Medieval Japan

Samurai1185-1868

Essential Standards

• 6.H.2 Understand the political, economic and/or social significance of historical events, issues, individuals and cultural groups.

• 6.C.1 Explain how the behaviors and practices of individuals and groups influenced societies, civilizations and regions.

• 6.C&G.1 Understand the development of government in various civilizations, societies and regions.

Clarifying Objectives• 6.H.2.3 Explain how innovation and/or technology transformed civilizations, societies

and regions over time (e.g., agricultural technology, weaponry, transportation and communication).

• 6.C.1.2 Explain how religion transformed various societies, civilizations and regions (e.g., beliefs, practices and spread of Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism).

• 6.C.1.1 Analyze how cultural expressions reflected the values of civilizations, societies and regions (e.g., oral traditions, art, dance, music, literature, and architecture).

• 6.C&G.1.4 Compare the role (e.g. maintain order and enforce societal values and beliefs) and evolution of laws and legal systems (e.g. need for and changing nature of codified system of laws and punishment) in various civilizations, societies and regions.

Essential Questions• What invention/innovation was made and used by

Japanese Samurai soldiers?

• What religion was among chief importance in the Samurai culture?

• What were Haiku poems centered around & how did they relate to Japanese Samurai culture?

• What was the coded law system that the Samurai lived by?

Samurai (To Serve)• The word Samurai in the

Japanese language means to SERVE

• This is what the Samurai did

• The Samurai were warriors that stayed with a Noble (lord) in return the Samurai pledged to protect to the death

• http://www.history.com/topics/samurai-and-bushido/videos#deconstructing-history-samurai

Samurai Culture

• The Samurai were a warrior culture

• They built their culture on RESPECT, HONOR & DISCIPLINE

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMT1r9IpIf0

Japanese Civil War

• Samurai were separated into many different clans (kind of like city states)

• They warred against one another for hundreds of years

Samurai Training• Samurai warriors began

training at a young age

• The Samurai culture was one more based upon trusting & respecting your weapons, horse & skill

• The Samurai trained in…① Horsemanship② Archery③ Swordsmanship

Horsemanship• Horsemanship was the

first skill that a young Samurai in training would learn

• From their horses they would be able to shoot their enemies with arrows or attack ride through and clip their enemies with their swords

Archery

• Skill in archery was a must for the Samurai

• This would allow the Samurai to ride in on horseback & kill their enemy from a distance

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhNArfdql2Y

Swordsmanship • The Samurai sword was a part of

a warriors soul

• The Samurai lived by the sword and became masters at a young age

• The two swords they carried were the Katana blade & Wakizashi

• The Samurai sword is still known to this day as some of the sharpest swords in history

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yP9MmzyTIg

Essential Questions

• Get with a partner and answer….

• What invention/innovation was made and used by Japanese Samurai soldiers?

Samurai Bushido Code• Bushido Code was the

moral code that all Samurai lived by

• It contained 7 principles that the Samurai followed in their lives

• It was their form of LAW or CONSTITUTION (law of the land)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HjBQ-A7vnw

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3OFepEs2Z4

Essential Questions

• Get with a partner and answer….

• What was the coded law system that the Samurai lived by?

Cherry Blossom Life

• The Samurai say their life was like a Cherry Blossom

• It was beautiful & brief

• Samurai were always prepared for death although they didn’t seek it

Haiku Poems• Haiku poetry is a three line poem

• The poems are always about NATURE

• Nature was extremely important to the Japanese culture

• Haiku poems have 3 lines

• First line is 5 syllables • Second line is 7 syllables • Third line is 5 syllables

Essential Questions

• Get with a partner and answer….

• What were Haiku poems centered around & how did they relate to Japanese Samurai culture?

Buddhism

• Every morning the Samurai would pray

• They would meditate to enter a state of DIVINE strength

• They would achieve their NIRVANA

Essential Questions

• Get with a partner and answer….

• What religion was among chief importance in the Samurai culture?

Samurai Armor• Samurai armor was strong but

light

• It was made of overlapping strips of iron tied together with silk chords so the warrior could move around freely

• They wore iron shin & arm guards & bearskin boots

• Helmets were made of iron with a neck guard to protect the hair

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzTukyBXcGM

Protecting Their Hair• The Samurai warriors wore

helmets that draped down their necks to protect their hair

• In Samurai culture long hair was a symbol of being Samurai

• Having your hair cut off meant that you have been defeated & that now everyone would be able to see your defeat

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83_Gq47n3-0

Samurai Enemy Heads• Samurai warriors would try to

kill as many of their enemies as possible

• They would bring back the heads of their enemies for inspection

• Samurai warriors bringing back the most heads or heads of enemy leaders were honored and given land

Seppuku (Death of a Samurai)

• Seppuku is death of a Samurai by killing themselves

• If a Samurai was ordered to die by the Shogun

• http://www.history.com/topics/samurai-and-bushido/videos#seppuku

Downfall of the Samurai• Downfall of the Samurai came

at the hands of firearms

• Samurai by the thousands were killed as the Samurai brought their ancient weapons which were no match for guns

• The last Samurai people died around 1500’s

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCtuZ-fDL2E

EOG Questions• Why did some ancient civilizations write and publish their

laws?

• A) to allow patricians and plebeians to read and vote for the laws

• B) to record the laws so that historians would understand ancient culture

• C) to ensure that citizens of the civilization would read and understand the laws

• D) to guarantee that each politician received a personal copy of the printed laws

Important Points• 6.H.2.3 (Innovations

Weapons) The Samurai innovated swords to create the Katana Blade & Wakazashi. These swords were seen as part of the warrior’s soul

• 6.C.1.2 (Religion) The Samurai were Buddhists. They would pray before battles for Divine Strength

• 6.C.1.1 (Literature) Japanese Samurai wrote Haiku Poems which were poems about NATURE because NATURE was so important in their culture

• 6.C&G.1.4 (Coded Law Systems) BUSHIDO LAW system was the code that all Samurai lived by. It was centered around respect