NAME   DATE   CLASS 

Guided Reading
The Civilizations of Korea and Japan

Lesson 2  Early Japan

ESSENTIAL QUESTION
•H
 ow does geography influence the
way people live?

Geography and Settlement

1. Describing In the appropriate columns below, describe the ways in
which the mountains and islands of Japan influenced its
development as a nation.

How Japan’s Geography Influenced Its Development

Mountains Islands
Because of all of the mountains, there was only a It caused Japan to become a very independent
small amount of farmland to be found, casuing place since the islands seperated Japan and the
people to fight over it. rest of china.

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2. Identifying Where did the first settlers to Japan come from? When
did they arrive?
They were porbably from northeastern asia, and they came around 300 B.C.E

3. Summarizing What innovations did the Yayoi people bring to Japan?

They showed farming, metalwork, and also pottery to the people of Japan.
NAME   DATE   CLASS 

Guided Reading  Cont.

The Civilizations of Korea and Japan

Shinto: Way of the Spirits

4. Defining What is animism ?
Animism is a belief or religoin where everything in nature has its own spirit.

5. Identifying Why were the kami important to the early Japanese?

They were sorts of spirits peopel could talk to, they also worshipped them at temples.

6. Analyzing Fill in the diagram below to answer the following

question: How did the practice of Shinto influence the
Japanese people?

Aminsim Kami spirits

Shinto

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Influences
on Japan

He creates
Animism a big
religion in that
time.
NAME   DATE   CLASS 

Guided Reading  Cont.

The Civilizations of Korea and Japan

Prince Shotoku
7. Summarizing Fill in the diagram below by listing Shotoku’s
main reforms.

Government
He reformed the government in order
to organize the government more.

Shotoku’s
Reforms
Religion
This religion or the Animism religion is
a belief where everything in nature has
its own spirit.

8. Explaining What was the Taika?

Taika was a great change Yamato made to strengthen their government

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9. Determining Cause and Effect  What was the result of the Taika reforms?
Their government strengthened alot.

The Nara Period

10. Comparing  How would you describe the new capital city, Nara?
It was a big city with many places and buildings.

11. Assessing How did Buddhism reach Japan?

It reached Japan from Korea in the 500s.