AIM: How did feudalism shape Japanese society? Do Now: Based on this document, what is seppuku and why would a samurai perform it? In the world of the warrior, seppuku was a deed of bravery that was admirable in a samurai who knew he was defeated, disgraced, or mortally wounded. It meant that he could end his days with his wrongdoing wiped away and with his reputation not merely intact but actually enhanced. The cutting of the abdomen released the samurai’s spirit in the most dramatic fashion, but it was an extremely painful and unpleasant way to die, and sometimes the samurai who was performing the act asked a loyal comrade to cut off his head at the moment of agony. HW: Compare your family structure to that of the roles of the Japanese during feudal times.

Japanese Feudalism I.Feudalism: self-sufficient political/social structure of Japan. 1.Emperor – figurehead, no real power. 2.Shogun – local rulers with power & land. A.Gave some of their land to the daimyo in exchange for loyalty. 3.Daimyo – large landowners. A.Gave some of their land to the samurai in exchange for protection. 4.Samurai – warriors. A.Gave protection to the lower class in exchange for food & services. B.Bushido Code – “the way of the warrior” i.Rules that the samurai had to live by. 5.Peasants, artisans & merchants. A.Made up 4/5 of the population.