Ancient India Simulation Reflection

Ancient

India

In the game of life,

you play the card that you are dealt

Caste System Simulation

Draw

Draw a quick sketch summarizing your experience during the simulation.

Caste Simulation Follow-up Discussion

Based on what you know from your textbook
reading so far, what elements of ancient
Indian society did you exhibit during this
simulation?

Do you think there are castes or social levels
in today’s society? If so, what do you think
separates the levels?

Open Ended

Who are the groups in society who are the
greatest threat to a country’s leaders? Why?
How do rulers try to reduce the threat from
these groups?

Open Ended

“Knowledge is power” … or so you are told.
Does education really help people to
improve their situation in life or does
education serve as a form of social control (a
way of maintaining the status quo, keeping
power in the hands of the elites)?

Caste System now?

◻ The caste system was abolished in 1949

(constitution developed after independence*)

*From the early 18th century, India was gradually
annexed by and brought under the
administration of the British East India Company
and then administered directly by Great Britain
from the mid-19th century. The caste system
was legalized in the late 1800s under the British.
Then, India became an independent nation in
1947 after a struggle for independence which
was marked by non-violent resistance and led
by Mahatma Gandhi.

Caste System now?

◻ NOW it is illegal to discriminate against people

based upon caste or untouchability in India
today. However, remnants of the ancient system
are found, particularly outside India's large
cities.

◻ endogamy = obligation of marrying only within

one's own caste

◻ Most Dalits (Chandala or Untouchables) and

members of other lower-caste communities
continue to live in segregation and often face
persecution and discrimination.

Traditional values today

◻ Traditional Indian family values are highly valued, and

multi-generational patriarchal joint families have been
the norm in India, though nuclear families are becoming
common in urban areas.

■ An overwhelming majority of Indians, with their

consent, have their marriages arranged by their
parents or other family members.

■ Marriage is thought to be for life, and the divorce

rate is extremely low.

■ Child marriage is still a common practice,

particularly in rural India. More than half of women
in India marry before the legal age of 18.

Hinduism perpetuates the caste system

◻ Above all, Hinduism supports and nurtures the caste

system, particularly through the doctrine of
transmigration of souls: a person who leads an
honest life in harmony with the cosmic order,
respectful of the rules of his/her caste, can hope to
pass into a superior caste in a future transmigration,
until reaching that supreme level of purity allowing his
or her dissolution into the Absolute, thus escaping the
cycle of migrations, which Hinduism regards as a
curse.

◻ The Hindu is motivated by this hope of promotion

after death.

Multiple Choice

The Vedic religion is named for the Vedas, which are

• a collection of sacred texts.

• a group of people from Europe

• the three most important deities.

• the temples where rituals were performed.

Multiple Choice

Which of these is the best reason for someone in India to study Sanskrit?

• To read the ancient texts.

• To understand road signs.

• To run for political office.

• To talk to ordinary people.

Multiple Choice

To Hindus, the soul, or Atman is a part of

• Shiva

• the sun

• Brahman

• the ocean

Multiple Choice

How was the Hindu belief about karma related to the caste system?

• People's caste determines which deities they worship.

• People in the lowest castes will come back as animals.

• People in different castes work different jobs.

• People are in a caste because of how they lived in past lives.

Multiple Choice

In the caste system, how were people in India placed into a certain social class?

• By skill.

• By birth.

• By wealth.

• By education.

Multiple Choice

The festival of Diwali, which begins the Hindu New Year, celbrates

• the changing of the seasons.

• the victory of good over evil.

• the food from a good harvest.

• the long life of the wise elders.

Multiple Choice

Which job was a Shudra most likely to do?

• herd sheep

• plow a field

• interpret religious law

• hold a government post

Multiple Choice

A person who spoke these words most likely belonged to which cast? "I have been learning about battle. My father is showing me how to use different kind of weapons so I will be a good warrior."

• Shudras

• Vaishyas

• Brahmins

• Kshatriyas

Multiple Choice

Why did untouchables live in separate communities?

• They wanted to stay pure.

• They share all their goods.

• They had to eat a special diet.

• They were considered unclean.

Multiple Choice

In some Hindu traditions, Brahma is the creator and Vishnu is the preserver. What does Shiva do?

• Teach

• Perfect

• Enlarge

• Destroy

Multiple Choice

The ancient social class system was called varna. What did early Hindus mean by varna dharma?

• Each caste had its own duties.

• Caste determined social status.

• People married within their caste.

• Religious texts defined the castes.

Multiple Choice

Which symbol best represents samsara, the Hindu view of birth, life, ans death?

• Triangle

• Square

• Circle

• Arrow

Multiple Choice

Hindus from all over the world travel to the Ganges River to bathe in its cleansing waters. This journey to a holy site is called

• a trip.

• a pilgrimage.

• a voyage.

• none of the above.

Multiple Choice

How do people escape the cycle of reincarnation?

• By following their dharma and behaving correctly.

• By performing their social duties.

• By worshiping faithfully according to Hindu ideals.

• All of the above.

Multiple Choice

The idea in Hinduism that a person's soul is reborn after death

• Reincarnation

• Obligation

• Karma

• Dharma

Multiple Choice

Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer are the three chief

• Leaders of Ancient India

• Aryan warriors whose actions illustrate the importance of duty

• Gods of Hinduism

• Characters in the Bhagavad Gita, India’s great religious poem

Multiple Choice

In the religion of Hinduism, _______________ is the divine essence that makes up God.

• Brahman

• Kshatriya

• Upanishad

• Brahmin

Multiple Choice

What is significance of the two epic poems, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana?

• None of the options are correct.
• Part of the body of sacred Hindu literature.
• Both options are correct.
• Conveyed religious and philosophical ideas and provided a model for Hindu life.

Multiple Choice

Hinduism is polytheistic.  What does that mean?

• Hindus believe in one God.
• Hindus believe in multiple gods and goddesses that control the universe.
• Hindus believe in more than one version of heaven.
• Hindus believe in multiple classes of people.

Multiple Choice

In order to end the cycle of rebirth, one must reach ___________.  

• Moksha
• Karma
• Ahimsa
• Shiva

Multiple Choice

What is the system that is a class society and is a way to become closer to god?

• Hinduism
• Vishnu
• Caste
• Moksha

Multiple Choice

The material actions resulting from the consequences of previous actions is called... (hint: what comes around goes around)

• dharma
• Polytheism
• karma
• Ahimsa