1. The Japanese believed that the
Emperor was a descendant of
the Sun Goddess.

2. But by the 1100s, the Japanese
Emperor was weak. His lords
would no longer obey him.

3. No longer obeying the emperor, Lords refused to pay their taxes.

4. Feudalism developed in Japan.

5. In a feudal system, the ruler is weak.
powerful lords exchange land for
military service.

6. The most powerful lord in Japan
became the Shogun.

7. The Shogun became the military
dictator of Japan. All Japanese
lords had to obey the Shogun.

8. The Lords of Japan were known as
the Daimyo. They owned vast estates
of land and had private armies.

9. Serving in private armies were the
Samurai. The Samurai were skilled
warriors similar to Medieval knights.

10. The Samurai had to follow the Code of Bushido.

11. Like the knight’s code of chivalry,
the Code of Bushido was a set
of rules for samurai to follow.

12. A samurai had to be loyal to his
Daimyo and Shogun. He had to
show no emotion.

13. If a samurai did not adhere to the Code of Bushido, he lost honor.

14. The only way for a samurai to regain
lost honor was to commit suicide.

15. Feudalism in Japan created a new
fixed class system and a new set
of rules for society.