9th PERIOD Patterns of life in South Asia

Select all of the Empires from India's history that we talked about yesterday. Axum Maurya Empire Small competing kingdoms The Gupta Empire Pharaohs The Mughal Empire As you can see above, India and its people went through major change throughout its history. While rival princes waged war or made peace and empires came and went, millions of Indians built their lives around two basic social units- the FAMILY and the VILLAGE. The caste system also played a LARGE role in bounding people together. As you go through this online worksheet, pay attention to the importance of family. Watch the videos and answer the questions for points. CASTE SYSTEM What is the name of the four Aryan social classes that set the foundation for the cast system? Veda Varna Dharma CASTE SYSTEM Over thousands of years, the caste system grew and changed from the original classes of the Aryans. Eventually a fifth group emerged that included people known as untouchables; people who lived at the lowest level of society.The caste system is based on the idea that there are separate kinds of humans. Throughout history it divided people within each class, until there were thousands of castes and subcastes. Higher caste people considered themselves purer- and closer to becoming one with Brahman- than lower castes. This rigid social class system stayed strong throughout the changes in leadership and absorbed invaders and other cultures into the caste system, adding additional subcastes.RULES:As time went on, caste rules became increasingly complex. The rules were meant to help people stay spiritually pure. As a result, rules were especially strict for members of the higher castes because they were seen as the purest members of society. A high-caste person risked becoming spiritually unclean if he had contact with lower, or impure castes. Even the shadow of a person in an impure caste could pollute others.Each occupation had its own caste, and person's job was determined at birth. Caste rules also governed cooking, eating, marriage, and employment. For example, a Brahmin could only eat food prepared by another Brahmin. Therefore, many Brahmins became cooks because they were the highest caste and anyone could eat the food they prepared. Other rules determined which gods caste members worshipped, where they lived, and what clothes they wore.INTERDEPENDENCE:The caste system created a sense of stability and order in Indian life. Each caste looked after its own members. At the same time, different castes depended on one another. An upper-caste merchant, for example, needed the services of a lower-caste water carrier. Caste system video #1 Watch both videos on the caste system. Pay attention to the major person in each video and how both are in the same caste, but have different views of their position. In the space below the videos, write why you think these people have different interpretations of the same structure. CASTE SYSTEM VIDEO #2 What is difference between how the man in the first video views his place in society verses how the woman in the second views being an untouchable? How do you think the caste system helped provide stability to India while many leaders came in and out? THE VILLAGE For most people in South Asia, the village was the basic unit of society. A headman governed the village. He was the respected landlord who often made decisions with the help of a council of elders.Villages varied in size, from just a few to hundreds of families. Each village had a variety of castes that did the jobs needed for daily life. Castes might include priests, farmers, carpenters, as well as low castes like leather workers and sweepers.Villages were usually self-sufficient. People grew enough food for themselves, and relied on cattle for plowing and transporting goods. Cattle was also used to make an oil called ghee that was used for many things. Some scholars suggest that cattle became sacred to Hindus in part because of their economic importance. Family Life Indians identified first with their family, then with their village. By tradition, they valued the joint family which is a form of the extended family. A joint family included a husband, his wife, their sons with their wives and children, and unmarried daughters. The husband's brothers, uncles, and cousins might also live under the same roof or nearby. The family was patriarchal- the oldest male had complete control over the household.Joint FamilyStrong family ties created a sense of order. Family interest, rather than those of individual, were most important. Marriages, therefore, were a family concern. The head of the family arranged marriages to protect and benefit the family.Often, families arranged marriages for children at an early age and the actual weddings took place later. At marriage, a girl left her home to become part of her husband's family. Once a year, she might return to visit her family.Weddings were of upmost importance and the bride's family paid most of the expenses. Her family often went into debt and had to provide a dowry- a gift of money or goods paid to the groom. Arranged marriages Both of these videos are about modern day arranged marriages, which are a little different than what they used to be but these stories still represent how important family is to the process. They also tie into the last section- women's lives. Arranged marriage video #2 Women's lives Within the family and society, women had few rights. Her duties were to marry wait on her husband, and bear sons. In Hindu tradition, only a son could perform the rituals for his dead father's soul.Although a woman's position was inferior, she did not lack power. Hindus believed that women alone had SHAKTI- creative energy. Because men lacked shakti, they were incomplete unless they married. Women were thought to lack the knowledge to control their power so they were seen as dangerous unless ruled by a man.Higher-caste women had to obey especially strict rules. They often lived in purdah, or complete seclusion. They wore veils over their faces and rarely left home. They were kept separate from all men except for their husbands and close relatives. How did family play an important role in the lives of people on the Indian subcontinent? This is the top caste Brahmin Kshatryia Vaishya Sudra untouchable What makes up a joint family? Husband, wife, kids Grandparents, husband, wife, kids husband, wife, their sons and their families and husband's brothers and uncles Purdah complete seclusion Shakti creative energy that women have Brahman supreme force Nirvana the state of wanting nothing Karma every deed in this life affects a future life sultan ruler stupas shrines containing the remains of the Buddha What are your thoughts on wizer worksheets? Be honest!