What was the difference between Japanese Samurai and European Knights
W orld H is to ry M r. M attk e N am e: What were the dif ferences between Japanese Samurai and European Knights ( Documents ) H is to ric a l C on te x t T im elin e D ocu m en t A : S ocia l C la sse s S ourc e: c h arts c o m pile d f ro m v ario us s o urc es 1 . I n J a p an , w hat w as t h e r e la tio nsh ip b etw een s a m ura i a n d d aim yos? H ow i s t h is s im ila r t o t h e r e la tio nsh ip b etw een k nig hts a n d l o rd s i n E uro pe? T hey b oth f o ught 2 . W ho w as a t t h e b otto m o f s o cie ty i n E uro pe? J a p an ? W hy d o y ou b elie v e t h is w as t h e c ase ? D ocu m en t B : L oyalt y S ourc e: C ath erin e B lo m berg , T he H ea rt o f a W arrio r: O rig in s a nd R elig io us B ackg ro und o f t h e S am ura i S yste m i n F eu dal J a pan , C urz o n P re ss, 1 994. 1 . W hat e vid en ce i s t h ere t h at t h e r e la tio nsh ip b etw een a s a m ura i a n d h is d aim yo w ere s tr o ng ? H ow d oes t h is d if f e r f ro m t h e r e la tio nsh ip b etw een a E uro pean k nig ht a n d h is l o rd ? 2 . B ase d o n t h is r e ad in g, w hat w as a n i m porta n t s im ila rity b etw een k nig hts a n d s a m ura i? D iffe re n ce ? D ocu m en t C : M ilit a ry T ra in in g S ourc e 1 S ourc e: a d ap te d f ro m t h e P B S s e rie s “ Ja p an : M em oir s o f a S ecre t E m pir e ,” 2 004. S ourc e 2 S ourc e: a d ap te d f ro m t h e P B S s e rie s “ W arrio r C halle n ge,” 2 003. 1 . W hat a re t h re e e xa m ple s o f t r a in in g r e ceiv ed b y y oung s a m ura i h opefu ls ? W hat a re t h re e e xa m ple s o f t r a in in g r e ceiv ed b y p ag es h opin g t o b eco m e k n ig hts ? 2 . A t w hat a ge d id o ne b eco m e a s a m ura i i n J a p an c o m pare d t o a s q uir e b eco m in g a k nig ht i n E uro pe? 3 . B ase d o n t h ese r e ad in gs, w hat w ere t h e m ain d iffe re n ces b etw een s a m ura i a n d k nig hts ? D ocu m en t D : A rm or S ourc e: S am ura i f ro m “ E arly J a p an ese I m ag es” b y T erry B en nett; K nig ht f ro m “ A rt R eso urc e.” 1 . B oth t h e s a m ura i a n d k nig hts f o ught o n h ors e b ack . W ho w ould h av e b een i n m ore t r o uble i f t h ey w ere k nock ed o ff o f t h eir h ors e , a n d w hy ? I b elie v e t h at t h e K nig hts w ould b e i n m ore t r o uble b ecau se t h eir a rm or w as h eav y a n d m ad e o f s te el a n d n ot e asy t o m an eu ver i n 2 . M ilita ry h is to ria n s s p eak o f t h e d if f e re n ce b etw een “ sh ock ” w arfa re ( s tr ik in g t h e e n em y w ith w eap ons l ik e s w ord s, l a n ces, o r a x es), a n d “ p ro je ctile ” w arfa re ( s h ootin g o r t h ro w in g a rro w s, j a v elin s, a n d b ulle ts ). J u dgin g f ro m t h eir a rm or, w hic h k in d o f w arfa re w as f o ught b y s a m ura i a n d k nig hts ? F or e ach , p le ase e x pla in y our t h in kin g. T hey w ere a m ix o f b oth b ut I t h in k t h ey w ere m ore “ sh ock ” w arfa re b ecau se t h ey b oth w ore a rm or a n d s p ecia liz ed i n c lo se c o m bat 3 . B ase d o n t h ese i m ag es, w hat i s o ne s im ila rity a n d o ne d if f e re n ce b etw een s a m ura i a n d k nig hts ? O ne s im ila rity i s t h at t h eir “ arm or” c o vere d t h eir e n tir e b ody, a n d d if f e re n ces t h e K nig hts a rm or w as m uch h eav ie r a n d l e ss m an eu vera b le i n D ocu m en t E : C od es o f H on or S ourc e 1 S ourc e: Y am ag a S oko, T he W ay o f t h e S am ura i , 1 600’s S ourc e 2 S ourc e: S ir T hom as M alo ry , L e M orte d ’A rth ur , c a. 1 470 1 . W hat a re t h e m ain c h ara cte ris tic s o f “ b ush id o” a n d “ ch iv alr y ?” 2 . I n w hat w ay s d o y ou b elie v e t h e “ m aste rle ss” s a m ura i ( ro nin ) c o uld b eco m e a p ro ble m ? 3 . H ow d o t h ese c o des o f h onor i llu str a te t h e d iffe re n ces b etw een k nig hts a n d s a m ura i? S im ila ritie s ? D ocu m en t F : V ie w s o n D ea th S ourc e 1 S ourc e: b oth a re a ttr ib ute d t o J a p an ese S am ura i i n t h e 1 400’s S ourc e 2 S ourc e: f ir s t p ublis h ed c a.1 1 00, t h e o ld est m ajo r s u rv iv in g w ork o f F re n ch l ite ra tu re 1 . W hat a re t h e m ain p oin ts o f e ach o f t h e s a m ura i p oem s? T hey b oth u nders ta n d d eath , a n d h ow q uic k ly i t c an c o m e i f w e g iv e u p o n o urs e lv es, a n d g o d ow n b ad p ath s, e tc 2 . H ow w ould y ou d esc rib e t h e F re n ch k nig ht’s v ie w o f l ife ? A ccep ts d eath a n d g iv es i s h an d t o g od a fte r c o nfe ssin g h is g uilt a n d b eg s f o r m erc y f o r a ll t h e s in s t h ey c o m mitte d , a n d h ow t h ey h av e l o st t o d eath 3 . I n g en era l, w ere t h e r e sp onse s t o d eath b etw een t h e t w o m ore s im ila r o r d iffe re n t ? E xpla in . T hey a re m ore s im ila r b ecau se t h ey b oth a ccep te d d eath i n l if e