The students will examine, explore, and study the religion, culture, government, economics, and geography of Asia. They will be able to locate India on a map, identify Gandhi and his accomplishments, as well as explain and define the Caste
System
Journal 1: List three things you know about Asia. What do you know about Gandhi, India, and the Caste System?
India – Notes
Caste the Deck –
Caste System –
India –
Group Activity
Notes
Crash Course

India is considered a subcontinent: a large area of land separated from the rest of a continent by a natural barrier.

Himalayan Mountains
• Natural barrier
• Limits the movement of people
• Contains Mt. Everest
• Origins of Ganges and Indus Rivers

Ganges River is sacred to Indians who follow the Hindu religion. It is also where the dead are cremated.

2000 BCE: Invasion of Indus
Valley by the Aryans from
Central Asia. Aryans brought with them the Hindu religion and Caste System
600 BCE: Ganges River
Settlements

330 BCE: The Maurya Empire: Invaded and developed trade with Greece, Rome, and China
Golden Age of India: Ashoka spread
Buddhism

1626-1707, the Mughal Empire brought Islam to India.
Akbar’s grandson built a magnificent mausoleum to his wife, now known as The Taj Mahal

1600’s CE: British East India
Company and Exploration
Indians were banned from holding top authority positions
Brought cultural diffusion of language, customs, laws, etc.
1858 CE: British government takes over British East India
Company and begins colonizing

Under British rule until Mohandas Gandhi peacefully fought for independence – called for civil disobedience using four methods
1. Passive Resistance : nonviolence noncooperation
2. Civil Disobedience : refuse to obey unjust laws
3. Economic Boycott : don’t purchase
British goods. Buy Indian goods instead
4. Dandi Salt March : protest tax on salt

Born in India 1869. Most important figure in India in the 20 th century
Lived in South Africa and participated in peaceful protests against the government's treatment of Indian settlers
Returned to India in 1915 and became a political leader
Helped India gain independence in
1947

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever.”
-Gandhi
India became the world’s largest democracy
Government passes laws to protect and help Untouchables
Women are given right to vote and have careers
Assassinated in 1948 by a
Hindu who did not like that
Gandhi felt Muslims had equal values and no one was better than anyone else

After WWII: India divided into
East and West Pakistan
Pakistan ( Islam ) and India
( Hinduism ) had a combined 12 million refugees
Still conflict between the two:
Religious differences and
Territorial disputes (Kashmir)

India 1950-1990: Foreign Policy during Cold War
Foreign policy became Nonalignment : remained neutral supporting neither the United States or USSR
United States: gave food and economic assistance
USSR: gave technical and financial aid
United States and India relations suffered in 1971 when US supported Pakistan during the India-Pakistan War
Resulted in creation of Bangladesh as independent nation.
Relations have improved since.

India invaded Tibet 1950
In 1959 China violently put down the revolt and the Dalai Lama was forced to flee to India for safety
China took territory from India in
1962
China supported Pakistan in India-
Pakistan War

1.22 billion in India – 2 nd largest populated nation in the world. It is 1/7 th of the world’s population of 7.3 billion, around 17%. One million births each month – strains their natural resources

Family: Large family units live together
Arranged marriages. Dating/divorce are rare
Male oriented society women submit & obey
Recreation: Hockey, cricket, soccer, rugby
India makes most the movies in the world
Rice, curry, chai tea (many vegetarians)
Cows are sacred: No leather in a temple
Do not touch women – sign of respect
Remove shoes when entering home
Bindi – red dot on forehead, lots of jewelry
Eat with their hands, women eat after guests, men, and children
No backslapping, winking, whistle, or public displays affection

• A social organization where a person’s occupation and position in life is determined by the circumstances of his or her birth.
• People are born into a particular caste and remain in that caste all of their life. They can only move up after death.
• The government of India has attempted to abolish the caste system in 1949, but long standing traditions do not easily die and it is still practiced.
• The caste system is less visible in cities, but remains in villages. There are thousands of castes and sub castes, the five major divisions are as follows:

Priests, Scholars, Teachers and Religious Officials

Military Rulers, Landowners, and Warriors

Farmers, Merchants, Traders, and Craftsmen

Servants and Basic Laborers

Untouchables are so low they are not really considered a caste. They must do the worst and dirtiest of jobs.

Perform jobs considered unfit for higher castes to include unclogging sewers and toilets, cremating, removing road-kill, killing and disposing of dead cattle and handling the dead and/or human remains.

This man was seen fishing in a higher caste fishing hole.
Later, he was found and acid was thrown on his face. This is how an untouchable can be punished for trying to live outside his place in society.




World's oldest religion
Veda is the oldest readings of Hinduism
No specific founder

Brahma is the Creator

Vishnu is the Preserver

Shiva is the Destroyer

Hinduism is the religion of approximately 83% of the Indian population. There are three major points to remember about the Hindu religion:
1. Hindus believe in reincarnation , which teaches a person is born, lives, dies, and is reborn again many times .
2. Hindus believe in the present life.
karma , which states a person ’ s social position in the next life depends upon his or her conduct in
2. Hindus believe in dharma , which provides a code of behavior or set of moral and ethical rules governing the conduct of each social class . An upper class Hindu and a lower class Hindu have different sets of rules or dharma to live by.