Japan and China’s
Absolute Rulers
SSWH 11 a
Describe the policies of
Tokugawa and Qing rulers; Oda
Nobunaga and Kangxi.
Japan’s Unrest: 1467-1568
•Daimyo, warrior
chieftains, became lords
and gave protection,
homes, & work to the
peasants
Oda Nobunaga
• Brutal daimyo, who fought to
control & attempts to unify
Japan
• Defeated his rivals & took
control of the Kyoto – 1568
• Ruled the empire by force, never
unified Japan – committed
suicide
Tokugawa Unites Japan
• Tokugawa Ieyasu completes
unification in 1600
• Became Shogun, sole ruler, in
3 years: defeats rivals & gains
loyalty of daimyos
• He moves the capital to Edo
(Tokyo)
• Daimyos still governed locally,
to keep them from rebelling
Tokugawa forced them to stay
in the capital every other year
“Alternate Attendance Policy”
• Law became mightier than the
sword
• Tokugawa Shogunate (military
family) ruled until 1867, giving
Japan order
China’s Unrest: 1400s-1600s
•ineffective rulers,
corrupt officials, & the
govt. went bankrupt
caused civil strife
Qing Dynasty
• 1644 – Manchus invaded China
and overthrew Ming dynasty
• Manchus took name Qing &
ruled for 260 years
• Fought many rebellious
Chinese but slowly gained
respect
•Kept Confuscian ideas
and teachings & social
structures
•Restored China’s
prosperity and made
the country safer for
travel
Kangxi of Qing Dynasty
• Emperor of China, 1661, ruled
for 60 years
• Reduced govt. expenses &
lowered taxes
• Educated man, socialized with
artists, & foreigners (gave some
jobs within the govt.)