THE CHRONOLOGY OF JAPANESE HISTORY TO 1545 CE
660 BCE
360 BCE
3rd century BCE
4th century CE
413 CE
552, 580 CE
593 – 628 CE
7th Century
646 CE
697 CE
710 CE
752 CE
794 CE
805 – 806 CE
806 CE
838 CE
858 CE
10th Century CE
935 – 941 CE
967 – 1068 CE
985 CE
995 – 1027 CE
1039 CE
11th Century CE
1156, 1160 CE
1180 – 1185 CE
1185 – 1333 CE
1185 – 1199 CE
1191 CE
1199 CE
13th Century CE
1221 CE
1224 CE
1232 CE
1274 – 1281 CE
1331 – 1338 CE
1339 CE
1336 – 1568 CE
14th Century CE
15th Century CE
1401 CE
1428 CE
1465 CE
1467 – 1477 CE
16th Century CE
1530 CE
Emperor Jimmu creates Yamato state in Central Honshu after defeating other clans
Queen Jingu leads military victories in Korea; Japanese influence in several Korean states begins
Yayoi cultures pushes into Honshu, introduces rich, sophisticated irrigation; bronze, iron tools
Clans, hereditary chiefs ruling as priest, secular leader; foster clan solidarity; elite based on lineage
Commoners: rank based on occupation, village tillers, craftsmen; domestic servants, slaves lowest
Shinto: animism, clan lineages, common ancestor, rituals, emperors descended from sun goddess
Direct contacts with China initiated; scribes from Korea introduce Chinese style writing
Buddhism introduced from Korea; Buddhism becomes the state religion of the Yamato clan
Empress Suiko’s advisor Prince Shotoku creates Chinese style state but bureaucrats from elite
17 Article Constitution (Code of Conduct): moral injunctions, Confucian ethics, Buddhist influences
Provincial officials are state appointees; officials remain in capital, delegate authority to local elite
Taika Reforms: strengthen central government, maximized tax revenue; Confucian bureaucracies
Nationalize land, adopt Tang equal field land distribution; hierarchy remains hereditary aristocracy
Empress Jito abdicates, young grandson becomes emperor; set pattern of minor ruler with regent
First permanent capital at Nara, laid out like Chinese capital of Chang-an
Great Buddha of Nara shows Buddhist influence; Shinto gods increasingly seen as Buddhist deities
Capital moved to Heian (Kyoto) to escape Buddhist influence, because city has direct access to sea
Appearance, development of new Buddhist sects peculiar to Japan; Shingon, Tendai sects
Conquest, settlement of Northern Japan complete; Ainu (original inhabitants) only in Hokkaido
Court abandoned embassies as China in chaos, no benefit; decline of Chinese institutions begins
Fujiwara clan dominates imperial government; family appoints regents for child emperors
Simple script for writing Japanese devised: prose, literature rise to new levels of accomplishments
Civil strife in provinces = emergence of new military elite (samurai); growth of tax-free manors
Court society, emperor refined, isolated; court nobles use samurai to settle jealousies, feuds
Pure Land Buddhism offers salvation: through prayer Amida Buddha intervenes to save believer
Brilliant time of artistic, literary achievements: Tale of Genji, Pillow Book; outstanding architecture
Monks invade capital to force will on government; driven off by samurai, whose influence grows
Transfer of aristocratic estates to provincial elite; code of ethics, loyalty to feudal lord not emperor
Civil war between clans to establish a military dictatorship; militarization of society, clans
War between Taira, Minamoto clans leads to elimination of Fujiwara clan; Taira establish shogun
Two capitals: emperor isolated religious, social figurehead; military government in Kamakura rules
Centralized feudalism arises: rise of great feudal lords from amongst samurai; impoverishment of
court nobles; shogun appoints military retainers to control provinces; they levy taxes, enforce laws
Zen Buddhism introduced, emphasizes personal meditation; favored by samurai
Hojo clan becomes effective rulers behind shoguns – rules as regents for young, weak shoguns
Japanese merchants replace foreigners in trade; Japanese pirates raid, plunder Korea, China
Emperor tries to overthrow shogun, defeated; shogun confiscates imperial lands to give to allies
True Pure Land Buddhism introduced married clergy; most popular of sects with commoners
New Japanese legal code based on custom, not Chinese traditions; women could own property
Mongol invasions defeated; invasions bankrupt shogun, no rewards for samurai, who grow restless
Attempted restoration of emperor, supported by monasteries, imperial clans; change of shoguns
Chronicle of Descent of the Gods: emphasizes imperial cult, patriotism; fueled nationalism, Shinto
Ashikaga Shogunate: shifting alliances, political instability, redistribution of feudal economic rights
Large territories divided, given to vassals, collapse of clans, division of inheritances ended
Male primogeniture; women inferior to father, husband, used to cement marriage alliances; elite
women lost public roles; women in merchant, artisan families exercised some independence
Monks, samurai interests dominate artistic, intellectual life: tea ceremony, Noh drama, martial arts
Trade with China leads to growth of towns, ports, industries; Neo-Confucianism spreads in Japan
Japan imports luxuries, books, drugs; exports raw minerals, lacquer, horses, sword, armor
Small farmers, small landowners revolt against high taxes, moneylenders; field their own armies
Buddhist monks develop militaries, open warfare between sects; participate in trade, banking
Onin War: shifts of fiefs, power, elimination of old feudal families; rise of daimyo as territorial lords
Rise of castle towns, new commercial classes to support lords with industries, crafts, artisan guilds
Daimyos introduce regular tax collection, settle unoccupied lands; encourage new tools, new crops
(tea, soybeans, silk, paper, dyes, vegetables, hemp), draft animals led to increased yields
Skilled metallurgists arrive from Korea, China; Japan becomes major exporter of silver to China
CHANGE OVER TIME BY CHRONOLOGICAL PERIOD:
THEME
Patterns, impacts of interaction amongst major societies:
trade, exchanges, diplomacy, war, and international organizations
ANCIENT/CLASSICAL
PERIOD TO 794
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1185 CE
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1530 CE
THEME
Changes in functions and structures of states, attitudes towards states, inc. identities,
political parties (the political culture) and emergence of the nation-state
ANCIENT/CLASSICAL
PERIOD TO 794
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1185 CE
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1530 CE
CHANGE OVER TIME BY CHRONOLOGICAL PERIOD:
THEME
Impact of demography on people and the environment including migration, population growth and decline,
disease, urbanization, environmental degradation, and agriculture
ANCIENT/CLASSICAL
PERIOD TO 794
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1185 CE
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1530 CE
THEME
Impact of technology including agricultural techniques, weaponry, manufacturing, transportation and
communications systems, and inventions
ANCIENT/CLASSICAL
PERIOD TO 794
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1185 CE
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1530 CE
CHANGE OVER TIME BY CHRONOLOGICAL PERIOD
THEME
Religious, intellectual, cultural, and artistic aspects, developments,
interactions among and within societies
ANCIENT/CLASSICAL
PERIOD TO 794
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1185 CE
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1530 CE
THEME
Systems of social, economic and gender structure
including inequalities and work or labor systems
ANCIENT/CLASSICAL
PERIOD TO 794
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1185 CE
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1530 CE
CHANGE OVER TIME BY CHRONOLOGICAL PERIOD
THEME
The relationship of change and continuity between chronological periods
What led to the changes or continuities between each periods?
ANCIENT/CLASSICAL
PERIOD TO 794
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1185 CE
POST-CLASSICAL
TO 1530 CE
What would be a good thesis sentence to describe the change over time from the Neolithic Era
through 1530 CE? Write one using at least three of the themes.
At the center of Japanese history is its relationship with China. How has China’s relationship with
China changed over time?
A major theme, which has dominated Japanese history, is the nature and structure of its state and
government. How has Japanese government changed over time and why?
NAME: _________________________ PERIOD: _______ DATE: ________________
CHART: CHANGE OVER TIME OF JAPAN
Summarize the time period – use SCRIPTED. Do at least three themes
BEGINNING
TIME
PERIOD:
Dates:
Ancient/
Classical
Period
Key continuities and changes from
previous periods
INTERIM
TIME
PERIOD
Dates:
Early
Post-Classical
Period
END
TIME
PERIOD
Dates:
Late
Post-Classical
Period
Explain why change or continuity
occurred