Name
Date
REVIEW
CALIFORNIA CONTENT
STANDARD 7.5.6
Military Society and
the Role of the Samurai
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: Analyze the rise of a military society in the late
twelfth century and the role of the samurai in that society.
Read the information to answer questions on the next page.
Year
1192
Military Government
Minamoto Yoritomo won control over the other daimyo.
He established the Kamakura
shogunate. A shogunate is the
government of a hereditary military dictator. His government
had many powers, although the
emperor was still seen as the
legal authority.
Mongols attempted to invade
Japan. They were defeated
because of the weather and the
efforts of the samurai.
The Ashikaga shogunate was
established. It ruled for about a
hundred years, but it began to
lose power in the 1400s.
Role of the Samurai
The samurai had the highest social status. They
began to develop their own culture closely tied to
Zen Buddhism. They became known for their military
skills, their acceptance of duty, their courage, and
their loyalty.
1500s
Under a weak Ashikaga shogunate, land-holding samurai
fought among themselves in a
series of civil wars.
The power of the samurai increased.
1603–
1867
Tokugawa Ieyasu finished the
process of unifying Japan. He
established the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for
more than two hundred years.
The Tokugawa shogunate enforced a class system in
which the samurai were at the top. The samurai, however, had no real function because it was a period of
peace. As a result, many took jobs in the bureaucracy
or in other occupations. The samurai culture initially
flourished, but later, its simplicity could not compete
with the attractions of the sophisticated city lifestyle.
In addition, many of the samurai were on a fixed
income and suffered economic hardship.
1274–
1281
Copyright © McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company
1338
The samurai improved their methods of combat. The
sword became the primary weapon of the samurai.
The samurai developed the customs thought of as
typically Japanese. These included the tea-drinking
ceremony and flower arranging, both a part of the
Japanese culture today. A greater sense of bushido
grew. The samurai held the virtues of bravery, honor,
and personal loyalty above life itself.
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Name
Date
PRACTICE
CALIFORNIA CONTENT
STANDARD 7.5.6
Military Society and
the Role of the Samurai
DIRECTIONS: Choose the letter of the best answer.
4 During which age did the customs
associated with the Japanese and
samurai culture particularly flourish?
A Samurai loyalty began to shift to
the shogun.
A Ashikaga shogunate
B
Kamakura shogunate
B
Samurai fought more fiercely for
their local lords.
C
Mongol invasions
C
The samurai no longer needed to
fight in battles.
D Samurai took on roles in the
government.
2 Why did the power of the samurai
increase during the end of the
Ashikaga shogunate?
A They moved to the top of the
social hierarchy.
B
The authority of the central
government declined.
C
They developed their own culture.
D The bushido guided their conduct.
3 In what way is a shogunate different
from an imperial state?
A Under a shogunate, the emperor
has little real power.
B
An imperial state has a strong
army and navy.
C
The bureaucracy controls all of
the power in a shogunate.
D Tokugawa shogunate
5 What was one major influence on
the samurai culture?
A their love of fighting
B
their position in society
C Zen Buddhism
D Shintoism
6 Why did the samurai enter other
occupations during the Tokugawa
shogunate?
A The profession of samurai was
outlawed.
B
They wanted to extend their
influence throughout society.
C
They wanted to reach a higher
level in society.
D The prolonged period of peace
left them without a real purpose.
Copyright © McDougal Littell/Houghton Mifflin Company
1 What change in the samurai resulted
from the establishment of the
Kamakura shogunate?
D Rulers in an imperial state inherit
their positions.
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