Alabama Social Studies SS24.8.16a

Social Studies8th GradeRise of Absolutism

The Standard

SS24.8.16: Describe the governing policies in East Asia during the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries, including those of China and Japan.

Trace the rise of militarism in Japan and explain how it led to the invasion of Korea.

2024 Alabama Course of Study: Social Studies

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students trace how years of civil war strengthened Japan’s samurai armies and military leaders. They explain how Toyotomi Hideyoshi used a unified army to invade Korea in 1592 as a route toward China.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can place the civil wars, Hideyoshi’s unification, and the invasion in order. They can use a map to explain why his army went through Korea.
Common Misconceptions: Students may mix up the 1592 invasion with Japan’s annexation of Korea in 1910. They may think Korea attacked Japan first or that Korea was Hideyoshi’s final goal.
How to Assess It: Give students three cards: “Japan invades Korea,” “Hideyoshi unifies Japan,” and “Hideyoshi plans to conquer China.” Have them order the cards and write why Korea came first.

Lesson moves

Give pairs a map and paper arrows to trace Hideyoshi’s army from Japan through Korea toward China.
Ask students to write two sentences answering: Why did Hideyoshi send his army into Korea after unifying Japan?
Shuffle cards naming civil war, unification, plans for China, and invasion of Korea; teams race to order them and explain each link.
Compare modern and 1592 maps of East Asia, then mark the sea crossing from Japan and the land route through Korea.

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