 




Tools of the Samurai: riding into battle on horseback, their armor was made out of metal or leather scales laced together to protect the warrior’s body while allowing quick, easy movement

-samurai was armed with two swords, a long curved one and a short one, as well as a spear or gun 



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Pages 566-567

Unification and Isolation 



Main idea: after centuries of intense power struggles, japan was reunified in the 1600s under a strong central government that rejected contact with foreigners 



The Warring States Period 

-japan faced a major threat in 1274 

-invasion by the mongols, the great asian superpower 



-the mongols had already conquered china and korea 

-now the mongol leader Kublai Khan wanted to control Japan too 



-the mongols captured many outlying islands 

-then they retreated after a hurricane wrecked many of their ships 



-Kublai Khan did not launch another invasion of Japan until 1281 

However this time he assembled the largest seaborne invasion force the world has yet seen, 4400 ships carrying about 150,000 men 



-the daimyo put aside their differences and focused all their resources on defeating the mongols 

-the japanese warriors fought the invaders for about two months



-then a hurricane smashed into the mongol fleet, killing tens of thousands 



-japan claimed that heaven had saved the country by sending kamikaze or divine wind to stop the mongols 



-instead of unifying Japan, this victory against the mongols tore the country apart

-a vast amount of money had been spent on the defense 



-but the japanese gained no valuable rewards to repay the nobles and warriors 

-this inability to pay undermined the shogun’s authority 

-steadily, the daimyo seized control of their regions and then ruled them independently



-japan became divided among some 300 daimyo, all plotting and fighting for power 



This period of the “warring states” lasted from 1467 to 1568 

-then a powerful leader named Oda Nobunaga brought most of Japan under his control 



1603

-a leader named Tokugawa ieyasu finally broke the power of the daimyo and reunified all of Japan under a shogunate, or rule by a shogun



The Tokugawa Shogunate 

-Ieyasu;s rule ushered in a period of stability and peace that lasted nearly 300 years

-Ieyasu and his successors feared that foreign contact was corrupting the people and upsetting the traditional balance of power



1639

-the shoguns had begun a national policy of isolation and cut Japan off from outside influence 

-they stopped almost all foreign trade and travel and expelled certain group of foreigners (including europeans and christians)



-japan’s isolation continued for more than 200 years 



1854

-the united states pressured Japan to reopen for foreign trade 



1867 

-the Tokugawa shogunate was overthrown and the emperor took control of Japan 




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Japan’s Geography


Japan - “land of the rising sun”




Only 500 miles away from China



Is an archipelago: a group of islands



Japan is made up of 4,000 islands



Very mountainous. Only 15% of land is farmable. However, mild climate and plenty of rainfall



Short in natural resources like coal, iron, and oil.

Japan experiences typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

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Shinto

Shinto means =   Way of the Gods



Respected nature and the worship of ancestors 



Kami – Divine spirits that dwelled in nature



Beautiful trees, rocks, and waterfalls

Home of kami



Shinto is more about rituals than belief



Japanese practice Shintoism as a way of life, so it can coexist with other types of worship, like Buddhism. 




Torii: A traditional Japanese gate that is found at the entryway into a Shinto shrine.





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Japanese Buddhism



Japan was impressed by Buddhism’s teachings, beautiful ceremonies, art. Introduced around 525 CE



Buddhism and Shintoism began to combine and up until about 150 years ago, were connected



Today, Mahayana Buddhism is common in Japan: emphasizes role models of bodhisattvas (those who have achieved enlightenment but return to teach humans)

- Known as the Great Vehicle.



Theravada: the way of the elders (practiced mostly in India)



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Chinese Influence

System of writing.

Ways of painting.

Following China styles of cooking, gardening, drinking tea, and hairdressing.

Strong central government. 

Tried the civil service exam but nobles were too powerful






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Japan’s Writing, Art & Architecture



Writing  –  Early Japanese scholars adopted Chinese characters from Korean scholars. They only used some letters because the grammar was so different. 

Sculpture – Buddha statues and sculptures made of bronze and wood.

Architecture – Pagoda style adopted from China with multiple stories and curved roofs.

Music – Use of instruments, such as the Sheng, was common. This is a mouth organ whose tones can be found in many Japanese-generated video games. 

Poetry – The Japanese adopted Tanka poetry from the Chinese, which features 5 lines and 31 syllables. 



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Japanese Government



Japan adopted imperial rule like the Chinese Zhou Dynasty: an empire that rules over extensive territories or colonies.

Japan was made up of hundreds of clans that controlled their own territories under the central emperor of the time.



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Early Japanese Imperialism



In 604, Prince Shotoku of the Yamato clan created Japan’s first constitution and established guidelines for obedience to the emperor and his obligation to his subjects. 

This governmental structure lasted for nearly 400 years.



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Daimyos & Shoguns

By 1192, the Minamoto clan won a civil war and Yoritomo Minamoto was named the first shogun (military dictator) by the emperor.

Shoguns ruled through the  daimyos (local lords).

This system prevailed until the 1860s when the last shogun was overthrown and Japan rapidly modernized.

Today, it is a democracy after empire taken down after WW2.



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Changes in Power

By the mid-1000s, the daimyo, or powerful landowning families, effectively controlled Japan and the emperor had little power. 

The daimyo began treating their personal estates as autonomous (independent) and exerted absolute power over those who lived and worked on the estates. 

Japan remains an Empire through this.

Daimyo families warred against each other, necessitating recruitment of soldiers for fighting and for protection. 

Enter the Samurai, vassals in Japan.








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The Samurai



Landowners surrounded themselves with bodyguards or Samurai (one who serves).

Lived according to the Bushido, a code of Behavior or “the way of the warrior.”

Show courage.

Reverence to gods.

Protect those who were weaker.

Die an honorable death (die fighting or by suicide instead of capture): hara-kiri.



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Europe vs Japan



Similarities:

-Land ownership forms basis of all feudal societies



-Both were fixed caste systems—a peasant was always born to peasants, and lords were always born to lords



-Both knights and samurai swore fealty (loyalty) to their lords



-Knights and samurai were militarily responsible for protecting those beneath them as a service to their lords



Differences:



European feudalism:

  • Based on Christianity and Roman law

  • Centralized political system led to a strong hierarchy of monarchs to lord.

  •  Large number of peasants/ agricultural workers.

  • Code of chivalry for knights included survival (except Crusades) and putting women on a pedestal .



Japanese feudalism:

  • Based on Buddhism and Confucian laws

  • Decentralized political system led to loose loyalty to the emperor and far greater independence for lords.

  • Small number of agricultural workers.

  • Code of “chivalry” was called Bushido and required women to be tough.



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knowt logo

Unit 8 - Medieval and Renaissance Europe and Japan

Unit 8- Medieval and Renaissance Europe and Japan 

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Medieval to Renaissance Europe


Medieval Era 

(c. 500-1500)


-Also known as the: 

Age of Faith due to dominance of Christianity and Islam.

Postclassical Age, a transition between Classical and Modern civilizations.

Middle Ages, which implies they are not as important as Classical or Modern Ages. 


Middle Ages are divided into three periods:


  • Early Middle Ages or “Dark Ages”,  (c. 500-1000)


  • High Middle Ages (1000-1350)


  • Late Middle Ages (1350-1500)

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Dark Ages

-Fall of Western Rome in 476 CE resulted in decline of civilization in Western Europe for several centuries


-While the Byzantine Empire and Islamic caliphates kept Greco-Roman learning alive in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa, Northern and Western Europe were overrun with Germanic barbarian tribes


-Destroyed much of what remained of Western Roman civilization

-Written records and trade became scarce



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Invaders

-After the Western Roman Empire collapsed, there was no one to defend the people from Germanic invaders as they swept into towns


-This time period is also known as the “Dark Ages” in Europe, because there was little learning or trade. Survival was what mattered most


-Eventually these Germanic tribes formed their own kingdoms and governments


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Germanic culture 

-Germanic tribes were characterized by:

-Nomadic movements, however, eventually settled.

-Colorful oral traditions (songs and epics)


-Illiteracy led to a decline in learning

-Polytheistic religion – Wotan was a chief war god, also known as Odin by the Norse

-Highly decentralized government. Loyalty to clan and chieftain 


Warrior culture – the “comitatus” (the war band promoted loyalty and bravery). 

Blood Feuds – wergilds (value placed on a man determined based on rank) were used to pay “blood money” to avoid ongoing bloodshed.

Tribal assemblies advised leaders. 

Trial by ordeal – appealing to divine judgment. 

Acquisition of slaves – often these were prisoners of war.


____________________________________________________________________________

Vikings

-Invaded from Scandinavia


-Settled in areas today known as Russia, Iceland, and Greenland, and briefly in North America


-Most Viking attacks took place in the 9th and 10th centuries


-Tribal units were led by chieftains.

-Lack of arable land led to exploration and invasion.

-Observed a polytheistic religion, but many converted to Christianity following the fall of the Roman Empire. 


Recall: Vikings settled along areas north of Constantinople and traded with Slavs.




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Angles and Saxons


The Angles were a group that would be the first to settle in Great Britain after the Fall of Rome.

The Saxons would initially settle northern Germany, but later move into Great Britain.

Gradually both converted to Christianity and eventually adopted literacy. 

English is a Germanic language as a result of the invasions by these Germanic people. 

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Franks

The Franks would be the people that would settle northern France, Belgium, and western Germany


The Franks were the first Germanic people to convert to Christianity, under their leader Clovis.

The Franks are one major influence in the spread of Christianity in Europe


The Franks would fight the Muslim Moors at the Battle of Tours in October 732

-topped spread of Islam into Europe at that time

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Magyars

Originated in the Ural Mountains in NW Russia and migrated westward to settle near Danube River in what is now Hungary in the 10th century C.E. 

Converted to Christianity and adopted literacy. 


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Outline 1

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Pages 600-601


Medieval Europe 

Main idea: after Rome fell, western  europe underwent many political and culture changes 


After the Fall of Rome 

  • Middle ages: lasted from 500 to 1450 CE in western europe, also known as the medieval period 

  • Medieval: a period in history that spanned from 500s to the 1500s from the latin medium (middle) and aevum (age)

-during this period, western europe was very different from what it had been under rome’s strong control government and army 


-germanic leaders seized power in Rome, divided it into small kingdoms that were always at war 

-leaders faced the challenge to keep their people safe and secure 


-kingdoms thrived because of the regions ,mostly moderate climate, and rich soil

-farmers could grow crops, have livestock and eat 


-there were many forests which provided wood for building

-mountains contained wealthy of minerals (iron) that germanic people made weapons out from


-major rivers gave people lots of fish

Political and Cultural changes

-waterways became routes and network for trading 

-germanic people in the west were not as interested in trading and preferred their own traditions to roman ways


  • Franks: tribe who invaded Western Roman empire 

-had their own ideas about government 

-created powerful kingdoms by uniting 


-did not write down laws, or create large centralized governments like the Romans did 

-people obeyed the unwritten rules and traditions of their king


-they lived in small villages, worked the land and tended their herds

-cities disappeared as trade disappeared (became more rural)


-christianity helped Western Europe unit in the early Middle ages 


Before 500s

Germanic tribes (angles,Jutes, Saxons) practiced their traditional religions and worshipped many gods 


  • Convert: to change one’s religion 


-when germanic leaders rose to power, manu converted to Christianity 


ClouisL ruled the franks, first to convert 

-as he converted, his subjects did too 

-even though the western roman empire had disappeared, the city of rome itself retained a certain amount of powers and strength 


-it remained the center of Christniaty and home of the Pope 

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Pages 602-603 

Charlemagne 

Job: first emperor of the Holy Roman empire 

Home: kingdom of the Franks 


A mighty ruler

-200 years after Clovis died, Charlemagne became Frankish king in 768 and proved to be a natural leader

-he had a vision for his reign  

-wanted to unite the germanic kingdoms 


-he the frankish king battled slavs, lambards, and saxons 


-brought many germanic tribes together, became strongest leader in western europe

-he established new laws to keep order and appointed officials 


-took care of his subjects, founded schools and protected the weak against injustice 


-he wanted to strengthen christianity throughout the empire, though


A Christian Empire

-like pas frankish kings, Charlemagne was christian 

-he wanted to spread his faith by uniting tribes 


-after he conquered saxons, he would kill anyone that refused to convert to Christianity 

-he killed more than 4,000 saxons who rebelled 


Charlemegne defended pope Leo II, people passed laws that took power away from nobles of rome, and people rebelled 

-leo asked charlemagne to help and he did successfully

-leo surprised him by crowning him emperor of rome

-charlemagne became 1st german emperor of later holy roman empire 

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Pages 612-613


Church and Crown

Main idea: In the middle ages, the church controlled lives and challenged the authority of kings 


The Role of Church 

-roman catholic church dominated people’s lives from the cradle to the grave 

-strongest unifying force in medieval europe 


  • Clergy: religious leaders who oversee the ceremonies and deliver the teachings of the christian church 

-these leaders formed a clergy 

-the pope led this group, included bishops and priests 


-priest was in charge of a single church, bishop oversaw a group of churches 


  • Cathedral: a towering church built during the middle ages

-bishops exercised their authority here 

  • Monastery: a christian religious community

-christians withdrew from medieval society to live in these 

-monks (who were apart of monasteries) spent time prays and reading the Bible

-monks kept knowledge alive


-monasteries became the center of learning 


Struggle for Power 

-power and wealth of church increased in 1000s


-church's received free land from the nobles, and the kings returned to power 


-there was a power struggle between kings and the church 

-appointments could be made from kings and religious leaders but kings wants more power over religious appointments 

-ban was lifted and religious leaders gained full control of religious appointments  


_________________________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________________________

Role of the Church in Medieval Europe 

-roman catholic church was a dominant force in people’s lives during the middle ages, influencing things from birth to death 


  • Served as a unifying force during a chaotic time and in politics 


-was initially  threatened by various germanic tribes 

-they were able to survive due to several tribes converting to Catholicism, such as Franks and Magyars 


Important people in the church:

-the religious leaders who oversaw important religious ceremonies and delivered important teachers were the clergy 

-consisted of everyone in the Church who held power, from priests to the Pope


-the church had an established clergy hierarchy by the time of the Middle ages:


  • Pope: head of the church 

  • Cardinals - advisors to the Pope, administrators of the Church 

  • Bishops - religious leaders of s specific region 

  • Priests - religious leaders over a parish, village, or town church 

-telling people what to, the only one reading the bible and are literate 

-people would go up to then instead of the highest one which is the pope 

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Rise of the Papacy

-The bishop of Rome, known as “pope” (papa in Latin) and “Pontiff” which means “bridge builder” continued to play a leader role after the downfall of Western Rome 


-Pope Gregory I “the Great” served as pontiff from 590-604 and helped to develop what would become the Roman Catholic Church in a secular (wordly) power



Pope gregory I: achievements 


during his papacy, he: 

-collected and administered funds to rebuild roads, raise armies for defense against the Lombards, and help the poor (any of whom were refugees) 


-he developed much of the Latin liturgy and “Gregorian chant” used in Catholic worship 


-he commissioned St. Augustine to lead a mission to England to convert the Anglo-Saxons to Christianity 



Spread of Christianity: 

-to help expand “western Christendom” the catholic church made a powerful ally in the Franks, the Germanic tribe that settled in Gaul (france).


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The Frankish Kings 


496

-frankish king Clovis became the first-major germanic king to convert to Christianity, forming an alliance with the Church 


732

-Charles Martel defeated the Muslim Moors at the Battle of tours in northern france

-this ended the expansion of islam in europe at the time 


-his son, Pepin the short, fought against the Lombards in italy, gaining the favor of the church and staring the carolingian dynasty 


800

-pope Leo III crowned Pepin’s son, Charlemagne, as the first Holy Roman emperor, cementing the alliance 





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Islands of Light during europe’s dark ages 


-monasteries played a critical role in preserving Christian faith and classical Greco-Roman heritage during Dark Ages 


-monasteries were communities of faith made up of men (monks) and women (nuns) who devoted themselves to a spiritual life 


-Monasteries promoted education, maintained libraries, and copied important Christian and Greco-Roman texts (mostly in Latin) serving as “islands of light in a sea of darkness.” 


-Self-sufficient–grew own food, etc. Isolated from the public


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The Benedictine order 


-founded by St. benedict of Nursia

-from 480 to 543 


-based on his famous rulers, which influenced all fo western monasticism 

-rulers provided a spiritual and administrative guide 


-Benedictines were devoted to a life of “pax, ora, et labora” (peace, prayer, and work)


benedictine monks made three vows:

-poverty

-chastity

-obedience 


-the order became very financially and politically powerful 

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Charlemagne


-Charlemagne was a Frankish ruler, becoming king in 768 and Holy Roman Emperor in 800 on Christmas Day.


-Charlemagne’s goal was to unite all of the Germanic tribes under his rule, by battling tribes like the Slavs, Lombards, and Saxons.



Charlemagne empire: achievements and decline 


-charlemagne unified most of western europe 

-an achievement that would not be achieved again until the time of Napoleon 


-the “carolingian renaissance” promoted christianity and education with the help of monasteries and priests 


Charlemagne Crowned Holy Roman Emperor


-Charlemenagne was a devout Christian and zealous  defender of Christianity, often giving money, land, and resources to the Catholic church to protect or assist the pope 


-as a way to acknowledge his power and reinforce his relationship with the church, pope leo III crowned Charlemagne Holy roman emperor, december 25 800 


-following this, there were greater security within the Church, emphasis by Charlemagne on education and scholarship, economic and religious reformers, and a standardized form of writing in his empire 




Charlemagne group discussion prompts 

-why would Pope leo III want to crown Charlemagne as “Holy roman emperor?”

-what does he gain from this act?

-who would have had a problem with this action? Why?


What does this event imply about the power of the church and the power of the state in the medieval European context?










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Treaty of Verdun

-Charlemagne died in 814, roughly 50 years after taking power, with his son Louis the Pious taking over


-When Louis died, Louis’ sons (Lothair I, Ludwig the German, and Charles the Bald) fought over the legitimacy of the eldest brother’s claim to the title of emperor, as they did not believe him to be the rightful heir


-After a bloody civil war, the Treaty of Verdun signed in 843, split Charlemagne's Holy Roman Empire into three sections for each of the sons.





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Outline 2 



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 Pages 606-607


Feudal Society 


Main idea: in the middle ages, feudalism grew out of the need to provide security and defense 


A new system 

-kings in western europe and england could not defend their kingdoms because they were vast

-to help them, they held onto their land to protect their subjects 


  • Feudalism: a political and social system in which a vassal receives protection from a lord in exchange for obedience and service 

-system developed in the 800s, kings gave pieces of their land to noblemen known as lords

  • Lord: a nobleman who received land from a king in medieval feudal society 

-a lord in turn grants parts of this land called fiefs to lesser noblemen called vassals 

  • Vassal: a lesser nobleman who received land and protection from a feudal lord in exchange for obedience and service 

--the vassals paid taxes on the land and pledged their military service to the lord

-this meant that a vassal had to organize his own army of fighting men 

-many vassals were soldiers in the army and served as knights 

  • Knight: a warrior in medieval europe

-they were warriors on horseback

-the lord protects his vassals in exchange for their service 


-vassals were supposed to be loyal to the king 

-many vassals switched their allegiance to their lord

-this was the man who guarded their families, after all

-as a result, lords were supreme rulers in their own territory 


A New social order

-the new system created a social order that was as tingly structured as a pyramid 


-the top had the king, 2nd then the church officials and noblemen who included lords and some vassals, 3rd the knights

-lords lived in fortified castles that were guarded by knights, third third class in feudal society 


-relatively few people belonged to the upper three classes 

-the majority of people in the middle ages found themselves at the bottom of the pyramid 

-this class included peasants and serfs 


-some peasants worked as artisans and merchants, most were farmers and laborers 

  • Serf: a person who worked the land of a medieval lord 

-they were tied to the land and gave their lord most of whatever they produced

-in return, their lord gave them shelter and protection 

-serfs were not slaves, they were allowed to buy their freedom 

-but with no skills or education to help them earn money, they were powerless to change their condition 



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Pages 610-611

The Manor system 

Main idea: life on the manor was hard for most people but provided nearly everything they needed, including security 


A self-contained world 

-the rough accommodations of peasants and serfs were part of everyday life in europe’s feudal society 

-the homes were part of the manor system which tied the lowest class of people to the land and their lord 

  • Manor: a self-contained world located on land belonging to a lord 

-the manor was the system’s basic unit

-a typical manor included a manor house, a church, a village, and lands with meadows, forests, pastures(land used for grazing), and farms 

-the village provided such necessary businesses as a mill, bakery, and forge where metal was worked into tools


-the manor’s farmland was divided into strips: one for the lord, one for the church, and the rest for the peasants and serfs 

-these laborers farmed the lord’s lands as well as their own 

-the paid the lord rent for their lands and fees for everything they used on the manor (including the woods and meadows)


Life on the manor

-life for peasants and serfs on the manor was hard

-their average lifespan was 30 years

-one out of six children did not survive in early childhood

-those who grew into adulthood spent their lives performing  hard physical labor and got by on a diet of bread, cheese, and vegetables 


-peasants and serfs did get time off, on sundays and religious holidays 

-with the lords permission, they could attend nearby fairs and markets


-workers lived in one-room huts with dirt floors

-the lord and his family lived much more comfortably in the manor house 

-the rooms in his fortified stone house had tiled floors, tapestries on the walls and fine furnishings 

-after managing his lands, judging court cases, or hunting wild game, the lord would feast on meat, fish, bread, cheese and fruit in his large dining room



-peasants and serfs were sometimes admitted to the manor house on holidays or when the estate was under attack


-the church was the center of life on the manor 

-church officials conducted religious services and also carded for the sick and needy

-some educated priests even instructed children in the bible


-the church required peasants and serfs to work its land for gree and give one-tenth of their produce to the church, but workers did this willingly

-they believed that doing these things was the key to escaping eternal punishment 

-and thought they would attain a better life after death 


_________________________________________________________________________



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Western Christianity

Between 850 and 1000, Western Christendom teetered on the brink of survival in the face of invasions by pagan Vikings, Muslim Arabs, and the Magyars (future Hungarians).

By 1050, most Vikings were Christians, the Arabs had been turned back, and the Magyars had settled down in the Danube Valley and converted to Roman Catholicism (Christianity). 

By this time, two systems had developed that would shape medieval society during the High Middle Ages (c. 900/1000-1350):

Feudalism

Manorialism

 


_________________________________________________________________________


Feudalism

Invasions in the late Dark Ages led local landholders to band together to defend themselves.

RESULT = FEUDALISM: a political-military system of landholding and governing based on the exchange of land for services.



Social class:

King = Owner of all land in kingdom. (often did not live in the same area or manor system as the lords and other classes) 

Lord = Landholder

Lords gave land to vassals in exchange for protection.

Vassal = Noble/Knight who swore his loyalty to the lord in exchange for land. 

This piece of land was known as a Fief (fiefdom).

Serf = Peasants worked land to provide food in exchange for shelter and protection.




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Manorialism

As Germanic warlords settled down, they became landholding estate owners in the feudal system.

Manor estates of Medieval times were based on the latifundia estates of the Roman Empire.

Manor system (manorialism) was the social-economic system dependent on self-sufficient estates.

Peasants provided labor for the lord in exchange for protection and food security.

Over time, most peasants became serfs working the land; they could not be bought or sold like slaves but they had limited rights.


Manor Life:

Serfs rarely traveled more than 25 miles from the manor in their lifetimes.

Usually, 15-30 families lived in a manor village.

The Lord (knight or higher-up noble) lived in the manor house and reserved part of the land as his “demesne.” 

Food, clothing, fuel, lumber, and leather goods were all produced on the manor.

Salt, iron, and other unusual products could be purchased at regional markets.

By the 11th century, agricultural production increased due to a number of new innovations:

Three-field system

Horse-drawn Plow

Water Mills



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Outline 3

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Pages  548-551; 562-567 



Pages 548-549


The Geography of Japan


Main idea: Japan’s geography has greatly affected its historical and cultural development 


An Island Nation

-japan is an archipelago 

  • Archipelago: a collection of islands

-located in the vast Pacific ocean 

-the country’s thousands of islands stretch out in a long arc along the east coast of Asia 


-most of Japan’s population lives on four main islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu

-these four islands have a total area of about 145,000 square miles

-roughly the size of the state of montana 


-Honshu is the largest island

-along with Kyushu it has been the historic heartland of political, economic, and social development in Japan  


-South korea is more than 120 miles away from Japan 

-china is about 500 miles away 


-japan’s isolation has a huge impact on its culture 

-for much of its history, Japan was far enough away from mainland asia to escape invasions and major migrations 


-japanese nation developed largely from one ethnic group 

-common ethnicity gave the Japanese a strong sense of unity 


-japan’s nearest neighbors still influenced the country’s culture 

-imported many ideas and institutions from china and korea and adapted them to form a unique japanese culture 


A Mountainous Land 


-the islands of japan are actually the peaks of mostly submerged mountains and volcanoes 

-japan lies along the ring of fire 


  • Ring of fire: an area of intense earthquakes and volcanic activity that arcs around the basin of the pacific ocean 


-1,500 earthquakes and thousands of volcanic eruptions rock Japan every year


-because of underwater earthquakes, Japan also is at risk from  huge ocean waves called tsunamis 

-destructive storms called typhoons (hurricanes) are common

-japan’s mountainous terrain limits the amount of space available for farming and for building homes 


-only about 12 percent of the country’s land can be farmed, and Japan’s population is crowded onto a few coastal plains 


-apart from seafood and vast forests, Japan lacks ay important natural resources, such as metals or coal 

-geographic difficulties have helped make the Japanese a hardy people 


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Pages 550-551 


Early Beliefs and Cultures 


Main idea: religion was at the center of society organized into family groups in early Japan 


Traditional religion 

-with its rugged mountains and lush forests, Japan has an especially beautiful landscape 

  • Shinto: “ways of the gods”

-its scenery and views inspired Japan’s most ancient religion shinto 

-based on the belief that spiritual powers reside in nature 

-followers of shinto worship divine spirits or gods called kami 


-the religion recognized millions of kamo, randing from the sun, moon, and storms to individual animals, trees, streams, and rocks 


-anything in nature that inspires a sense of religious wonder is considered a kami or the hoem of a kami 


-followers of shinto regard mountains as especially important homes for shinto gods 


 -might be because of Mount Fuji’s size, near Tokyo, has long been considered sacred 


-shinto has no founder, no holy scriptures, no moral code, and no clear date of origin 


-it does not have elaborate temples

-the worshippers focus on simple shrines, or places that are considered sacred 

-gates called torii often mark a shrine’s entrance 


-shinto worship is relatively simple 

-worshippers visit shrines, purify themselves by washing, clap to attract the god’s attention, and then whisper  a short prayer, Shinto priests perform more elaborate rituals 

  • Ritual: a religious ceremony 

-often involve bells, music, and dancing 


Social structure 

-people from siberia and korea first settled Japan about 30,000 years ago

-the first culture, the Jomon, emerged about 10,000 years ago 

-the jomon people were hunters, gatherers, and fishers who lived in caves and shallow pit dwellings 


-they made simple potter, baskets, and clothes from natural materials

-around 3000 BC they began basic farming 


300 BC

-a new wave of immigrants with a significantly more advanced culture, the Yayoi arrived from mainland Asia 

-they knew how to grow rice, work metal, and weave 

-their skills changed japan dramatically

-as farming flourished, people built villages that grew into large communities 


  • A powerful clan ruled each community

  • Clan: a group of families who share a common ancestor 

-each clan had a chief who was a religious leader or a mighty warrior

-the chief who could be male or female, headed a social class system in which a small aristocracy  was supported


  • Aristocracy: an upper class that is richer and more powerful than the rest of society 

-supported by many farmers, artisans, and slaves


300 AD

-the power of aristocracy increased

-this growth in power was reflected in the large tombs built for people of high social status 


-vast earthen mounds covered the tombs 

-the largest of these tombs rivals Egypt’s great pyramids in scale


-The Shinto religion served as a strong unifying factor in early Japanese society 

-the worship of particular gosa abound together families, clans, and regions 


-later, shinto would help unite Japan's many independent kingdoms under a single leader

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Pages 562-563


Samurai and Shoguns 


Main idea: between 1192 and 1867, powerful military families ruled Japan with the support of armies of hired warriors 


A structured society


 -by the mid 1000s, the power of the central government in Japan was fading 

-the emperor’s responsibilities were limited to religious functions


  • Daimyo: a class of large landowning families in medieval Japan

-they were the real rulers of Japan , leaders of landowning families 

-as the power of the central government decreased, the daimyo grew stronger and more independent 


-they changed their local estates into self-governing states 

-they had the power to decide whether someone under them would live or die 


-each daimyo had an army of hired warriors called samurai 

  • Samurai: a hired warrior in medieval Japan 

-swore allegiance to a daimyo 

-in return the samurai received money and land 

- the samurai were vassals of the daimyo 

  • Vassal: a person who received protection from a feudal lord in exchange for obedience and service 


  • Feudalism: a political and social system in which a vassal received protection from a lord in exchange for obedience and service 

-was the main system of government in medieval europe, and the main system in japan 

-the greatest daimyo came to lead many lesser lords and their armies 

-this created powerful rival groups that battled for control of japan


Military rule

-Japan’s daimyo fought one another until the Minamtoto family defeated them all 


1192 

-the family’s leader Yoritomo became shogun

  • Shogun: the military ruler of medieval japan

-means “general”

-Yoritomo effectively governed Japan, and the emperor became a figurehead 

-the Minamoto family began a long line of hereditary rulers 

-the dynasty held power until the 1300s

-the warrior culture of this period was based on a code of behavior 

  • Bushido: a strict code of behavior followed by the samurai

-”the way of the warrior”

-bushido fused aspects of three religions: Shinto’s devotion to family and ruler, Zen Buddhism’s focus on inner peace and fearlessness, and confucianism’s service to state and country 


-the code promoted loyalty, bravery, and honor much like the code of chivalry followers by knights (warriors) around the 800s 



Tools of the Samurai: riding into battle on horseback, their armor was made out of metal or leather scales laced together to protect the warrior’s body while allowing quick, easy movement

-samurai was armed with two swords, a long curved one and a short one, as well as a spear or gun 


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Pages 566-567

Unification and Isolation 


Main idea: after centuries of intense power struggles, japan was reunified in the 1600s under a strong central government that rejected contact with foreigners 


The Warring States Period 

-japan faced a major threat in 1274 

-invasion by the mongols, the great asian superpower 


-the mongols had already conquered china and korea 

-now the mongol leader Kublai Khan wanted to control Japan too 


-the mongols captured many outlying islands 

-then they retreated after a hurricane wrecked many of their ships 


-Kublai Khan did not launch another invasion of Japan until 1281 

However this time he assembled the largest seaborne invasion force the world has yet seen, 4400 ships carrying about 150,000 men 


-the daimyo put aside their differences and focused all their resources on defeating the mongols 

-the japanese warriors fought the invaders for about two months


-then a hurricane smashed into the mongol fleet, killing tens of thousands 


-japan claimed that heaven had saved the country by sending kamikaze or divine wind to stop the mongols 


-instead of unifying Japan, this victory against the mongols tore the country apart

-a vast amount of money had been spent on the defense 


-but the japanese gained no valuable rewards to repay the nobles and warriors 

-this inability to pay undermined the shogun’s authority 

-steadily, the daimyo seized control of their regions and then ruled them independently


-japan became divided among some 300 daimyo, all plotting and fighting for power 


This period of the “warring states” lasted from 1467 to 1568 

-then a powerful leader named Oda Nobunaga brought most of Japan under his control 


1603

-a leader named Tokugawa ieyasu finally broke the power of the daimyo and reunified all of Japan under a shogunate, or rule by a shogun


The Tokugawa Shogunate 

-Ieyasu;s rule ushered in a period of stability and peace that lasted nearly 300 years

-Ieyasu and his successors feared that foreign contact was corrupting the people and upsetting the traditional balance of power


1639

-the shoguns had begun a national policy of isolation and cut Japan off from outside influence 

-they stopped almost all foreign trade and travel and expelled certain group of foreigners (including europeans and christians)


-japan’s isolation continued for more than 200 years 


1854

-the united states pressured Japan to reopen for foreign trade 


1867 

-the Tokugawa shogunate was overthrown and the emperor took control of Japan 



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Japan’s Geography

Japan - “land of the rising sun”



Only 500 miles away from China


Is an archipelago: a group of islands


Japan is made up of 4,000 islands


Very mountainous. Only 15% of land is farmable. However, mild climate and plenty of rainfall


Short in natural resources like coal, iron, and oil.

Japan experiences typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

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Shinto

Shinto means =   Way of the Gods


Respected nature and the worship of ancestors 


Kami – Divine spirits that dwelled in nature


Beautiful trees, rocks, and waterfalls

Home of kami


Shinto is more about rituals than belief


Japanese practice Shintoism as a way of life, so it can coexist with other types of worship, like Buddhism. 



Torii: A traditional Japanese gate that is found at the entryway into a Shinto shrine.




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Japanese Buddhism


Japan was impressed by Buddhism’s teachings, beautiful ceremonies, art. Introduced around 525 CE


Buddhism and Shintoism began to combine and up until about 150 years ago, were connected


Today, Mahayana Buddhism is common in Japan: emphasizes role models of bodhisattvas (those who have achieved enlightenment but return to teach humans)

- Known as the Great Vehicle.


Theravada: the way of the elders (practiced mostly in India)


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Chinese Influence

System of writing.

Ways of painting.

Following China styles of cooking, gardening, drinking tea, and hairdressing.

Strong central government. 

Tried the civil service exam but nobles were too powerful



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Japan’s Writing, Art & Architecture


Writing  –  Early Japanese scholars adopted Chinese characters from Korean scholars. They only used some letters because the grammar was so different. 

Sculpture – Buddha statues and sculptures made of bronze and wood.

Architecture – Pagoda style adopted from China with multiple stories and curved roofs.

Music – Use of instruments, such as the Sheng, was common. This is a mouth organ whose tones can be found in many Japanese-generated video games. 

Poetry – The Japanese adopted Tanka poetry from the Chinese, which features 5 lines and 31 syllables. 


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Japanese Government


Japan adopted imperial rule like the Chinese Zhou Dynasty: an empire that rules over extensive territories or colonies.

Japan was made up of hundreds of clans that controlled their own territories under the central emperor of the time.


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Early Japanese Imperialism


In 604, Prince Shotoku of the Yamato clan created Japan’s first constitution and established guidelines for obedience to the emperor and his obligation to his subjects. 

This governmental structure lasted for nearly 400 years.


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Daimyos & Shoguns

By 1192, the Minamoto clan won a civil war and Yoritomo Minamoto was named the first shogun (military dictator) by the emperor.

Shoguns ruled through the  daimyos (local lords).

This system prevailed until the 1860s when the last shogun was overthrown and Japan rapidly modernized.

Today, it is a democracy after empire taken down after WW2.


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Changes in Power

By the mid-1000s, the daimyo, or powerful landowning families, effectively controlled Japan and the emperor had little power. 

The daimyo began treating their personal estates as autonomous (independent) and exerted absolute power over those who lived and worked on the estates. 

Japan remains an Empire through this.

Daimyo families warred against each other, necessitating recruitment of soldiers for fighting and for protection. 

Enter the Samurai, vassals in Japan.





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The Samurai


Landowners surrounded themselves with bodyguards or Samurai (one who serves).

Lived according to the Bushido, a code of Behavior or “the way of the warrior.”

Show courage.

Reverence to gods.

Protect those who were weaker.

Die an honorable death (die fighting or by suicide instead of capture): hara-kiri.


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Europe vs Japan


Similarities:

-Land ownership forms basis of all feudal societies


-Both were fixed caste systems—a peasant was always born to peasants, and lords were always born to lords


-Both knights and samurai swore fealty (loyalty) to their lords


-Knights and samurai were militarily responsible for protecting those beneath them as a service to their lords


Differences:


European feudalism:

  • Based on Christianity and Roman law

  • Centralized political system led to a strong hierarchy of monarchs to lord.

  •  Large number of peasants/ agricultural workers.

  • Code of chivalry for knights included survival (except Crusades) and putting women on a pedestal .


Japanese feudalism:

  • Based on Buddhism and Confucian laws

  • Decentralized political system led to loose loyalty to the emperor and far greater independence for lords.

  • Small number of agricultural workers.

  • Code of “chivalry” was called Bushido and required women to be tough.


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