The Caste System of India 7.6 Compare and Contrast Ancient and Modern India’s social structure and the role of government and religion via an analysis of: The Caste System of India

Do Now: have HW on desk while you… Choose: Han and Qin (Chin) Dynasties OR Hammurabi and Confucianism American Values vs. Daoist Values

What is the Caste System? (~500 BCE) Division of Indian society into groups based on wealth or occupation Very strict rules guide the interactions of different classes Originally started by the Hindu religion because they believe in reincarnation (your spirit or soul has many lives on Earth) and the quality of your life, i.e. the social class you are born into, is a punishment or reward for your past life. Hindu Religious practices particularly the teachings of samsara, dharma and karma. Samsara views death as a moment of transition and not an end in any person’s life. Dharma encourages the belief that our destiny (caste) is fixed and it cannot be changed. Ward says that the Hindu hyper-good has provided a faithful acceptance of ones worldly fate in order to improve one’s lot in the next life cycle. “Religion provides such rigorous sanctions for social life and impose such a great fear of falling down that people through their patterned daily activity, find it impossible and abhorrent not to follow religious guidelines”(Ward). Karma is responsible for punishment and reward.

What rules controlled the Castes? Sutras were rules that guided what each Caste could do you could not marry outside of your caste you could not eat with anyone in any other castes you were born into your caste and were not able to leave that caste Has been illegal to be prejudice against an Indian because of their caste since 1950 c.e.

Make a social class pyramid Brahmins - priests Kshatriyas rulers or warriors Vaisyas farmers, craftspeople and trader Sudras Laborers Untouchables

Untouchables - performed the most undesirable jobs in the society