Establishment and Consolidation of the Tokugawa Shogunate
– Tokugawa Ieyasu became the first shōgun and gained power through his transfer to the Kantō area.
– Ieyasu seized control from the Toyotomi clan after Hideyoshi’s death.
– Ieyasu’s victory at the Battle of Sekigahara gave him control over all of Japan.
– He abolished enemy daimyo houses and redistributed the spoils of war.
– Ieyasu assumed the title of shōgun, consolidating the alliance system.
– His son Hidetada became shōgun in 1605.
– The Tokugawa army destroyed the Toyotomi stronghold at Osaka in 1615.
Political System and Power Structure during the Edo Period
– The political system was known as bakuhan, combining bakufu and han.
– The shōgun had national authority, while the daimyo had regional authority.
– The Tokugawa gained land, control of important cities, and great revenues.
– The tozama daimyo were cautiously managed and excluded from central government positions.
– The Tokugawa shogunate had unprecedented power over the emperor, court, and religious orders.
Foreign Trade Relations and Persecution of Christians
– Ieyasu encouraged foreign trade but was suspicious of outsiders.
– He controlled existing trade and limited certain ports for specific commodities.
– The Nanban trade period with Europe occurred at the beginning of the Edo period.
– Japan built ocean-going warships and commissioned Red Seal Ships for commerce.
– Restrictions on foreign trade and Christianity increased over time.
– The shogunate targeted Christianity as a destabilizing factor.
– Restrictions on Christianity and foreign trade were enforced.
– The Closed Country Edict of 1635 prohibited Japanese from leaving or returning.
– The Dutch were restricted to Dejima, an artificial island in Nagasaki.
– The Shimabara Rebellion marked the end of the Christian movement in Japan.
Society and Social Structure during the Edo Period
– Social order based on inherited position.
– Emperor and court nobles at the top, followed by samurai, peasants, craftsmen, and merchants in different classes.
– Samurai lived in cities, peasants in rural areas.
– Elaborate social structure with each family knowing their place.
– Emperor and court nobility had prestige but weak power.
– Shogun, daimyo, and feudal lords had power.
– Daimyo controlled land and had samurai retainers.
– Samurai became civil servants with minor duties.
– Upper strata focused on rituals, arts, and tea ceremony.
– Peasants formed the majority of the population and lived in villages controlled by officials.
– Eta and hinin classes were considered outsiders and faced discrimination.
– Burakumin and hinin classes abolished in 1871 but discrimination continued.
Economic Development and Population Growth during the Edo Period
– Flourishing urban centers and well-developed financial systems.
– Increased shipping and expansion of commerce.
– Growth of trade and handicraft industries.
– Han authorities oversaw agriculture and rural handicrafts.
– Japan was highly urbanized, with Edo as a major center.
– Population of Japan around 1721: close to 30 million.
– Population of Japan around the Meiji Restoration (around 150 years later): around 32 million.
– Lower birth rates during the Edo period.
– Widespread famine during the Great Tenmei famine (1782-1788).
– Infanticide as a possible means of population control.
– Impact of the Great Tenmei famine on birth rates.
– Population surveys conducted during the Edo period.
– Limited population growth over a span of around 150 years.
– Influence of population stagnation on social and economic development.
– Challenges faced by the government in managing resources and infrastructure.
– Importance of population data for studying historical periods. Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edo_period
