MadnickGlobal History 9

Japan-the basics

• Made up of more than 3,000 islands.

• Seas protected Japan from invasion

• Never conquered by other people

archipelago

Chain of islands

Shinto

• Japan’s major religion• Kami=Shinto gods/spirits• Kami are found in nature: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water• special humans become

kami after they die, especially the emperor

Political/Social Systems• People of early Japan

lived in clans• 300-Yamato clan

became dominant• Yamato leader became

first emperor• modern emperor is a

direct descendant of first Yamato emperor

His Imperial Majesty AKIHITO, the 125th Emperor of Japan, of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, Order of the Rising Sun, Order of the Sacred Treasure, elder son of the late Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kojun , born on 23 December 1933 at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

Social/Political Systems

• 800-1200 -Japanese government grew weaker

• 1185- Yoritomo Minamoto named first shogun (general)

• Shogun had all political and military power in Japan until 1700’s

Social/Political Systems• Under shoguns, Japan developed a social/political

system called feudalism

-social/political system based on ownership of land, military service to one’s superior, and loyalty between rulers and the ruled

Japanese Feudalism

Emperor

Shogun

Daimyo

Samurai

Peasants

Japanese Feudalism

• Emperor-respected by all; no real power• Shogun-real political and military power

-controlled all land• Daimyo-ran estates based on to shogun’s rules• Samurai- professional warriors; served daimyo• Peasants-tied to land; produced all food