1. Student Samurai Book Informational Power Point
Remember:
In addition to this power point, Sections (starting on page 257) of your textbook can help you!
This is a resource to use as a guide – be sure to put your information into YOUR OWN WORDS
The interesting fact slides throughout the power point can help you with various pages throughout your book, so be sure to read them!

3. Lord-Vassal System Daimyo: Japanese lord with large landholdings
Daimyos hired Samurai to protect their land - making their own private army
In return, Samurai were given land if they were loyal to their lord (Daimyo)
Samurai became a vassal because they received land from a lord in return for their loyalty and protection

4. Lord-Vassal System (Part 2)
As a result a strict class system called a lord-vassal system arose
Samurai formed warrior class in Japan’s military society
Later, Samurai took jobs within bureaucracy

5. Weapons: Bows and arrows Spears Swords
Also fought using hand-to-hand combat

6. Which weapon was the Samurai’s most prized and why?
His sword
Samurai swords were finest swords in the world
Wearing a sword was a privilege and right of the samurai.
Swords were passed down through generations
Worn as sign of a samurai’s rank

7. What items did the Samurai wear to help protect himself?
*Metal sleeves for his arms
*Shoulder guards
*Mental panels for
over his hips
*Thigh guards
*Iron Mask
*Helmet
Wore kimono under his armor with baggy trousers
Shin-guards made of leather
Armor made of rows of small metal plates (making it strong and flexible

9. Interesting Fact: Samurais would burn incense in their helmets before putting them on so that their head would smell sweet if it were cut off in battle.

10. Interesting Fact: Before Samurais would fight each other in battle they would stand a few hundred yards apart facing each other and shout their name, ancestors, heroic deeds, and their reason for fighting.

11. Mental Training Went for days without eating
Marched barefoot in the snow
Held stiff postures for hours without complaining

12. How did they overcome the fear of death?
Samurai had to learn self-control to overcome emotions that might interfere with fighting, especially the fear of death.
To help they were told to think of themselves as already dead.
Meditation on inevitable death was performed daily

13. Interesting Fact:
Samurais were taught to never fully relax because an attack could come when it was least expected, so they were encouraged to develop a “sixth sense” about danger.

14. What were Samurai expected to be besides fierce warriors?
To show they were well-rounded, upper class, educated members of society samurai were expected to master a number of other skills besides fighting
Students of culture/well educated
Were to practice calligraphy
Write poetry
Study the proper way to perform a Tea Ceremony

15. Interesting Fact: The tea ceremony was thought to encourage a spirit of harmony, reverence, and calm. It also served as an important way to form political alliances among the samurai.

16. Which religion were most Samurais?
Most Samurai were Buddhist
Two forms were popular in Japan: Amida and Zen
Zen Buddhism was more popular among Samurais because of its emphasis on effort and discipline.

17. Interesting Fact: To help followers reach enlightenment Zen masters would pose puzzling questions for students to think about while meditating, such as: “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”

18. Bushido Code Bushido is the samurai code
Bushido means: “The Way of the Warrior”
Governed a Samurai’s life, instructing them to be honest, fair, and fearless in the face of death
Expected to value loyalty and personal honor even above their own lives.

19. Bushido Code 2
Samurai lived by bushido code which emphasized honor, loyalty, and bravery. HONOR was most highly valued by samurai
Bushido code eventually became Japan’s national code of conduct because it so appealed to the Japanese people

20. What was the price for failing to live up to the code of Bushido?
Seppuku which means ritual suicide.
A samurai might perform seppuku to:
Preserve personal honor and avoid capture
Punishment for a crime
Atone for a shameful deed
Atone for insulting a person of higher rank
When their lord died
As a form of protest against a wrong or injustice
To shame their lord into behaving better

21. Interesting Fact: Seppuku became an elaborate ceremony
Interesting Fact: Seppuku became an elaborate ceremony. Guests were invited. Samurai prepared by taking a bath, unbinding their long hair, and putting on the white clothes used for dressing a corpse. He was served his favorite foods, and when he finished eating a sword was placed on the tray. He took the sword and plunged it into and across his stomach, trying to make a complete circle. A swordsman standing behind him quickly cut off his head to end his agony.

22. Women in Samurai Society
Declined over time
In 12th century women warriors enjoyed honor and respect
By 17th century samurai women were treated as inferior to their husbands

23. Women in Samurai Society 2
Marriages were arranged
Pairs were made to increase a family’s position or wealth
Wives were expected to bear sons and look after husbands
Sometimes they were even expected to kill themselves when their husbands died

24. Interesting Fact: Samurai women were expected to get up early, go to bed late, spend their day weaving, sewing, spinning, and taking care of their husband and children. They had to stick to simple food and clothes and stay away from plays, singing, and other entertainment. Whereas peasant women had some respect and independence, in samurai families the women were completely under the men’s control.

25. Ninjas VS Samurai NINJAS SAMURAI
-Belonged to lower classes of Japanese society and did not follow a code of ethics when fighting -Considered hired mercenaries that would be willing to serve anyone who was willing to pay them their asking price in return for their services -Preferred sneak attacks, ambush, sabotage and smaller weapons such as Ninja Stars -Wore black outfits of cloth covering all but their eyes. To help from being seen at night
-Considered an elite class of Noblemen that followed the bushido code when they engaged in combat -Warriors that serve the ruling emperor without requiring a fee for their services
-Preferred fighting face-to-face. Used hand-to-hand combat weapons, including Samurai Swords
-Wore metal clad suits of armor

26. Interesting Fact:
Some ninjas were disgraced samurai who went into hiding instead of committing seppuku
Some samurai doubled as ninjas secretly for personal gain of wealth