Japan Mini-Unit: In-class Assignment

Section A – Early Japan

1)     Explain how geography shaped early Japanese culture and society. (p.367-368)

2)     Outline how Japan developed from a series of clan-dominated regions to a unified country ruled by the Sun-line. (p.369-370)

3)     Why is the year 552 seen as one of the most important dates in Japanese history? (p.371-372)

Section B – Foreign Influence and Political Change

1)     Is the description of Nara as an unfortunate capital appropriate? (p.372-373)

2)     After several women ruled prior to the late eighth century, Japan had no female rulers for nearly a thousand years.  Why was this the case? (p.373-374)

3)     Explain how the Kamakura shogunate shifted the real power in government away from the emperor to the shoguns. (p.377, 380)

Section C – Feudal Japan

1)     How was Japan able to resist the massive seaborne invasion launched by the Mongols? (p.382-383)

2)     Explain why the Ashikaga shogunate represented the lowest and bleakest point for the Sun-line. (p.383)

3)     Why did the Japanese at first welcome Europeans and allow Christianity into Japan, and then later expel all foreigners and kill many of the Christian converts? (p.388)