HIST 1007 Chapter : History828
Document Summary
Japan flips from war to peace often geographically isolated. Very hard to conquer islands (such as britain) homogenous. Adopt some aspects of buddhism japanese language and written japanese do not match up well protectionist tendencies high population density. Much of japan is mountainous and uninhabitable rice farming and fishing religion: Syncretism picks and chooses different aspects of many religions shintoism: focus on here and now. Priests have families buddhism: focus on afterlife. Nirvana= heaven shinto priest would bless the crops buddhist shrine at a funeral belief in afterlife characteristics of japanese rule: Known as the samurai at the top of society 7% of pop. Soldiers were given a grant of land for fighting. Samurai organized peasants into armies armed peasants. Peasants feel oppressed begin killing their landlords, neighbors, etc. Muskets not very effective, takes a long time to reload japanese quickly figure out how to use muskets effectively. 300,000 japanese converted to christianity over a few decades.
