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The feudal hierachy was divided into two levels, nobility and peasants. The Emperor and Shogun, Daimyo, and samurai were all part of the Nobility class, The Emperor was a figure-head ruler as the Shogun held all the power. The Japanese feudal system was hereditory and did not change. You could not move up in society and you were born into your class.
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The Shogun of Japan felt that loyalty to a Christian god was a threat to his authority. He heard rumours of takeover plots and destroyed anything Christian. Seventy missionaries were killed the rest were forced to leave. Newcomers were not welcome.
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The Shogun wanted to cut off all contact with the outside world to stay in isolation. He passed isolation or exclusion laws. These are the terms: All Christian missonaries were forced to leave and no newcomers were welcome, Japanese were not allowed to leave, large ships were no longer built so no one could go one long voyages, Japanese who left couldn't return, and foreign obgects, ioncluding bibles and scientific books, were banned.
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Peace and prosperity in Edo Japan caused the arts and culture to be able to flourish.
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During Isolation there was little foreign trade but the Japanese continued to trade with the Chinese, Korean, and Dutch. The population in urban centers increased.
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The Shogun banned all foreigners except Dutch, Korean, and Chinese traders. The Dutch were only allowed in the harbour of the city Nagasaki. The Shogun thought that the isolation policy was the only way to protect his power and the Japanese culture.
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The Five Charter Oath was put into place by the Emperor Meiji and opened the doors for modernization and weternization of the country. It contained five points. 1. Matters in the Government should be delt with with by public discussion. 2. All classes of society should follow the plan of the Government. 3. All classes should be able to take a part in Government. 4. Ways of the past will discontinue and new ways will be based on lawes of nature. 5. Knowledge will spread to promote the Empire.
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Yukichi Fukuzawa wrote the essay "Leaving Asia" saying that he thought Japan should become part of the civilized Western countries and leave the backwards Korea and China. He was worried that Japan would be taken over. Japan needed to update their economy and their government. He thought that the Shogun shouldn't hold the power.
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In order to undergo Westernization Japan sent many Japanese to Europe and the United States to learn the western ways. They studied many things including ship building, military, factories, and medicine. They took notes on banks, museums, armies, law courts, and churches. When they arrived in Japan they took the information to the government.
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Japan gradually took over Asian markets of manufactured goods primarily in textiles. The economic system changed to mercantilism where the government controlled the trade of the goods. Japan taking over Asia's markets gave oppurtunities for work and made them a stronger, richer country.
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The government forced the Ainu people to work in the fishing industry or farm plots of land. This was a way of assimilating them. The government took away their culture and language in order to make this possible.
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The introduction of telegraphs made huge changes to the way Japanese lived. They no longer had to travel in boats to other cities to talk, trade or sread knowledge and ideas. The telegraph made it easy to contact other Japanese in other cities.
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The Imperial Diet was a type of government with two different levels. The Upper House, House of Peers, consisted of around 300 people and were responsible for representing the quality of Japan. They also had to check upon the Lower House. in this level were Nobility and Appointees. The Lower House, House of Representitives, also consisted of around 300 people. The power they had was mostly negative. This way of government was a huge change to the Japanese from their old ways of the Shogunate.
