Ap World History Unit 2 Essay

Words: 735
Pages: 3

In the era before the Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan was a country littered with military warlords violently clashing in an attempt to further their power and territory. The Ashikaga family, in power during this time, failed to extend wide political control. Provincial lords, called daimyo, had increasingly violent rivalries, which climaxed in the nin War in 1467-1477 (“Japan, 1400-1600 A.D.”). This war resulted in the collapse of the shogun’s, or military dictator, power. The country entered a century of warfare and instability known as the Sengoku, the Age of Country at War. In 1549, a Jesuit priest named Francis Xavier came to Japan (Munez). He introduced Christianity to Japan for the first time. Some daimyo converted to the religion because of a desire for …show more content…
The introduction and spread of Christianity posed a significant threat to the authority of the Japanese government and the Shogun. The fundamental pillar of Christianity, which posits God as the supreme authority, was perceived as a potential catalyst for rebellion and social unrest. In an effort to maintain public trust and societal stability, Shogun Iemitsu instituted a ban on Christianity. Concurrently, Christianity was viewed as a harbinger of increasing Western influence. The Japanese government, apprehensive of losing sovereignty, responded by implementing preventative measures, including the ban on Christianity, to prevent this influence. This strategic response underscores the lengths to which the Tokugawa Shogunate was willing to go to protect its political structure and maintain societal order. Japan enacted a self-isolation in the Tokugawa Shogunate due to the threat of foreign colonization. During the 1600s, the world became globalized for the first time. This involved the establishment of new trade routes and the European exploration of the Americas, but it also involved the harsh