Stories of Feudal Japan
Global History and Geography I
Name: ________________________
E. Napp
Date: ________________________
Part I: Complete the following story using words from the Word Bank listed below
and your knowledge of Social Studies.
Once upon a time, a long time ago, the ___________ began to lose his power. The
people still believed that he was a ______________ of the Sun Goddess but they no
longer __________ him. In particular, his lords refused to pay their _____________.
One day, the most powerful lord of Japan became the ____________. He was a
military ____________. The lords and the people of Japan had to ___________ him.
In order to increase his power, this powerful lord exchanged ___________ for
military service. The political system of ______________ developed in Japan.
Beneath the Shogun were the ______________ or the lords of Japan. They owned
_____________ and had armies. They had to obey the _____________. Sometimes a
lord challenged the Shogun. If he could overthrow the Shogun, he became the next
_________ of Japan. If he could not overthrow the Shogun, he was __________.
The _____________ were the skilled warriors of feudal Japan. They had to be
___________ to their military leaders. They also had to obey the Code of
_____________ or “The Way of the ______________.” According to these rules,
samurai had to be loyal, brave, and show no ____________. If they violated the
Code, they had to commit _____________ or ritual suicide. In some ways, the
samurai were like the ___________ of the Middle Ages. They too were skilled
warriors who had to follow a set of rules. The rules for warriors in Western Europe
were known as the Code of _____________.
The ________________ were the least powerful people in feudal Japan. They had
_________ status and were treated poorly. However, feudalism survived in Japan
for many, many years. It was not until the 1800s that the _____________ of Japan
was restored to power.
Word Bank (Some Terms are used more than once):
Peasants, Emperor, Shogun, Daimyo, Chivalry, Samurai, Bushido, Descendant,
Obeyed, Dictator, Taxes, Obey, Feudalism, Land, Shogun, Land, Killed, Shogun,
Loyal, Warrior, Emotion, Seppuku, Knights, Low, Emperor
Samurai Quotes:
“The warrior doesn't care if he's called a beast or a dog; the main thing is winning.”
~ Asakura Norikage
“By the Way of the warrior is meant death. The Way of the warrior is death. This
means choosing death whenever there is a choice between life and death. It means
nothing more than this. It means to see things through, being resolved.”
~ Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Zen Buddhism is a school of Japanese Buddhism that came to Japan from China.
Zen teaches that any person can achieve nirvana (enlightenment or an end of
suffering). However, a person must meditate and receive proper instruction from a
spiritual master. Zen Buddhism was very popular during the feudal period in
Japan. It encouraged self-control. The following is a story of a Zen Master:
Self-Control
During the civil wars in feudal Japan, an invading army would quickly enter a
town and take control. In one particular village, everyone fled just before the army
arrived - everyone except the Zen master.
Curious about this old man, the general went to the temple to see for himself what
kind of man this master was. When he was not treated with the respect he was
accustomed to, the general burst into anger.
"You fool," he shouted as he reached for his sword, "don't you realize you are
standing before a man who could kill you without blinking an eye!"
But despite the threat, the master seemed unmoved.
"And do you realize," the master replied calmly, "that you are standing before a
man who can be killed without blinking an eye?"
Questions:
1. What problem did the Japanese experience during the feudal period in
Japan?
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2. What did the people do when an army entered their town?
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3. What did the Zen master do?
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4. Why did the general visit the Zen master?
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5. Why did the general become angry with the Zen master?
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6. What did the general threaten to do?
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7. How did the Zen master respond to the threat?
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8. What does the response of the Zen master teach about self-control?
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Word Bank:
Fishing, Mountainous, Buddhism, Animism, Writing, Loyal, China, Taxes,
Seppuku, Resources, Archipelago, Emperor, Samurai, Shogun, Daimyo,
Bushido, Shinto
Another Zen Story: Concentration
After winning several archery (bow and arrow) contests, the young and rather
boastful soldier challenged a Zen master who was famous for his skill with the bow
and arrow. The Zen master accepted.
On the following day, the young soldier hit a distant bull's eye on his first try, and
then split that arrow with his second shot. "There," he said to the old man, "see if
you can match that!"
Undisturbed, the master did not draw his bow, but rather motioned for the young
archer to follow him up the mountain. Curious about the old man’s intentions, the
champion followed him high into the mountain until they reached the edge of the
mountain and a shaky bridge.
Calmly stepping out onto the middle of the unsteady and dangerous bridge, the old
master picked a far away tree as a target, drew his bow, and fired a clean, direct hit.
"Now it is your turn," he said as he gracefully stepped back onto the safe ground.
Staring with terror at the shaky bridge, the young man could not force himself to
step out onto it, no less shoot at a target. "You have much skill with your bow," the
master said, sensing his challenger's predicament, "but you have little skill with the
mind that controls the arrow."
Questions:
1. Who challenged the Zen master to an archery competition?
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2. What did the young soldier do when it was his turn to shoot his arrow?
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3. Where did the Zen master go before he shot his arrow?
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4. What did the Zen master do when it was his turn to shoot his arrow?
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5. Why did the young soldier not shoot his arrow again?
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6. What lesson did Zen master teach the young soldier?
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Korea greatly influenced the development
of early Japan by
1. acting as a bridge for ideas from
China
2. providing Japan with the
technology for industrialization
3. serving as a barrier against Chinese
aggression
4. protecting Japan from early
European exploration
The code of bushido of the Japanese
samurai is most similar to
1. belief in reincarnation and karma of
Hindus
2. practice of chivalry by European
knights
3. teachings of Judaism
4. theory of natural rights of the
Enlightenment writers
Feudal societies are generally characterized
by
1.
2.
3.
4.
an emphasis on social order
a representative government
many economic opportunities
the protection of political rights
Feudalism in Western Europe was similar
to feudalism in Japan in that
1. power was based on class
relationships
2. equality among the social classes
3. direct democracy
4. monotheism
Which is a characteristic of a feudal
society?
1.
2.
3.
4.
rapid social change
high literacy rate
industrial-based economy
rigid class structure
A valid generalization about early Japanese
culture is that Japan
1. had a strong influence on the
development of culture in Korea
2. spread Shinto throughout Asia
3. maintained a uniquely individual
culture while borrowing much from
other cultures
4. imported almost all of its cultural
ideas from China, resulting in
nearly identical cultures
Both European medieval knights and
Japanese
samurai warriors pledged oaths of
(1) loyalty to their military leader
(2) devotion to their nation-state
(3) service to their church
(4) allegiance to their families
During the feudal period in Europe, power
and
position in society were based on the
(1) amount of money earned
(2) level of education achieved
(3) number of slaves owned
(4) amount of land possessed
Which two belief systems teach that there are
spirits in nature?
(1) Shinto and animism
(2) Hinduism and Confucianism
(3) Judaism and Christianity
(4) Islam and Buddhism
Theme:
Feudalism is a political and military system. It has existed in different nations and
regions throughout history.
Task:
 Explain why feudalism developed in Japan
 Discuss the feudal class system in Japan
First, make a list of all of the facts you remember about feudalism in Japan:
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Create the box:
Write the Essay:
Introduction:
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Body Paragraph #1:
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Body Paragraph #2:
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Conclusion:
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