1. CASTE SYSTEM

2. Do Now 10/21/13
Read the “Code of Manu” and answer the associated questions.
HW: Study for Unit 2 Test on Wednesday

3. Code of Manu
For the sake of the preservation of this entire creation, Purusha,
the exceedingly resplendent one, assigned separate duties to the
classes which had sprung from his mouth, arms, thighs, and feet.
Teaching, studying, performing sacrificial rites, so too making
others perform sacrificial rites, and giving away and receiving
gifts -- these he assigned to the brahmins.
Protection of the people, giving away of wealth, performance of
sacrificial rites, study, and nonattachment to sensual pleasures –
these are, in short, the duties of a kshatriya. Tending of cattle,
giving away of wealth, performance of sacrificial rites, study,
trade and commerce, and agriculture -- these are the
occupations of a vaishya.
The lord has prescribed only one occupation. . . for a sudra;
namely, service without malice of these other three classes.

5. 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?

6. 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 called the system a caste- they call it jati.
Many jati still exist in India’s society today.

7. Brahmins Top varna Made up of priests
Only people who could perform a religious ceremony

8. Kshatriyas 2nd varna Made up of warriors
Ran the government and the army

9. Vaisya: merchant varna

10. Sudras Lowest varna Manual laborers and servants Had very few rights
Most people in India belonged to this varna

11. 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

12. 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( bce).
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)!

13. How did the belief in reincarnation/karma/dharma uphold the caste system?
Three beliefs are necessary to understand why the caste system was so influential in India.
Reincarnation
Dharma
Karma
Answer the four questions using your HW reading, Friday’s materials
(10 min)

14. Turn and talk with your partner and share your response to Question 5
Share out with the class.