Abstract:

From 1603-1868, Japan virtually closed its doors to contact with the outside world. During more than 250 years of relative isolation and peace, the people of Japan focused inward. The nation underwent dramatic changes, which paved the way for Japan's rapid modernization in the 19th century. The eight lessons in this curriulum unit use art, poetry, philosophy, and government documents to help students explore Confucianism, Tokugawa political ideology, social class structure, and various art forms as reflections of social and economic change.