Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The 47 Ronin-
Sharing Power
Strict Laws
Laws established by the
shogunate controlled many
aspects of the daimyos lives,
such as dress and marriage.
They also required the
daimyo to pay for projects,
such as road building in their
territories. This restricted
their wealth.
A Feudal Society
The story of the 47 Ronin illustrates three
of the levels of Japanese society: the
emperor, the nobility, and the samurai.
Japan had a feudal system which was
based on land; local lords controlled the
domains and they supported themselves
by collecting taxes from peasant farmers.
The rigid social structure was intended to
help the shogun maintain control.
Membership in each class was
hereditary, or determined by birth.
Although people could not move up in the
hierarchy, people in lower levels did
sometimes manage to improve their
situation through hard work, talent, or
gaining wealth.
Roles In Society
With a partner, list all the classes in the Japanese hierarchy. Write a
brief description about the roles of each class and explain the
reasoning behind their position.
The Samurai
The Peasants
The Artisans
The Merchants
Women in Edo Society
Outcasts