Chapter 12
Why is the myth of Amaterasu? What is her connection to the emperor?
Amaterasu was the sun goddess. She hid in a cave, and the other gods got her to come out. The emperor was thought of as “god-like.” He was thought to be a descendant of Amaterasu.
What is kami and how does it affect Japanese worldview?
-spirits found in nature
-Japanese respected nature because they believed that Kami existed in the natural environment
-ancestors became Kami when they died
A German Shepard
Who was Commodore Perry and what demands did he make?
Commodore Perry was a man from the US. He demanded that Japan protected shipwrecked sailors, and buy coal.
Give three major changes to Japanese society during the march towards Westernization.
-no public bathing
-no loincloths (modest clothing)
-no tattoos
Give 4 reasons why Japan’s geography created an isolated country.
-mountains made it difficult to travel
-rough seas
-island
-no good harbours
Explain how nature has caused the people of Japan to be stoic
-Stoic: when people deal with difficult situations well or with grace.
Japan has tsunami, volcanoes, earthquakes, etc. and the people there have developed resiliency to these occurrences. They learned to deal well with difficult situations.
Connect the teachings of Confucianism to the concept of honor and duty in Japan.
-if people accepted their roles and duties→ there would be peace and order.
-if people did not complete their roles→ there would be chaos and suffering
-people should be modest, work hard and study hard
-proper behaviour
-compassion
What were the Unequal Treaties and who signed them?
The treaties were unfair trade agreements for Japan. USA, England, France, the Netherlands and Russia.
What was the Deer Cry Pavilion and why was it closed?
Deer Cry Pavillion: European building to entertain Westerners
It was closed because the westerners refused to have equal or fair trade with the Japanese.
Explain the importance of cherry blossoms in Japanese culture.
-beauty
-renewal
-fragile
Give three reasons why Japan was able to remain self-sufficient.
-grew rice
-very organized→ samurai, peasants, etc.
-fishing
Explain why artisans and merchants were below the peasants.
Peasants grew their products. The merchants and artisans did not actually grow their own items; they took what the peasants made and either created things or sold things.
Give three reasons why people began to support the idea of having only an emperor and no longer having a shogun in charge.
-there many groups that violently disagreed with the shogun
-daimyo, and samurai were being imprisoned, exiled or executed
-attacks were happening with foreigners, and the Japanese were not prepared to battle.
Explain the meaning behind Japan’s new motto at the end of the Meiji period - ‘Western Science, Japanese essence’.
This meant that there would be a balance between western ideas and important Japanese traditions in Japan’s culture.
Who were the Ainu people and describe what happened to them.
Indigenous people to Japan.
Isolated and outcasted because they did jobs associated with death
Describe the importance of rice in Japanese society
-patience
-responsible
-hard-working
-had rice at every meal
-used as a currency
Outline the hierarchy of the feudal system (classes) of Japan.
Emperor→ Shogun→ Daimyo→ Samurai→ Peasants→ Artisans→ Merchants→ Outcasts
Explain what happened to the daimyo and samurai in Japan during the Meiji period.
-daimyo went bankrupt because they were having to fix everything wrong on their land.
-Samurai were out of work because the merchants gained power due to increased trade.
Why did Japan move towards building a powerful military at the end of the Meiji period?
They wanted to be recognized as a world power.
Describe the spiritual beliefs associated with Shinto
Answers will vary.
What is a homogenous society?
a society that is blended→ one culture
Describe three ways the shogun tried to limit the powers of the daimyo.
-daimyo were responsible for their land→ pay to fix roads and anything else that needed to be done.
-alternate attendance: lived one year on their land, and one year in Edo (this was expensive).
-families were held hostage when the daimyo was not home. If the daimyo was heard of saying something against the Shogun, their families were threatened.
What was the Charter Oath and how did it impact common people?
Charter Oath: new rules
-commoners had more freedom: choose jobs and where they lived
-could have last names
-dress how they wanted
-peasants could own the land they worked on.
-outcasts could join society.
What is Ms. Wishira's cats name? Hint: She is a female
Beavis