Unit 20: Paper 3 (HL) — History of Asia & Oceania
Topic 20.2: Japan in the Age of the Samurai (1180–1333) Questions
Practice 20 exam-style questions for IB History Topic 20.2. Review the question stems below, then unlock the full Question Bank to access markschemes, model answers, and AI grading.
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Which weapon was the primary skill of an early Kamakura-period samurai warrior?
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Examine the causes of the Gempei War (1180-1185) in Japan.
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Evaluate the reasons for the Minamoto victory over the Taira in the Gempei War (1180-1185).
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Discuss the significance of the establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate for the government of Japan.
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Compare and contrast the rise to power of Minamoto no Yoritomo in Japan (1180-1192) with the rise to power of Genghis Khan among the Mongol tribes (to 1206).
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Analyse the impact of the Gempei War (1180-1185) on the position of the Japanese emperor.
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Examine the role of Minamoto no Yoshitsune in the defeat of the Taira clan.
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Discuss the reasons for the decline of the Taira clan's dominance over the Japanese imperial court.
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To what extent was Minamoto no Yoritomo personally responsible for the creation of samurai-led government in Japan?
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Evaluate the view that the Kamakura Shogunate represented a complete break from previous forms of government in Japan.
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Compare and contrast the methods used by Taira no Kiyomori and Minamoto no Yoritomo to establish and maintain political power in Japan.
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Analyse the reasons why Japan was able to repel the Mongol invasions of 1274 and 1281.
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Compare and contrast the reasons for the successful defence of two states against invasion, each chosen from a different region.
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Examine the causes of the development of a distinct samurai ethos in Kamakura-period Japan (1185-1333).
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Discuss the role of women in samurai society during the Kamakura period (1185-1333).
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To what extent did the rise of the samurai transform Japanese society and culture between 1185 and 1333?
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Evaluate the extent to which Zen Buddhism shaped the values and practices of the samurai class in Kamakura Japan.
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Evaluate the consequences of the Mongol invasions for the Kamakura Shogunate.
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Examine the impact of samurai rule on the political and legal structures of Kamakura Japan.
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Compare and contrast the role of a distinctive warrior code or value system in shaping the political stability of two states, each chosen from a different region.
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