The Mongols
Besides Western traders, who else came to Japan in the 1500s?
Catholic missionaries, the Jesuits, came to Japan.
What was the effect of the exclusion order by the shogun?
The shogun forbade the Japanese from traveling outside of Japan to other countries and also refused to let any foreigners enter Japan.
In the late 1700s, which nations tried to have trade with Japan?
Russia, Britain, and the United States
Who led the government after the shogun stepped down?
The emperor was official head of state, but a new government conducted business in the name of the emperor.
What happened in 1281 when the Mongols tried the second time to invade Japan?
A typhoon blew in that destroyed thousands of Mongol warships and nearly half the Mongol forces.
What did the Tokugawa shogun do in 1603 that changed Japan?
He said that foreign missionaries and traders were no longer welcome in Japan. He also said that the Japanese were not permitted to practice Christianity.
Which country was successful first in getting a trade agreement with Japan?
The United States
What happened to the Mongol invaders after their first day of battling to invade Japan in 1274?
A storm blew in that destroyed the Mongols’ vessels and killed one-third of their troops.
What was the significance of the musket being brought to Japan?
It changed Japanese warfare and the battles among
daimyo to become the shogun, forever.
Why do you think the title of this section is “A Closed
World”?
Answers will vary but should demonstrate understanding that the Japanese closed themselves off from most of the rest of the world.
Once the United States had a trade agreement with Japan, what happened with other countries?
Britain, France, and Russia also demanded and won trade rights with Japan.
What did the Jesuits hope to accomplish in Japan?
They wanted to set up permanent missions in Japan, probably so they could convert Japanese people to Catholicism.
How did the shoguns react to the traders and missionaries still coming to Japan even after 1603?
They grew suspicious and thought that foreign armies would try to turn Japan into a colony. They permitted only the Dutch trading ships to visit Nagasaki.
What message did the United States send to Japan by
using warships to ask for a trade agreement?
It conveyed to Japan the power and force of the United States.
What caused the Japanese people to rebel against the shogun?
foreigners had been given special privileges; merchants made money but remained near the bottom of the social classes; peasants paid heavy taxes; and samurai were less important with the growing importance of trade.
What significance did the Japanese attach to these storms defeating the Mongol invaders?
They believed the storms were divine winds or kamikaze, sent by the gods to protect Japan from the Mongol invaders.
How did Japanese society change after shogun rule ended?
Japan became a more open country, welcoming foreigners and encouraging the Japanese people to travel to other countries; the old system of inherited rank was eliminated; all Japanese were equal under the law; a person’s rank in society now included consideration of how much they knew about Western science and practical affairs.