1. The Unification of Japan
19.2 | From Warring States to Centralization

2. Japanese Social Structure
Emperors | Shoguns | Daimyo | Samurai

3. The Heian Period Japanese cultural awakening
Social stability and the rise of the daimyo
Much like European feudal lords
Beginning in 1467, central authority in Japan collapsed
1467 – 1600 The Warring States Era (like in China)
Regional power (daimyo) fought for control

4. The Rise of Japanese Feudal Society
The importance of samurai (foot soldiers) grew during the WSE
By the end c. 1600, Japanese society resembled European feudal society
Japanese hegemony established by Hideyoshi
Centralized Japanese state

5. The Portuguese 1543 | The Spanish 1587 | The Dutch and English c. 1600
The Coming of Europe
The Portuguese 1543 | The Spanish 1587 | The Dutch and English c. 1600

6. Christianity Fails in Japan
Initially, Christianity had great success – some 300,000 converts by 1600
Spanish boasting of trade and Christianity as the precursor to occupation however, frightened Japanese elite (according to the story)
Persecutions began and continued until 1614, when Christianity was banished from Japan

7. Japanese Reengineering and Stabilizing
The Tokugawa Era ( )
Japanese Reengineering and Stabilizing

8. Centralization
Under Hideyoshi, the Japanese government sought to de-militarize the population from the WSE
“Sword Hunt” 1588 [meanwhile, the Spanish Armada sails to England]
Peasant arms were confiscated
Between the government and the samurai, 95% of the country’s weapons became monopolized
Social classes were froze
Peasants were barred from leaving land
Samurai were required to continue to service their lord
Land was surveyed, defined, and compartmentalized

9. Hideyoshi’s Death and Tokugawa
Hideyoshi’s death in 1598 led to two divided camps
Those that supported Hideyoshi
Those that supported rival Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa established a capital at Edo (Tokyo)
Took the title of Shogun in 1603
Began conquering the daimyo and reorganizing them
Strongest supporters near Edo
Some 150 domains were conquered and 229 were transferred

10. Japanese Isolationism
During the Tokugawa Era, Japan forbade foreign travel and restricted foreign imports
Nagasaki was the only port open to foreigners (Chinese and Dutch)
Cut off political contacts
Internal focus on the state
Resources no longer needed for war were allocated to agriculture and development
Population 1600 c. 12 million
Population 1700 c. 24 million
National trade network established
Lack of foreign imports increased local production and competition
Tax system to benefit system as a whole

11. Bushido and what it means to be an honorable warrior
Stories of the Samurai
Bushido and what it means to be an honorable warrior

12. 1701
A daimyo is insulted at Edo Castle, pulls his sword and injures the insulter
Unsheathing your sword in court was a capital offense
Harakiri – self-disembowelment
He does it
His samurai became masterless, known as ronin
Free to do as they pleased, all 47 of them

13. 1703 The ronin plotted to avenge their master
Infiltrated the insulter’s estate and murdered him
Their crime was punishable by harakiri, which all 47 of them promptly did – their master had been avenged
Sense of duty, loyalty, and honor – bushido
A certain code for warriors – like chivalry
Also shows us the cultural adherence to the power of state law over everything