The History of Samurai
The word samurai refers to the warrior class that existed in pre-modern Japan. Their origins can be traced back to the Heian Period (794-1185), where they were initially hired by rich landowners to protect their land from bandits. However, the samurai class gradually grew more and more powerful, and eventually ended up gaining total control over Japan, ruling over the country for nearly 700 years.
This resource is all about the history of samurai and is ideal for KS2 pupils, but could be adapted for KS3 too. Within this lesson, pupils will learn all about the rise and eventual fall of the samurai and the roles that they played in society; from the early Heian Period up to the Meiji Restoration. As well as this, pupils will uncover some of the many myths that still surround samurai through a fun myth vs reality activity, to help them better understand what real samurai were really like.
Download all lesson resources (Zip File 11.6 MB), or see below for the individual resources.
Please note that the PowerPoint Presentation is in Read-Only format, which will allow you to present the slideshow but not edit. For teachers who need editable version of any of the presentations for their classroom teaching, please contact us at education@japansociety.org.uk.
Learning Objectives
- To understand the significance of samurai in Japanese history.
- To evaluate statements about samurai and consider whether they are true or false.
Key Stage: upper KS2 - lower KS3
Lesson Duration: 50 minutes - 1 hour 10 minutes
Resources
- Background Notes for Teachers - PDF (423 KB)
- Lesson Plan - PDF (439 KB)
- Samurai Presentation - PPTX (10.6 MB)
- Myth vs Reality Cards - PDF (277 KB)
Additional Resources
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This lesson has been designed as part of a wider unit of lessons called The Japan Project.
>> Click here to view all The Japan Project lessons.