Early Japan
This island nation’s location in East Asia helped shape its early contacts with China and Korea.
Japan
What is the name of the Sun Goddess kami?
Amaterasu
The city that became the political center of Japan under Tokugawa rule and is today’s capital is _____.
Edo (now Tokyo)
Name the American naval officer whose arrival in 1853 pressured Japan to end isolation.
Commodore Matthew Perry
The Meiji Restoration in 1868 restored political power to this institution/person.
Emperor
Name one cultural influence Japan adopted from China during early periods
Chinese writing system, Confucianism, Buddhism
This native Japanese religion focuses on kami (spirits) in nature, rituals, and purification; it remained important alongside imported beliefs.
Shinto
The social order of the Tokugawa era placed samurai, peasants, merchants, and artisans in a fixed hierarchy. Of these groups, name the group placed at the bottom of that order.
Give one reason Western countries wanted to open Japanese ports in the mid-1800s.
For coaling stations, trade, refueling of ships, markets for goods.
One of the Meiji government’s main goals was “modernization” or this single-word process meaning building modern industry and military.
Industrialization
The period before the Edo era when powerful military leaders (shoguns) and samurai rose to power is called the _____.
Feudal period
The Tokugawa shogunate enforced isolation partly to control this foreign influence they saw as disruptive to the public order in Japan
Christianity
Name one limitation placed on foreign trade or contact during Japan’s isolationist policy
Banning Christianity
Banning foreign objects
Banning foreigners
Banning Japanese from leaving or returning
What major event happened in China that made Japan uneasy about angering Western countries?
The Opium Wars
Name one major change the Meiji leaders made to weaken samurai power.
created conscripted army
ended the class system
abolished domains in favor of prefectures
modernized the army
What aspects of Japanese geography made it difficult to have one central government early in its history?
Having multiple islands
Having vast mountain ranges
Which powerful daimyo completed the unification of Japan after winning several battles and became the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate?
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Describe one way the isolationist policy actually helped Japan remain stable during the Edo period.
It reduced foreign conflict and influence
allowing economic growth
internal peace
and cultural development like arts and urbanization
The treaty that opened some Japanese ports to the United States in 1854 is known as the Treaty of _____.
Kanagawa
Explain how the Meiji government encouraged economic growth — give one policy or action
building railways
supporting industry
adopting Western technology
promoting Western education
What do we call the code of honour that the Samurai followed?
Bushido
What important Japanese value encourages generosity, kindness, and duty to others?
Collectivism
Which Shogun enacted the isolationist policies that started off the Edo period?
Tokugawa Iemitsu
Besides the U.S., name one other Western country that forced trade/treaties with Japan during the 1850s–1860s.
What is Britain / Russia / France / the Netherlands
Describe one long-term effect of the Meiji Restoration on Japan’s role in the world.
Japan becoming an industrialized world power
increased imperial ambitions
ability to compete militarily and economically with Western nations.