Samurai Medieval Japan Feudalism Want Ad- Feudal System Primary Source Activity

What did it really take to become a samurai warrior?

In this Common Core-aligned primary source activity (grade 7), students investigate the rigorous training and character required to become a samurai in Feudal Japan.

How it works:

• Students read an 18th-century primary source describing samurai training
• Using an annotation lesson, they identify and mark key points in the text
• Students then apply what they’ve learned by writing a want ad — as if they were a daimyo landowner searching for a mounted warrior to protect their land

The want ad activity reinforces the samurai characteristics and qualifications covered in the reading, turning historical analysis into a creative, memorable writing task.

Also included:
✔ Difficult vocabulary defined directly in the text

A focused, engaging way to build primary source analysis skills while exploring the world of the samurai.