Students began watching excerpts from The Last Samurai. The focus of the viewing is to see the difference between the modernization process of Japan and the ancient lifestyle of rural japan and the Samurai Landowning class. Students are to answer the following questions:

• How do the Emperor‘s Counselors minimize the role of the Samurai class and what is their motivation?
• How do foreign advisers play a role in these events?

After viewing the movie, students are to develop a movie review based on how well the movie presents the Meiji Restoration period. Each review should include informatin for their read packet as well.