For example, the king controlled huge tracts of land.  He would give his support and a large piece of land, called a fief,  to a powerful lord in return for loyalty and military support. This meant the lord was now a vassal of the king. The Lord would then divide up that land among his supporters, usually less powerful lords, obtaining vassals of his own.  The Lesser Lords would do the same, dividing up the increasingly smaller land holdings to their knights.  Finally, the knights would be left in direct control of the land and the peasants or townsfolk who lived there.  The peasants were expected to grow food, tend the land, and provide military support to the feudal lords.  Under European feudalism, there was very little opportunity for social advancement.

The Feudal Economy
Feudal lords and knights lived in a manor house on a large estate.  The economy that grew up around the lord's home is known as manorialism.  Under this system, everyone had a well-defined place in the social structure.  

Many nobles became knights, mounted warriors, who lived according to a code of conduct called chivalry.  They were expected to be honest, brave, and loyal to their word.  Most peasants were serfs, meaning they could not leave their lord's lands without permission.  The serfs farmed and provided manual and military labor for the lord, and in return, he protected them and gave them a few acres to farm for themselves.

Feudal Japan
Japan's feudal period lasted from the 12th century until the 19th century.  During this period, society was divided in different classes.  At the top, was the Emperor, although he had little real power.  Japan was ruled by the Shogun, who was a military leader with near absolute control. The most successful was the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Japan from 1603 until 1868.

In Japan, the real political and military power was in the hands of the shogun.  Much like in Europe, the shogun distributed lands to his loyal vassals, who were called daimyo.  The daimyo then granted lands to their warriors, the samurai.  Japanese warriors lived according to a code of conduct known as bushido, which was even stricter than that in Europe. A disgraced samurai was expected to perform seppuku (commit suicide) in order to maintain his family's honor.