Japanese Feudalism Dbq Analysis

Feudalism was a key component of life for those in both Western Europe and Japan. The two systems developed independently from each other yet still held a multitude of similarities. However, their many differences out shadow the unique parallels they shared. The major discrepancies between the two are found in each’s code, structure and regulations.

In the world of samurais and knights, there are similarities and differences. According to the three areas of study, there are more similarities than differences. The documents will show more similarities than differences.

Tokugawa Japan + Medieval Europe Medieval Europe and Tokugawa Japan lived in seclusion to each other, and yet there were many uncanny similarities between Tokugawa Japan and Medieval Europe. In Medieval Europe there were many key features of the social system that were introduced at the time. The social system of Medieval Europe was called Feudalism. Feudalism puts the King in charge of everything and everyone, with barons and nobles underneath him. The nobles provide loyalty and knights to the king in return for land to control.

Feudalism: Japan vs. Europe Feudalism changed the way people lived their everyday life. There was a point where people had to rely on others for stabilization and support. Though there is only one purpose of feudalism, it had different effects throughout the world. European feudalism was based on contract where as Japanese feudalism was based on personal relationship with the lords and vassals.

The societies of Tokugawa Japan (c.1603-1867C.E.) and medieval Europe (c.1000-1500C.E.) had two things in common; a feudal system. A feudal system is something that features hierarchies or social structures. The feudal system normally starts with a religion, which is at the very top of the social pyramid, then it’s the King or monarch for Europe and the shogun for Japan, then there are the nobles for Europe and the daimyos for Japan. As we go down the pyramid there are the warriors, like the knight in Europe and the samurai in Japan, then there are the peasants. The peasants were included in both eras and are at the lowest part of the pyramid.

Samurai and Knights: Were the Similarities Greater Than the Differences? Japan and Europe had unique lifestyles, one part being its military. It consisted of archers, who wielded bows and skilled swordsmen, called samurai. In Europe however, their military consisted of archers and swordsmen called knights. These two military figures share many similarities between each other, outweighing the differences.

Feudalism is a system of governing and landholding. Nobles were able to use land that belonged to the king and in return, the nobles pledged their loyalty and military services to them ( doc 1 ). The feudal system was based on rights and obligations. The manor was the economic side of the feudal system. The manor was a system where the lord’s lands was taken care of by his serfs ( doc 2 ).

Japan’s rich history of power, wealth, and influence had many remarkable eras. One of the more notable periods in Japanese history was that of the Tokugawa Period (1600-1868). The Tokugawa Period was talked about in Musui’s Story, an autobiographical book, written by Kokichi Katsu. (Katsu ix) Katsu wrote Musui’s Story for three main reasons: to share how he had transformed from a low-ranking samurai to a well-known hero, to show his sense of self, and to serve as a cautionary tale for his descendants. He showed his sense of self when he became his own person with spirits, shrewdness, and imagination. (xviii) His transformation was proven in his journey of risk taking, danger, family, and friendships that can be told the next generation as well

A social code called chivalry was created for knights in medieval Europe, stressing ideas such as courage, loyalty, and devotion which is seen as a good thing. The ideal knight was loyal, brave courageous, and protected the weak and poor, but most knights failed to do this, treating the lower classes brutally (Doc 5). Gothic style architecture could also be considered part of the Golden Age because of its extravagance. Unfortunately, large churches called Cathedrals were built in the style using the church's dirty money; it showed off the church’s wealth (Doc 9). The time period could be called Golden since older knowledge was preserved and influenced the future.

In the 1500s and the 1600s the feudal system was beginning to fall. Different countries were trying new different types of governments instead of the dysfunctional feudal system. The feudal system consisted of many different nobles ruling over their own land. It was not a uniform system of ruling over the country. There were small city-states run by a singular ruler.

During the Middle Ages, the prevailing system of government was feudalism. Under feudalism, there was the use of a definite social structure. People were born into a social class and usually stayed in that class for the rest of their life. The three social classes were the nobility, clergy, and peasantry and each of these classes had different roles to perform in the society.

In this case the Japan and Europe are being classified. The samurais and knights are more alike than different mostly because of the social positions in their communities when they are classified on the social pyramids of Japan for the Samurai and Europe for the Knight. In one of the documents I have read (Document A) it shows the Classification for Japan and Europe. The Samurai and the Knight are both classified in the middle of each pyramid underneath the Shogun and the King but above the peasants in both societies. Also in Document B with Catharina Blomberg as the source it talks about being loyal to their lords.

The concept of Chivalry has baffled countless medieval historians throughout the years. Chivalry was supposedly a code that knights and nobles lived their lives by. Similarly to other social structures that were in place in the past historians have struggled to draw conclusions as to the extent to which people lived according to chivalric principles. Sir Walter Scott believed that knights aspired to the code of chivalry, but that in the real world the code was impossible to live according to such a code. This conclusion gives a clear picture of chivalry.

The men in some ways were generous to their wives. They are also showing people what true knights were supposed to act like in the medieval time period. In the movie, the knights show respect to all of the people. In the stories Sir Gawain and the Green knight, and Morte D’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory. They show how the knights end up showing that they are well educated, and respectful to the people that they meet.

Many think of chivalry as a man holding the door open for a women or taking her coat, but men are not the only ones to perform acts of chivalry. Women as well should be performing these acts. Chivalry can be compared to altruism, simply meaning selfless actions for others. Chivalry can be found in today's society,however, it seems to be dying and we as a society need to work to keep it alive.