This sophomore seminar is designed to introduce students to key issues in early modern and modern history by focusing on the emergence of the early modern Japanese state. In the mid-15th century, Japan splintered into an unstructured coalition of fiefdoms under the control of independent warlords. By the mid-17th century, the Tokugawa Shogun tightly ruled the country. This was the result of technological changes in warfare, including the use of firearms, that brought about a revolution in military affairs. Also of key importance were economic changes, including international trade, and ideological changes that arose through European influence. Each of these categories will be examined in some detail, showing how the early modern Japanese state emerged, in part, as a result of global change. |