1. JAPANESE HISTORY

2. Korean Missionaries  Bring Mahayana Buddhism (500’s)  Introduce Chinese culture  Chinese characters become Japan’s first written language

3. Prince Shotoku  In 607, sends a group of Japanese nobles to China to learn about Chinese culture.

4. Chinese Cultural Diffusion  Increase authority of the government.  Set up elaborate court ranks.  Adapted Confucian ideas about family.  Adapted Confucian reverence for ancestors.

5. Chinese Cultural Diffusion  Peasants learn to use Chinese tools and farming methods.  Peasants learn to raise Chinese crops.  Japanese imitated many Chinese ideas in the arts.  The capital at Nara was modeled on the Tang capital.

6. Selective Borrowing  Discarded the Chinese civil service system. Japanese thought people should inherit position – not earn it.  Did not accept Mandate of Heaven. The emperor was divine, therefore could not lose his position.

7. Selective Borrowing  The Japanese accepted Buddhism but retained their traditional Shinto beliefs.  Shinto was a traditional Japanese religion that believed in the spirits of nature.

8. Feudalism  Warrior families challenged power of the Heian court.  Samurais fought for control of the land.  Results in feudalism (See class handout)

9. Still Unrest  Samurai lords fight with one another and the Shogun.  The position of Shogun often was passed from family to family.  1400’s constant warfare

10. Centralized Feudalism  Introduced the Diamyo  Spent every other year in Edo (Tokyo)  Daimyos had to leave their families in Edo as permanent hostages to ensure good behavior and loyalty.

11. Centralized Feudalism  Roads are built to travel to Edo  Peaceful  Money economy developed  Established banks  Education grew

12. Japanese Isolation from China  In 1281, Kublai Khan, the Mongol emperor of the Yuan Dynasty sent the Chinese navy to conquer Japan.  The “kamikazi” winds destroyed the Chinese navy and preserved the independence of Japan.

13. Isolation  Westerners begin to arrive in Japan in order to trade and spread Christianity.  Converting people angered the shogun and he did not want them to pledge loyalty to a foreign ruler. (the Pope)

14. Isolation  He heard about the Spanish conquest of the Philippines and wanted to protect Japan.  Began to persecute missionaries and Japanese Christians.

15. Isolation  1639 Japan is closed to the world.  No foreigners allowed.  If you left Japan you could not return.  Were not even allowed to build boats.  Stayed close for 200 years.

16. Shinto  No sacred writings  no set beliefs  Spirits lived in everything and controlled natural forces (earthquakes typhoons)  link between people and nature.

17. Problem with Shinto  It did not answer important questions like life after death and proper behavior.

18. Buddhism  Taught them the cycle of life and the goal of enlightenment.  Commoners followed the sect that believed anyone could reach salvation.  Samurais focused on Zen Buddhism which focused on meditation and self-control.

19. Confucianism  5 relationships used to show that they need to be loyal to govt.  Took the idea of hard work and education.

20. Family Life  Patriarchal society  Men would chose an heir (oldest son)  If they did not have a son they could adopt a male into their family to become the heir.  Loyalty to feudal lord overshadowed family ties.

21. Marriage  Arranged by head of the household.  Marriage to benefit family not for love.  Wife went and lived with new family.

22. Lives of Women  Some clans were led by women.  There were even women empresses.  This faded as Confucianism grew in Japan.  Women were ignored because of the feudal system (based upon fighting)

23. Bushido  The Samurai code of conduct.  “the way of the warrior”  Emphasized loyalty to the lord, bravery, self- discipline, and honor.  If dishonorable they had to perform seppuku which was a ritual suicide.

24. The end of Isolation  1853 America demands that Japan open its ports.  Japan chooses to modernize

25. Unequal treaties  The Shogun signs the Treaty of Kanagawa which allowed the U.S. to stop at ports for supplies and the right to send diplomatic representatives to Japan.  Sign other unequal treaties with westerners.

26. Growing unrest  People become upset with the treaties  Dislike the laws that were enacted to hold the feudal system together.  Samurais began to raise taxes to get more money.

27. Meiji  1868 rebels force the shogun to step down and the emperor becomes the real head of the govt.  Meiji = “enlightened rule”

28. Welcome to America  Thought Americans were funny.  America lacked etiquette, but was very friendly.  Loved the industry in America and saw that they needed these machines in Japan.

29. Changes in the Government  Ended the feudal system in order to centralize the power of the govt.  1889 wrote a constitution that took western ideas and adopted them for Japan.

30. Changes in the Government  Gave the emperor supreme power, but set up a two house parliament.  Established a court and legal system basted on western ideas.

31. Changes in the Government  The goal was not to bring democracy to Japan but to unite Japan and make it equal with the western world.

32. Industrialization  West helps them build transportation systems, steam engines, factories, and set up communication systems.  Govt. would build factories and then often sold them to private owners.

33. Industrialization  Govt. wanted cooperation between companies in order to compete with the west.

34. Social changes  Everyone was equal in the eyes of the law.  People moved from farms to cities to work in factories.  Women began to work in factories.  All children were required to attend elementary school