1. By 1600, some European kings had become absolute monarchs
Absolute monarchy is a government in which one king should hold all the power within a country
Peter the Great of Russia
Frederick the Great of Prussia
Absolute monarchs controlled all aspects of their nations, including taxes, religion, the military, & the economy
Louis XIV of France
Maria Theresa of Austria
Phillip II of Spain

2. The Rise of Absolute Monarchs
Absolute monarchs believed in divine right, the idea that God created the monarchy & kings answered only to God, not the people

3. Louis XIV of France
Examine the portrait of French king Louis XIV & find 3 things in the painting that help show Louis as an absolute monarch

4. By the time Louis XIV came to power, France was an absolute monarchy
Louis XIV ruled France for 72 years & became the classic example of an absolute monarchy
Louis XIV believed that he was the government, (“L’etat c’est moi”): He excluded nobles from gov’t decisions & hired bureaucrats to collect taxes & enforce laws
Louis XIV believed that he was the government, “L’etat c’est moi”
Louis weakened the power of the nobles by excluding them from his councils
He hired loyal bureaucrats to collect taxes & enforce his laws; He made sure they communicated with him often

5. Louis XIV
Louis XIV called himself the “Sun King” because he felt that French power emanated from him
Louis XIV had a positive impact on France:
His economic advisors used overseas colonies & mercantilism to generate new wealth
Louis hired Jean Baptiste Colbert to oversee the French economy:
Colbert promoted manufacturing to make France self-sufficient
He encouraged colonization & settlement in Canada
He created one of the most powerful armies in Europe
With this wealth, Louis built a powerful army & transformed France into the most powerful nation in Europe
He encouraged manufacturing to make France self-sufficient

6. But Russia was not as advanced as Western European nations
Peter the Great
By the time Peter the Great became czar in 1682, Russia was a large empire
But Russia was not as advanced as Western European nations

7. Russia before Peter the Great
Russia was isolated from Western Europe & knew very little about the new ideas of the Renaissance
While European nations grew wealthy from trade, made cultural advances, & had strong economies…
…Russia had no advanced industry, no overseas colonies, & an economy of small-scale farmers
1200s-1700s—Russia was isolated from Western Europe; knew very little of the ideas of Western Europe:
Missed out on ideas of Crusades, Renaissance, Age of Exploration
During Middle Ages, Russia looked to Constantinople, not Rome—became Eastern Orthodox Christians (thought Catholics & Protestants were heretics)
Russia was very “behind the times” in relationship to western Europe:
Most of Russians were feudal serfs
Long beards worn to show status
Did not have advanced industry
Intellectually isolated from ideas of Renaissance & Scientific Revolution
Wanted to modernize Russia & make Russia a major European power
Most Russians were feudal peasants working for nobles (called boyars)

8. In disguise, Peter toured Europe to learn new ways to modernize Russia
Czar Peter the Great wanted to modernize & “Westernize” Russia to catch up with Europe
In disguise, Peter toured Europe to learn new ways to modernize Russia
While in Europe, Peter learned new ideas about shipbuilding, manufacturing, gov’t organization, city planning, music, & fashion

9. Adopted European fashions by banning beards for men & veils for women
When he returned from Europe, Peter imposed new reforms to Westernize Russia:
Adopted European fashions by banning beards for men & veils for women
Adopted a European calendar
Improved farming techniques
Used mercantilism as an economic policy
Modernized the army & navy
Created iron & lumber factories
Peter made changes in Russia:
Made himself head of the Orthodox Church (like Henry VIII in England)

10. Peter expanded Russia’s borders & built a new “European-style” Russian capital at St. Petersburg

11. From 1300 to 1700, three “gunpowder empires” dominated parts of Europe, Africa, & Asia
The Safavid Empire
The Mughal Empire
The Ottoman Empire
Three of the great empires of history—the Ottomans in Turkey, the Safavids in Persia, and the Mughals in India—emerged in the Muslim world between the 14th and the 18th centuries.
As powerful societies moved to expand their empires, Turkish, Persian, Mongol, and Arab ways of life blended. The result was a flowering of Islamic culture that peaked in the 16th century.
The rulers of all three great Muslim empires of this era based their authority on Islam. They based their power on strong armies, advanced technology, and loyal administrative officers.

12. These empires were unique but shared some similarities:
All 3 empires were able to conquer neighboring people because they formed strong armies using rifles & artillery
Three of the great empires of history—the Ottomans in Turkey, the Safavids in Persia, and the Mughals in India—emerged in the Muslim world between the 14th and the 18th centuries.
As powerful societies moved to expand their empires, Turkish, Persian, Mongol, and Arab ways of life blended. The result was a flowering of Islamic culture that peaked in the 16th century.
The rulers of all three great Muslim empires of this era based their authority on Islam. They based their power on strong armies, advanced technology, and loyal administrative officers.

13. These empires were unique but shared some similarities:
All 3 empires blended their culture with neighboring societies to create a high point of Islamic culture
Three of the great empires of history—the Ottomans in Turkey, the Safavids in Persia, and the Mughals in India—emerged in the Muslim world between the 14th and the 18th centuries.
As powerful societies moved to expand their empires, Turkish, Persian, Mongol, and Arab ways of life blended. The result was a flowering of Islamic culture that peaked in the 16th century.
The rulers of all three great Muslim empires of this era based their authority on Islam. They based their power on strong armies, advanced technology, and loyal administrative officers.

14. The Ottoman Empire
41a - describe the geographical extent of the Ottoman Empire during the rule of Suleiman the Magnificent, the Safavid Empire during the reign of Shah Abbas I, and the Mughal Empire during the reigns of Babur and Akbar
41b - explain the ways in which these Muslim empires influenced religion, law and the arts in their parts of the world

15. The Ottoman army included 30,000 elite soldiers called janissaries who were slaves that were trained to be loyal to the government
zanbūrak

16. Suleyman’s greatest accomplishment was creating a stable gov’t for his empire
He was known as “Suleyman the Lawgiver” because he created a law code that governed criminal & civil issues
He created a simplified & fair tax system to raise money for his empire
He granted freedom of worship to Christians & Jews living in the empire

17. Safavid rulers were called shahs, using the Persian title for king
Unlike the Ottomans who were Sunni Muslims, the Safavids believed in Shi’a Islam & strictly converted the people they conquered
The Safavid Empire
41a - describe the geographical extent of the Ottoman Empire during the rule of Suleiman the Magnificent, the Safavid Empire during the reign of Shah Abbas I, and the Mughal Empire during the reigns of Babur and Akbar
41b - explain the ways in which these Muslim empires influenced religion, law and the arts in their parts of the world
The Safavids were Turks living in Persia who built a powerful gunpowder army & created an empire in modern-day Iran
Safavid rulers were called shahs, using the Persian title for king

18. Abbas borrowed ideas from outside groups to improve the Safavid Empire
The greatest ruler of the Safavid Empire was Shah Abbas who came to power in 1587
Abbas borrowed ideas from outside groups to improve the Safavid Empire
He modeled Ottoman janissaries, used merit to employ gov’t workers, & introduced religious toleration which helped Safavids trade with European Christians
Art flourished, especially carpets that blended Persian & European designs

19. The Decline of the Safavid Empire
Like the Ottomans, Shah Abbas blinded or killed his most capable sons in order to keep power
As a result, weak leaders led to a rapid decline of the Safavid Empire
In finding a successor, Shah Abbas made the same mistake the Ottoman monarch Suleyman made. He killed or blinded his ablest sons. His incompetent grandson, Safi, succeeded Abbas. This pampered young prince led the Safavids down the same road to decline that the Ottomans had taken, only more quickly.
In 1736, however, Nadir Shah Afshar conquered land all the way to India and created an expanded empire. But Nadir Shah was so cruel that one of his own troops assassinated him. With Nadir Shah’s death in 1747, the Safavid Empire fell apart.
While the Ottoman Empire lasted until 1922, the Safavid Empire fell in 1747

20. The Mughals were Muslims who descended from Turks, Afghans, & Mongols living in central Asia
Like the Ottomans & Safavids, the Mughals built a powerful army with guns & cannons

21. In 1494, Babur became king of the Mughals, expanded the army, & began invasions into India to create his empire

22. Akbar was the greatest of all the Mughal rulers
Akbar’s greatest achievement was cultural blending & religious toleration
He held religious discussions with Hindu & Muslim scholars
He ended the tax that non-Muslims were required to pay & created a fair & affordable tax system
Because he was Muslim ruling in a largely Hindu region, Akbar allowed non-Muslims to worship freely
He married many wives, among them were Muslim, Hindu, & Christian women

23. The best example of Akbar’s tolerance was his creation of a new religion called the Divine Faith
The Divine Faith was an example of syncretism because it blended ideas from Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, & Zoroastrianism
Akbar hoped the Divine Faith would end conflicts between Muslims & Hindus
IMAGE: Mughal Emperor Akbar (r ) holds a religious assembly in the Ibadat Khana (House of Worship) in Fatehpur Sikri; the two men dressed in black are the Jesuit missionaries Rodolfo Acquaviva and Francisco Henriques
illustration to the Akbarnama, miniature painting by Nar Singh, ca. 1605
Din–i–Ilahi or "divine faith," describes the religious teachings developed by the third emperor of the Mughal Empire, Akbar the Great, in the late–16th century. Akbar's teachings had their foundations in regular discussions at the Ibadat Khana, "The House of Worship," in Fatehpur Sikri, where he hosted religious leaders and theologians of various faiths, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Jains. Seeking a common ground among religions, his teachings synthesize ideas from multiple faiths, do not have a sacred scripture and include a form of sun–worship that reflects Hindu and Zoroastrian influences. Virtues of celibacy, kindness and piety are encouraged, and vices of lust and pride are condemned. Despite transcendent aims, Din–i–Ilahi centered primarily on Akbar as a divine personage and did not attract many followers outside the realm of Akbar's court.
But, the Divine Faith never attracted many Muslim or Hindu converts…When Akbar died, so did the Divine Faith

24. The Decline of the Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire grew weak by 1700 as kings spent too much money on palaces & war
In addition, the large population of Hindus in India began to revolt against their Muslim rulers
The Empire’s Decline and Decay By the end of Aurangzeb’s reign, he had drained the empire of its resources. Over 2 million people died in a famine while Aurangzeb was away waging war. Most of his subjects felt little or no loyalty to him.
As the power of the central state weakened, the power of local lords grew. After Aurangzeb’s death, his sons fought a war of succession. In fact, three emperors reigned in the first 12 years after Aurangzeb died. By the end of this period, the Mughal emperor was nothing but a wealthy figurehead. He ruled not a united empire but a patchwork of independent states.
In 1806 Shah Alam’s son Akbar Shah II acceded to the much diminished empire of the Mughals and ruled until His son Bahadur Shah Zafar would be the last emperor of Mughals before the British deposed him in 1858 and the Mughal dynasty would officially come to an end.
Great Britain took advantage of this weakness, conquered India, & removed the last Mughal emperor from power in 1858

25. Qing Dynasty ( )
In 1644, northern invaders from Manchuria conquered China & created the second foreign dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing Dynasty
Text
Manchus Found the Qing Dynasty
By 1600, the Ming had ruled for more than 200 years, and the dynasty was weakening. Its problems grew—ineffective rulers, corrupt officials, and a government that was out of money. Higher taxes and bad harvests pushed millions of peasants toward starvation. Civil strife and rebellion followed. Northeast of the Great Wall lay Manchuria. In 1644, the Manchus (MAN•chooz), the people of that region, invaded China and the Ming dynasty collapsed. The Manchus seized Beijing, and their leader became China’s new emperor. As the Mongols had done in the 1300s, the Manchus took a Chinese name for their dynasty, the Qing (chihng) dynasty. They would rule for more than 260 years and expand China’s borders to include Taiwan, Chinese Central Asia, Mongolia, and Tibet.
China Under the Qing
Many Chinese resisted rule by the non-Chinese Manchus. Rebellions flared up periodically for decades. The Manchus, however, slowly earned the people’s respect. They upheld China’s traditional Confucian beliefs and social structures. They made the country’s frontiers safe and restored China’s prosperity. Two powerful Manchu rulers contributed greatly to the acceptance of the new dynasty.
The first, Kangxi (kahng•shee), became emperor in 1661
and ruled for some 60 years. He reduced government expenses and lowered taxes. A scholar and patron of the arts, Kangxi gained the support of intellectuals by offering them government positions. He also enjoyed the company of the Jesuits at court. They told him about developments in science, medicine, and mathematics in Europe. Under his grandson Qian-long (chyahn•lung), who ruled from 1736 to 1795, China reached its greatest size and prosperity. An industrious emperor like his grandfather, Qian-long often rose at dawn to work on the empire’s problems. These included armed nomads on its borders and the expanding presence of European missionaries and merchants in China.
Manchus Continue Chinese Isolation
To the Chinese, their country—called the Middle Kingdom—had been the cultural center of the universe for 2,000 years. If foreign states wished to trade with China, they would have to follow Chinese rules. These rules included trading only at special ports and paying tribute. The Dutch were masters of the Indian Ocean trade by the time of Qian-long. They accepted China’s restrictions. Their diplomats paid tribute to the emperor through gifts and by performing the required “kowtow” ritual. This ritual involved kneeling in front of the emperor and touching one’s head to the ground nine times. As a result, the Chinese accepted the Dutch as trading partners. The Dutch returned home with traditional porcelains and silk, as well as a new trade item, tea. By 1800, tea would make up 80 percent of shipments to Europe. Great Britain also wanted to increase trade with China. But the British did not like China’s trade restrictions. In 1793, Lord George Macartney delivered a letter from King George III to Qian-long. It asked for a better trade arrangement, including Chinese acceptance of British manufactured goods. Macartney refused to kowtow, and Qian-long denied Britain’s request. In the 1800s, the British, Dutch, and others would attempt to chip away at China’s trade restrictions until the empire itself began to crack
During this era of Manchu rule, China grew to its largest size by claiming Taiwan, central Asia, Mongolia, & Tibet

26. Kangxi was the first emperor to tour China & visit peasant villages
Qing Dynasty ( )
Kangxi was the first emperor to tour China & visit peasant villages
Text
By 1600, the Ming had ruled for more than 200 years, and the dynasty was weakening. Its problems grew—ineffective rulers, corrupt officials, and a government that was out of money. Higher taxes and bad harvests pushed millions of peasants toward starvation. Civil strife and rebellion followed. Northeast of the Great Wall lay Manchuria. In 1644, the Manchus (MAN•chooz), the people of that region, invaded China and the Ming dynasty collapsed. The Manchus seized Beijing, and their leader became China’s new emperor. As the Mongols had done in the 1300s, the Manchus took a Chinese name for their dynasty, the Qing (chihng) dynasty. They would rule for more than 260 years and expand China’s borders to include Taiwan, Chinese Central Asia, Mongolia, and Tibet.
Manchus Found the Qing Dynasty
China Under the Qing
Many Chinese resisted rule by the non-Chinese Manchus. Rebellions flared up periodically for decades. The Manchus, however, slowly earned the people’s respect. They upheld China’s traditional Confucian beliefs and social structures. They made the country’s frontiers safe and restored China’s prosperity. Two powerful Manchu rulers contributed greatly to the acceptance of the new dynasty. The first, Kangxi (kahng•shee), became emperor in 1661 and ruled for some 60 years. He reduced government expenses and lowered taxes. A scholar and patron of the arts, Kangxi gained the support of intellectuals by offering them government positions. He also enjoyed the company of the Jesuits at court. They told him about developments in science, medicine, and mathematics in Europe. Under his grandson Qian-long (chyahn•lung), who ruled from 1736 to 1795, China reached its greatest size and prosperity. An industrious emperor like his grandfather, Qian-long often rose at dawn to work on the empire’s problems. These included armed nomads on its borders and the expanding presence of European missionaries and merchants in China.
Manchus Continue Chinese Isolation
To the Chinese, their country—called the Middle Kingdom—had been the cultural center of the universe for 2,000 years. If foreign states wished to trade with China, they would have to follow Chinese rules. These rules included trading only at special ports and paying tribute. The Dutch were masters of the Indian Ocean trade by the time of Qian-long. They accepted China’s restrictions. Their diplomats paid tribute to the emperor through gifts and by performing the required “kowtow” ritual. This ritual involved kneeling in front of the emperor and touching one’s head to the ground nine times. As a result, the Chinese accepted the Dutch as trading partners. The Dutch returned home with traditional porcelains and silk, as well as a new trade item, tea. By 1800, tea would make up 80 percent of shipments to Europe. Great Britain also wanted to increase trade with China. But the British did not like China’s trade restrictions. In 1793, Lord George Macartney delivered a letter from King George III to Qian-long. It asked for a better trade arrangement, including Chinese acceptance of British manufactured goods. Macartney refused to kowtow, and Qian-long denied Britain’s request. In the 1800s, the British, Dutch, and others would attempt to chip away at China’s trade restrictions until the empire itself began to crack
Kangxi & later Manchu rulers returned China to isolationism by restoring strict adherence to the “Middle Kingdom”

27. Qing Dynasty ( )
But, Qing China faced 2 important challenges that would threaten China’s future strength
Text
The introduction of new American crops like corn & sweet potatoes led to a dramatic increase in the Chinese population
By 1600, the Ming had ruled for more than 200 years, and the dynasty was weakening. Its problems grew—ineffective rulers, corrupt officials, and a government that was out of money. Higher taxes and bad harvests pushed millions of peasants toward starvation. Civil strife and rebellion followed. Northeast of the Great Wall lay Manchuria. In 1644, the Manchus (MAN•chooz), the people of that region, invaded China and the Ming dynasty collapsed. The Manchus seized Beijing, and their leader became China’s new emperor. As the Mongols had done in the 1300s, the Manchus took a Chinese name for their dynasty, the Qing (chihng) dynasty. They would rule for more than 260 years and expand China’s borders to include Taiwan, Chinese Central Asia, Mongolia, and Tibet.
Manchus Found the Qing Dynasty
China Under the Qing
Many Chinese resisted rule by the non-Chinese Manchus. Rebellions flared up periodically for decades. The Manchus, however, slowly earned the people’s respect. They upheld China’s traditional Confucian beliefs and social structures. They made the country’s frontiers safe and restored China’s prosperity. Two powerful Manchu rulers contributed greatly to the acceptance of the new dynasty. The first, Kangxi (kahng•shee), became emperor in 1661 and ruled for some 60 years. He reduced government expenses and lowered taxes. A scholar and patron of the arts, Kangxi gained the support of intellectuals by offering them government positions. He also enjoyed the company of the Jesuits at court. They told him about developments in science, medicine, and mathematics in Europe. Under his grandson Qian-long (chyahn•lung), who ruled from 1736 to 1795, China reached its greatest size and prosperity. An industrious emperor like his grandfather, Qian-long often rose at dawn to work on the empire’s problems. These included armed nomads on its borders and the expanding presence of European missionaries and merchants in China.
Manchus Continue Chinese Isolation
To the Chinese, their country—called the Middle Kingdom—had been the cultural center of the universe for 2,000 years. If foreign states wished to trade with China, they would have to follow Chinese rules. These rules included trading only at special ports and paying tribute. The Dutch were masters of the Indian Ocean trade by the time of Qian-long. They accepted China’s restrictions. Their diplomats paid tribute to the emperor through gifts and by performing the required “kowtow” ritual. This ritual involved kneeling in front of the emperor and touching one’s head to the ground nine times. As a result, the Chinese accepted the Dutch as trading partners. The Dutch returned home with traditional porcelains and silk, as well as a new trade item, tea. By 1800, tea would make up 80 percent of shipments to Europe. Great Britain also wanted to increase trade with China. But the British did not like China’s trade restrictions. In 1793, Lord George Macartney delivered a letter from King George III to Qian-long. It asked for a better trade arrangement, including Chinese acceptance of British manufactured goods. Macartney refused to kowtow, and Qian-long denied Britain’s request. In the 1800s, the British, Dutch, and others would attempt to chip away at China’s trade restrictions until the empire itself began to crack
The sharp rise in the number of Chinese peasants would lead to competition for land & peasant uprisings

28. Qing Dynasty ( )
But, Qing China faced 2 important challenges that would threaten China’s future strength
Text
By 1600, the Ming had ruled for more than 200 years, and the dynasty was weakening. Its problems grew—ineffective rulers, corrupt officials, and a government that was out of money. Higher taxes and bad harvests pushed millions of peasants toward starvation. Civil strife and rebellion followed. Northeast of the Great Wall lay Manchuria. In 1644, the Manchus (MAN•chooz), the people of that region, invaded China and the Ming dynasty collapsed. The Manchus seized Beijing, and their leader became China’s new emperor. As the Mongols had done in the 1300s, the Manchus took a Chinese name for their dynasty, the Qing (chihng) dynasty. They would rule for more than 260 years and expand China’s borders to include Taiwan, Chinese Central Asia, Mongolia, and Tibet.
Manchus Found the Qing Dynasty
China Under the Qing
Many Chinese resisted rule by the non-Chinese Manchus. Rebellions flared up periodically for decades. The Manchus, however, slowly earned the people’s respect. They upheld China’s traditional Confucian beliefs and social structures. They made the country’s frontiers safe and restored China’s prosperity. Two powerful Manchu rulers contributed greatly to the acceptance of the new dynasty. The first, Kangxi (kahng•shee), became emperor in 1661 and ruled for some 60 years. He reduced government expenses and lowered taxes. A scholar and patron of the arts, Kangxi gained the support of intellectuals by offering them government positions. He also enjoyed the company of the Jesuits at court. They told him about developments in science, medicine, and mathematics in Europe. Under his grandson Qian-long (chyahn•lung), who ruled from 1736 to 1795, China reached its greatest size and prosperity. An industrious emperor like his grandfather, Qian-long often rose at dawn to work on the empire’s problems. These included armed nomads on its borders and the expanding presence of European missionaries and merchants in China.
Manchus Continue Chinese Isolation
To the Chinese, their country—called the Middle Kingdom—had been the cultural center of the universe for 2,000 years. If foreign states wished to trade with China, they would have to follow Chinese rules. These rules included trading only at special ports and paying tribute. The Dutch were masters of the Indian Ocean trade by the time of Qian-long. They accepted China’s restrictions. Their diplomats paid tribute to the emperor through gifts and by performing the required “kowtow” ritual. This ritual involved kneeling in front of the emperor and touching one’s head to the ground nine times. As a result, the Chinese accepted the Dutch as trading partners. The Dutch returned home with traditional porcelains and silk, as well as a new trade item, tea. By 1800, tea would make up 80 percent of shipments to Europe. Great Britain also wanted to increase trade with China. But the British did not like China’s trade restrictions. In 1793, Lord George Macartney delivered a letter from King George III to Qian-long. It asked for a better trade arrangement, including Chinese acceptance of British manufactured goods. Macartney refused to kowtow, and Qian-long denied Britain’s request. In the 1800s, the British, Dutch, and others would attempt to chip away at China’s trade restrictions until the empire itself began to crack
European missionaries & merchants arrived in Asia eager to gain access into China

29. In 1192, the first shogun was named by the emperor
Japanese Feudalism
In 1192, the first shogun was named by the emperor
Text
The emperor remained in place, but the shogun held real power & ruled as military dictators
Shoguns’ power varied over time, but the pattern of gov’t controlled by a shogun lasted until 1867
The Kamakura Shogunate
During the late 1100s, Japan’s two most powerful clans fought for power. After almost 30 years of war, the Minamoto family emerged victorious. In 1192, the emperor gave a Minamoto leader named Yoritomo the title of shogun, or “supreme general of the emperor’s army.” In effect, the shogun had the powers of a military dictator. Following tradition, the emperor still reigned from Kyoto. (Kyoto was rebuilt on the ruins of Heian, which had been destroyed in war.) However, the real center of power was at the shogun’s military headquarters at Kamakura (KAHM•uh•KUR•uh). The 1200s are known in Japanese history as the Kamakura shogunate. The pattern of government in which shoguns ruled through puppet emperors lasted in Japan until The Kamakura shoguns were strong enough to turn back the two naval invasions sent by the great Mongol ruler Kublai Khan in 1274 and However, the Japanese victory over the Mongols drained the shoguns’ treasury. Loyal samurai were bitter when the government failed to pay them. The Kamakura shoguns lost prestige and power. Samurai attached themselves more closely to their local lords, who soon fought one another as fiercely as they had fought the Mongols
A New Feudalism Under Strong Leaders
In 1467, civil war shattered Japan’s old feudal system. The country collapsed into chaos. Centralized rule ended. Power drained away from the shogun to territorial lords in hundreds of separate domains.
Local Lords Rule
A violent era of disorder followed. This time in Japanese history, which lasted from 1467 to 1568, is known as the Sengoku, or “Warring States,” period. Powerful samurai seized control of old feudal estates. They offered peasants and others protection in return for their loyalty. These warrior chieftains, called daimyo (DYE•mee•oh), became lords in a new kind of Japanese feudalism. Daimyo meant “great name.” Under this system, security came from this group of powerful warlords. The emperor at Kyoto became a figurehead, having a leadership title but no actual power. The new Japanese feudalism resembled European feudalism in many ways. The daimyo built fortified castles and created small armies of samurai on horses. Later they added foot soldiers with muskets (guns) to their ranks. Rival daimyo often fought each other for territory. This led to disorder throughout the land.

30. For more than 250 years, Tokugawa’s successors ruled Japan as shoguns
Tokugawa Shogunate
During this time, Japan benefited from peace; The economy boomed & became more commercial
For more than 250 years, Tokugawa’s successors ruled Japan as shoguns
Life in Tokugawa Japan
Japan enjoyed more than two and a half centuries of stability, prosperity, and isolation under the Tokugawa shoguns. Farmers produced more food, and the population rose. Still, the vast majority of peasants, weighed down by heavy taxes, led lives filled with misery. The people who prospered in Tokugawa society were the merchant class and the wealthy. However, everyone, rich and poor alike, benefited from a flowering of Japanese culture during this era.
Society in Tokugawa Japan
Tokugawa society was very structured. (See Feudalism feature on page 361.) The emperor had the top rank but was just a figurehead. The actual ruler was the shogun, who was the supreme military commander. Below him were the daimyo, the powerful landholding samurai. Samurai warriors came next. The peasants and artisans followed them. Peasants made up about four-fifths of the population. Merchants were at the bottom, but they gradually became more important as the Japanese economy expanded. In Japan, as in China, Confucian values influenced ideas about society. According to Confucius, the ideal society depended on agriculture, not commerce. Farmers, not merchants, made ideal citizens. In the real world of Tokugawa Japan, however, peasant farmers bore the main tax burden and faced more difficulties than any other class. Many of them abandoned farm life and headed for the expanding towns and cities. There, they mixed with samurai, artisans, and merchants. By the mid-1700s, Japan began to shift from a rural to an urban society. Edo had grown from a small village in 1600 to perhaps the largest city in the world. Its population was more than one million. The rise of large commercial centers also increased employment opportunities for women. Women found jobs in entertainment, textile manufacturing, and publishing. Still, the majority of Japanese women led sheltered and restricted lives as peasant wives. They worked in the fields, managed the household, cared for the children, and obeyed their husband without question.

31. Japanese Isolationism
Tokugawa shoguns decided to exclude foreign merchants & missionaries
By 1639, Japan adopted a “closed country policy” & ended almost all foreign contacts
The Closed Country Policy
The persecution of Christians was part of an attempt to control foreign ideas. When Europeans first arrived, no central authority existed to contain them. The strong leaders who later took power did not like the introduction of European ideas and ways, but they valued European trade. As time passed, the Tokugawa shoguns realized that they could safely exclude both the missionaries and the merchants. By 1639, they had sealed Japan’s borders and instituted a “closed country policy.” Most commercial contacts with Europeans ended. One port, Nagasaki, remained open to foreign traders. But only Dutch and Chinese merchants were allowed into the port. Earlier, the English had left Japan voluntarily; the Spanish and the Portuguese had been expelled. Since the Tokugawa shoguns controlled Nagasaki, they now had a monopoly on foreign trade, which continued to be profitable. For more than 200 years, Japan remained basically closed to Europeans. In addition, the Japanese were forbidden to leave, so as not to bring back foreign ideas. Japan would continue to develop, but as a self-sufficient country, free from European attempts to colonize or to establish their Presence. Europeans had met with much resistance in their efforts to open the East to trade. But expansion to the West, in the Americas, as you will learn in Chapter 20, would prove much more successful for European traders, missionaries, and colonizers.

32. Nagasaki Bay Deshima Dutch Ships Japan
Japanese isolation remained in place for over 200 years until the 1850s
During this era of isolation, Japan had profitable trade, became self-sufficient, limited foreign ideas, & reduced Europe’s ability to colonize Japan
Deshima
Dutch Ships
By 1639, they had sealed Japan’s borders and instituted a “closed country policy.” Most commercial contacts with Europeans ended. One port, Nagasaki, remained open to foreign traders. But only Dutch and Chinese merchants were allowed into the port. Earlier, the English had left Japan voluntarily; the Spanish and the Portuguese had been expelled. Since the Tokugawa shoguns controlled Nagasaki, they now had a monopoly on foreign trade, which continued to be profitable. For more than 200 years, Japan remained basically closed to Europeans. In addition, the Japanese were forbidden to leave, so as not to bring back foreign ideas. Japan would continue to develop, but as a self-sufficient country, free from European attempts to colonize or to establish their Presence. Europeans had met with much resistance in their efforts to open the East to trade. But expansion to the West, in the Americas, as you will learn in Chapter 20, would prove much more successful for European traders, missionaries, and colonizers.
Japan
One Japanese port at Deshima in Nagasaki Bay remained open but only to Dutch & Chinese merchants