INDIA’S CASTE SYSTEM

Miss Tomkowski7th Grade World History

Review

Who were the settlers that came from central Asia?

What did they think was the most prized possession?

What was the name for an Aryan prince?

India’s Caste System

What is a Caste? social group that someone is born

into and cannot change How many of you have felt excluded

from a group of people at one time or another? How did that make you feel? Why were you excluded?

Rules, rules, rules… Being in a caste means that you have no

say in: the job you have whom you can marry who your friends can be

Nobody in India calls the system a caste- they call it a jati.

Many jati still exist in India’s society today.

Why was a caste system created? Caste systems were probably created

because of skin color. Aryans had lighter skin than the native

Indians (darker skin). Caste systems were probably created

to keep the Aryans in power. Because the Aryans had more people, they

made the caste to stay in charge of all the smaller groups.

Could also control everyone’s behavior and make rules this way.

Think Hunger Games (Districts)!

Social Levels of the Caste System

Brahmins

Kshatriyas

Vaisyas

Sudras

Varna- different social class (grouped into 4 main categories)

Brahmins

Top varna Made up of the priests

Only people who could perform a religious ceremony

Kshatriyas

2nd top varna Made up of warriors

Ran the government and the army

Vaisyas 3rd Varna Commoners Usually farmers and merchants

Sudras Lowest varna Manual laborers and servants

Had very few rights Most people in India belonged to this

varna

The Untouchables One group of people who did not belong

to any caste Called “the Untouchables”

Collecting trash, skinning animals, handling dead bodies

Very hard life Most people thought living near an

untouchable was bad for them, so they lived apart from most of society

Had to tap two sticks together when they traveled so everyone could hear them coming

And behind door #1- your future! Time to find out what caste (jati) you are in! Open up your envelope! The colored star sticker that you have is the

symbol of your caste system (for the rest of your life ) Gold: Brahmin Silver: Kshatriyas Green: Vaisyas Blue: Sudras Red: Untouchables

Aren’t you excited?!? The only people you can now associate with have to have the same colored sticker!

Roles of Men and Women Family was the center of life in

ancient India. Grandparents, parents, and children

all lived together. The oldest man in the family was in

charge.

Roles of Men and Women (cont.) Men had more rights than women. Only boys could inherit property, go

to school, or become priests. Girls received education at home. In wealthy families, boys were

tutored by a guru at home Religious teacher and spiritual

guide in Hinduism

Marriage Customs

Boys had to go to school for 12 years and then they could marry.

In India, parents arranged marriages for their children. 90% of marriages in India today are

arranged. AND GUESS WHAT! You could only

marry someone in your caste Divorce was not allowed, but if the

couple could not have kids, the man could marry a second wife.

Burial Customs People in India were cremated after

death (burned in a funeral fire). If a man from a wealthy family died,

his wife was expected to jump into the funeral fire. This practice was called suttee If she did not do this, she would be

shunned by the rest of the tribe for the rest of her life.

REVIEW

What are the four varnas of the caste system?

Who did not belong to the caste system but was below everyone?

Who had it better- men or women?

Speaking of Caste System… Challenge! You are going to be

given a worksheet to complete, but you can only work with members of your caste (do not look, touch, make eye contact, acknowledge, or even breathe near someone of the other caste!) See what it would be like…

On the back of the worksheet, write a paragraph (at least 4 sentences) about how it feels to be in a caste system (10 points).