Transcript Visual 9.2: Map of the Silk Road

LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
India and the Caste System in 200 B.C.E.
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• Where does your family buy groceries?
– There are many choices among grocery stores in
most areas
• Mores and norms are a society’s
virtues or values. Mores and norms
are enforced by social pressures, but
not strictly enforced or put into law.
• Customs are traditional ways of
doing things.
• What would your family do if a new
grocery store opened in the area?
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• In a market economy, the consumer chooses
where to buy goods.
• Questions:
1. What is the occupation of parents ( or guardians
or other relative)?
2. Will you have the same profession as your
parents?
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• We live in market society where you have the
opportunity to determine your career.
• In some societies, mores and customs determine
these things.
• In some societies, these social “rules” can even
determine your social status, whom you can
associate with and your occupation.
• In some cases, these rules allow discrimination
against social, ethnic, religious, and other
groups.
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• Question:
1. Can you identify some situations where
individuals or groups discriminate in their
economic choices, limiting their buying or selling
to others in their group?
– Preferential treatment within or against ethnic, social, economic or
political groups.
– Price discriminations: students discounts, senior discounts, ladies night
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• Discrimination: a prejudicial treatment of
individuals based solely on their membership in a
certain group or category.
• India’s Caste System: a social structure, socially
or legally enforced that separates people on the
basis of inherited social status. Within a caste
system, people are expected to marry and
interact only with people of the same social
status.
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
Questions to Activity 6.1
1. What was the caste system?
2. When did the caste system start?
3. What were the primary groups in the
caste system?
4. How did the caste system affect
individuals?
5. Does the caste system exist today?
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
The Caste System
in Ancient India
• The Brahmins were the priests.
• The Kshatriya were the relatively small group of
rulers and warriors.
• The Vaishyas were farmers, merchants, and
traders.
• The Shudras were typically servants and farm
workers, including mixed-race people and those
who had different religions.
• The Dalits, the outcasts or untouchables, were
not recognized as members of a caste.
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• One important “rule” of the caste system was that
individuals should interact primarily , if not solely
with others of their caste with their caste.
• Food could only be purchased from someone of
their caste
• Only those of specified caste could do certain
kinds of jobs.
• There was some contact among caste levels which
was necessary in daily commerce.
• Question
1. What are the possible results of caste- based
limits on buying and selling?
–
–
Limited competition
Higher prices
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• The caste system resulted from several factors,
including religious beliefs (the Vedas), dominance
by a powerful group, the Aryans, and an
economically diverse population.
• This set of norms, mores, and customs that were
enforced socially and legally created a unique
economic system in India
• Questions:
1. Did the caste system have any positive influences on
the economy of the time?
• Everyone was clearer about their economic status and relationships
• Some economic historians argue that India’s stability and relatively
high standard of living at the time was due to the caste system and
the lack of widespread opposition.
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
Characteristics of Economic Systems
Market Economic System
What to
produce?
Businesses produce goods and services that
consumers are willing and able to buy for
prices that will yield profits for the businesses.
How to
produce?
Seeking profits, business owners decide
what resources they will use to produce goods
and services. Individuals decide what
occupations they will seek in the labor market.
For whom
to produce?
Finished goods and services are distributed
to individuals willing and able to buy them.
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
Characteristics of Economic Systems
Command Economic System
What to
produce?
A central planning authority (government
agency) decides what and how much of
goods and services will be produced.
How to
produce?
A central planning authority (government
agency) decides what combinations of
productive resources will be used to
produce goods and services. The
government may assign people to jobs.
For whom
produce?
A central planning authority (government
agency) decides who will receive the goods
and services that are produced.
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
Characteristics of Economic Systems
Traditional Economic System
What to
produce?
The goods and services produced today are
the same goods and services that were
produced in previous generations.
How to
produce?
The productive resources used are the same
as in past generations. Occupations are
determined largely by tradition and families.
For whom
to produce?
Finished goods and services are traded within
the group or distributed based on tradition.
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
The Caste System
in Ancient India
• The Brahmins were the priests.
• The Kshatriya were the relatively small group of
rulers and warriors.
• The Vaishyas were farmers, merchants, and
traders.
• The Shudras were typically servants and farm
workers, including mixed-race people and those
who had different religions.
• The Dalits, the outcasts or untouchables, were
not recognized as members of a caste.
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• Most economic systems are mixed
economies.
• Mixed Economy: An economy with
some combination of the
characteristics of the three types of
economic systems.
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• Examples of mixed economies that are primarily
identified as one of the three types:
• Market: United States
• Command: China
• Traditional: People in the remote of the Amazon
River Valley.
• Question:
1. Why is the United States not a pure
market economy?
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• Activity 6.3
– Work in pairs
– Share your lists
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY
LESSON 6 – INDIA AND THE CASTE SYSTEM IN 200 B.C.E.
• Caste System (traditional / mixed)
• Athens (market) / Sparta (command)
• Incas (command) / Aztec (market)
• Feudalism (command)
FOCUS MIDDLE SCHOOL WORLD HISTORY © COUNCIL FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION, NEW YORK, NY