Overview of the Edo Period Lesson

In this lesson, students will examine the key political, social and cultural developments of Japan's Edo Period, exploring how the Tokugawa shogunate established and maintained control through a rigid class system and strict isolationist policies. They will also investigate how the period produced significant shifts in Japanese society, including the transformation of the samurai class, the growth of merchant power and the flourishing of popular culture through art forms such as Kabuki theatre. Students will have the opportunity to achieve this through choosing their own method of learning, from reading and research options, as well as the chance to engage in extension activities. This lesson includes a self-marking quiz for students to demonstrate their learning.