Download - 5-1 Notes: Early Japan
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5-1 Notes: Early Japan
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Japan’s Geography• Japan is a chain of islands
(over 3,000) in the Pacific Ocean
• Most of Japan covered by mountains, volcanoes – only 20% of land is suitable for farming
• To meet food needs, many Japanese turned to the sea
• Constant contact with sea compelled the Japanese to build many villages by the sea and trade by boat
• Japan was difficult to reach, and so it developed a uniquely independent culture
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Japan’s First Settlers• Earliest settlers arrived in
Japan between 30,000 and 10,000 B.C.E.
• Around 300 B.C.E., a new group of people (named the Yayoi because of the location of their remains) arrived
• Yayoi introduced farming, growing rice in paddies, and pottery
• Also skilled metalworkers who made axes, knives, and hoes (iron), and swords, spears, and bells (bronze)
• By A.C.E. 300, Yayoi began to organize themselves into clans, or groups of families related by blood or marriage
• Clans were run by warriors who protected the people in return for portions of harvest
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The Yamato & Prince Shotoku• 500 A.C.E. – Yamato clan strong
enough to rule most of Japan – Jimmu, the Yamato leader, took the title “emperor of heaven,” – His line has never been broken
• 600 A.C.E. – Shotoku, a Yamato prince, takes power on behalf of his aunt, empress suiko
• Shotoku was heavily influenced by China
• Created a constitution in which all power was given to the emperor – Most rules based upon Confucianism
• Built many Buddhist temples around Japan
• 646 A.C.E. (after Shotoku), the Yamato began the Taika, or Great Change – This divided Japan into provinces and allowed government officials to collect taxes instead of clan leaders
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Shinto• Early Japanese believed
that all natural things (even winds, mountains, rivers etc.) were alive and had a spirit
• This belief is called animism
• When people needed help, they asked nature spirits, called kami, for help
• To honor the kami, the Japanese performed rituals (involving dancers, musicians, and priests) at shrines
• These early beliefs evolved into Shinto, or “way of the spirits,” one of Japan’s oldest religions