Strayer 6 Slaves to WHAP

1/11/2012

Of course, a key skill in this class is comparison. Through this intellectual path we find our way to the universal things, as opposed to those that are unique to one or a few societies. As you read, ask yourself, "how do these empires vary in their approach to slavery, to social class, to gender roles?" And can we determine the causes of these societal effects?

67 Comments

Bingham

2/11/2012 08:53:41

Call me a geek, but I think Strayer's comparison of Greco-Roman slavery to slavery in the Americas is revealing, especially in light of our conversations last year.

Jeremiah Pratt

2/11/2012 14:56:58

Time to totally enlighten everyone with the learning targets that Bingham said would be very important. Here goes.

-Discuss the practice of slavery in classical civilizations
-Compare the status of women in Athens and Sparta
-Compare the social hierarchies of China and India
-Compare the Greco-Roman and American systems of slavery
-Compare the ways religions and philosophies support social structures in classical civilizations.

Have at it. Won't be posting until Sunday because I'll be out of town. Good luck to everyone!

Bingham

2/11/2012 15:48:24

Very nice. Thanks Jeremiah!

Bingham

2/11/2012 15:55:06

Community, right? We can do it through the force of our will, like Alexander - and like the Buddha, by ending our striving and letting truth light our way. The truth is, you will grow with this class in proportion to the effort you give this class. Peace.

Marlene Marlowe

3/11/2012 04:55:31

I thought I'd just let everyone on the forum know, I've been enlightened in the way of Strayer. I get it now. I understand his writing style and I read the entire chapter in an hour and a half and digested it like no chapter I have ever read before. This chapter was just so ridiculously easy once I had the epiphany that I just felt like the baseball bat of knowledge just whacked me in the face. I UNDERSTAND! WAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA. ASDBBASDFaksdfh;lk

I will also be posting some answers to margin questions over the weekend, thank you for reading this post.

Bingham

3/11/2012 05:10:49

This post makes me very happy.

Hannah Miles

3/11/2012 06:55:36

Wassup my fellow WHAPers! As this is my first margin question/post, i can and will be holding you all accountable for correcting me if i give a bad answer ;D Thanks!

Okie dokie, so how would you characterize the social hierarchy of classical China?

Well basically, the social elites in China consisted mostly of wealthy state officials who graduated from the imperial academy. A step down from the elites were the landlords, becoming wealthy by the accumulation of land from impoverished peasants. These landlords along with some state officials owned large estates and, to some degree, could avoid paying taxes and challenge the authority of the emperor. Next in social status came the merchants. While the peasants suffered heavily in China, they were also honored in the eyes of the state for their perseverance during hard times and the structural support that they gave China. Merchants however, were not. They were seen as shameful, greedy people who sold the products of others, and the state actively sought ways to limit their success. In spite of this though, most merchants did indeed become quite wealthy; some also formed relationships with state officials and landlords and tried to gain more respect by educating their sons for official examinations and by purchasing land estates. Peasants however, while honored in China, did not enjoy such luxuries as the merchants, landlords, and officials. Few had enough land to support their families, and because social elites avoided paying taxes, the tax burden fell on that of the peasants. They were left to the mercy of nature, the state, and the landlords as famines, droughts, and taxes devastated their crops. Most ended up tenants or share-croppers or fleeing and joining a group of bandits.

I took note of the verb "characterize", and hopefully this is what it was asking for haha :}

Bingham

3/11/2012 08:16:17

Yay Hannah!

Very good. I would just add that Strayer mentions two levels of peasants, those who had a little land and could maybe produce enough extra to sell, and those who were always just in survival mode. Also, some merchants were able to buy some lanf and gain a little acceptance among the big shots...,wait, you mentioned that. .

Jeremiah Pratt

3/11/2012 07:49:37

Okay so I lied. One post.

What is the difference between varna and jati as expressions of classical India's caste system?

In essence, the difference is that varna only distinguishes 5 caste groups, each identified as a part of the body of the god Purusha, while jati identifies numerous, specific castes each associated with a specific occupation.

I stole my grandmother's Android tablet to do this question. You are all welcome. Peace out.

Sofia Michaelides

4/11/2012 07:39:29

this is the essense of the difference yes. i also found though that varna was universal, and the order of the castes was the same throughout all regions, while the order of jatis differed from region to region.

Bingham

4/11/2012 08:47:45

Yes, the jatis ate in flux, over time and across regions, the varna is "timeless".

Amanda Friefeld

4/11/2012 09:04:59

I got some more for this question
Varna: the castes were seen as eternal and changeless, history of competition between Brahmans and Ksatriya for superiority, and the notion of untouchables which were not considered a caste
Jati: they could only marry and eat among people in their own Jati, each had their own rules, obligations, and duties, you could improve your Jati over generations by acquiring wealth and land.

Darion Greggs link

3/11/2012 08:59:07

Okay Im not really sure about this question

How would you describe the social heiarchy of classical China?

well I think because of hiearchy was based of birth and wealth
the facts of peasant to elites
elbortate system of finding bright young men
chinese prefer families with money who coulds supprt education to become elites
have a class of landlords
and having merchants

please corrects me of im wrong,

Hannah Miles

3/11/2012 12:00:53

Hey! :] I think that the foundation of your answer is good, however, social class wasn't based on birth and wealth status (Confucius thought that it should be based on personal morality and merit), but most officials did end up being from wealthy families because they could afford the education, although Strayer points out that some wealthier families sponsored commoners in certain cases, so that part is good :] And I think you could probably go into a little bit more detail about each level in China's social hierarchy... you could take a look at my post if you want and see if you agree with it :D

Hannah Miles

3/11/2012 15:16:52

Well... Actually, if you read the next paragraph it says that India and china were both alike because the hierarchy came from birth and wealth status, so I guess it was based on that, although theoretically, it shouldn't be... Sorry about that! :]

Christina Hong

3/11/2012 16:57:07

I might be missing a few things, so please feel free to add on to what I found.

How did India's caste system differ from China's class system?

India
*priority to religious status and ritual purity (the Brahmins)
*divided Indian society into vast numbers of distinct social groups
*social groups were defined far more rigidly and with less opportunity for social mobility than in China
*the structure of caste society allowed various peoples, cultures, and traditions to find a place within a larger Indian civilization while retaining part of their identity
*the wealthy and powerful were able to oppress the majority of the population, making class consciousness and organized resistance more difficult.
*focused loyalties of most people on a restricted territory and weakened the appeal or authority of larger all-Indian states

China
*elevated political officials to the highest of elite positions
*fewer but broader categories of society
*less rigid separation of social groups, more social mobility
*incorporation into Chinese civilization meant becoming Chinese ethically, linguistically, and culturally
*no method of oppression present, periodic peasant rebellions occurred

Bingham

4/11/2012 04:58:16

Christina, I just have to say that your answer is more thorough and insightful than the one I can up with. "The student transcends the master." (Zen Buddhism)

Just to recover my ego, let me mention that the Chinese quality of newcomers assimilating to Chinese language and culture is one of the themes of the Chinese story, one of the reasons China endures as no other civilization in the human story. The Han had to do it, later Kublai Khan (Genghis Khan's grandson) found it was the only way to "conquer" China. Even Mao and the great force of Communism had to accommodate the power of China's human geography. It's sort of societal genius; to control us, you must become us - but in becoming us, you haven't really conquered after all. "All is an illusion" ~ Hua-yan Sutra

Hannah Miles

4/11/2012 04:30:40

I just wanted to share my thoughts on this chapter about India... I find it fascinating that the Indian people are so accepting of the caste system because in the video we watched about India, Michael Woods talked to one of the Dalits (untouchables) who took care of cremating the dead, and the man was saying "no one wants to touch us, yet we have one of the most important jobs..."., so he knows that they are important and do have worth. I guess to me, because I've grown up with all of these ideas of freedom and equality, that it seems like they would want that as well, especially with what we've been talking about with globalization and the spread of American culture... It was also interesting to me when Strayer gave a chart describing the stages of life and under the "retirement" section it said "sex permitted once a month"... It's just very strange trying to comprehend that even your own private love life had rules to it. I don't know, I just really enjoy looking at other cultures haha, and I hope this doesn't offend anyone, I'm not meaning to bash on Indian culture or anything, this is just what was going through my mind at the time :}

Bingham

4/11/2012 05:04:14

Great insight Hannah. I was going to mention this in class (great minds and all that). It is a Western bias we have that equates doing what we want with freedom. But in some ways, ritual and social structure can be liberating. Millions of American are on Prozac because they can't manage their lives. Rich and famous people commit suicide. Teenagers suffer angst about their future. People of all ages suffer from an "identity crisis". Perhaps there is a middle road. Maybe there is freedom in some structure. Something to think about. The Indians must be doing something right!

Hannah Miles

4/11/2012 05:29:48

hahahaha that is very true.... My parents and I talk a lot about this, and there was actually a story about it on the news this morning, but it's the fact that we, as Americans, have so many opportunities to be successful and make a difference, and yet, like you said, TONS of people end up lost... The story this morning was talking about how this guy dropped off a bunch of computer tablets to a village in Ethiopia with no instructions on how to use them. Within 5 minutes, a little boy (who is not literate, and has never seen one of these before) found the off and on switch, and i think it was about 3 days, and the other children had started to use it and teach themselves the alphabet from apps that the guy had stored on the tablets... it's just amazing! THERE IS HOPE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. Haha but it's just things like that, and how kids our age in third world countries walk 3 miles to get to school and when interviewed, all say "I want to be a lawyer!" or "I want to be a doctor!", and here we are, spoiled American teenagers, who drop out or wish our school would burn down because we don't want to get up before the clock strikes noon... it just angers me that some of us waste what others would die for to have... buuuuuuuut that was really really long, i'm finished ranting now haha :}

Victoria Wren

4/11/2012 05:23:07

Hey guys! Sorry I'm a little late, but I noticed one y'all skipped (yes, I just said "y'all" and the computer didn't correct me) XP

What class conflicts disrupted Chinese society?

• Peasants vs. Landlord class vs. State officials
*Large landowners replaced small-scale peasant farmers
*State officials opposed, though unsuccessfully, the creation of large estates
*Landlords often ignored taxes and could mount their own military forces to challenge authority
*Peasant rebellions and movements (expressed religiously)

• Wang Mang vs. State officials
*Usurped the emperor’s throne (8 c.e.)
*Ordered the great private estates to be nationalized and divided up among the landless
*Limits on the amount of land a family might own
*Wanted to end private slavery

• Merchants vs. Cultural elite
*Stereotyped as greed, luxury-loving, and materialistic and profiting from work of others
*Seen as a social threat, as their ill-gained wealth impoverished others
*Efforts by state authorities to control merchants (sumptuary laws, state monopolies, state loans, etc.)

was it Wang Mang against State officials or someone (something) else?

Hannah Miles

4/11/2012 05:36:51

I think he was opposed more by wealthy landowners rather than by state officials, which is one of the reasons for his assassination and the collapse of his reforms... but the rest of your answer looks really really good haha :D

Bingham

4/11/2012 08:46:24

I liked your rant. There's a TED talk by tat guys I think. Is it the same thing?
http://www.ted.com/talks/sugata_mitra_shows_how_kids_teach_themselves.html

Hannah Miles

4/11/2012 14:37:01

Yea, they're very similar; the TED talk is a little older, but here is the link to what was on this morning: http://mashable.com/2012/10/29/tablets-ethiopian-children/ .... it's just such an eye-opening story, i mean THE KIDS HACKED ANDROID hahaha :}

Sofia Michaelides

4/11/2012 07:31:54

i think it would be probably a good idea to say something about the Yellow Turban Rebellion in specific when you talk about rebellions because it was brought up as the main example of conflict between peasants and elites.

Bingham

4/11/2012 09:15:15

You beat me to it Sofia.

Victoria Wren

4/11/2012 07:22:56

ANOTHER one you skipped...=_= description margin questions aren't really my strong point.

What set of ideas underlies India's caste-based society?

• Caste may have evolved from encounter between Aryans and natives, it certainly grew from interaction of culturally diverse peoples
• Varna, a belief that society was divided into four great classes
o Three classes of pure Aryans, twice born (Brahmins, Ksatriyas, and Vaisyas)
o Sudras; native peoples, in very subordinate positions
o Varna theory: four groups were formed from the body of god Purusha; immutable
• Jati
o Social distinctions based on specific occupations, organized as guilds, clearly defined social position
o Blended in with Varna system to create a full caste system
o Each of the four great classes divided into many Jatis (sub-castes)
o Ideas of ritual purity and pollution applied to caste groups
o Inherent inequality supported by idea of karma, dharma, and rebirth
• Caste was very local, so it focused on loyalties on a restricted territory
• Castes provided some social security and support
• Made it easier for the wealthy and powerful to exploit the poor

I don't know if I answered right, BUT as I said, I'm not that good at description mq

Victoria Wren

4/11/2012 07:24:09

Oh, and the little "o's" before some fact stuff are just examples or notes on the bullet points

Sofia Michaelides

4/11/2012 07:29:31

okay so yeah we just posted the same question. anyway we got slightly different answers? i think we interpreted the question differently. to me it sounds like its asking what general ideas lay in like the religious doctrine that defined the caste system to the people who were within it, and less like, effects of the caste system. i think that why i got fewer answers than you. thoughts?

Sofis Michaelides

4/11/2012 07:24:21

Okay so margin question number something or other..

set of ideas underlying caste based society?

- society was divided into four great classes (varna)
-first 3 classes are pure(aryan) and twice born, 4th impure and dirty
-4 original classes formed from body of god Purusha, eternal and changeless(important i think, because its basically the reason there is no real chance for social mobility)
-untouchable (5th newer class) ranking lowest, doing work concidered the most unclean
-ritual purity and pollution applied to caste groups
-notion of karma, dharma and rebirth jutified caste system
-virtually impossible to change social status during a lifetime

more? less? good? thanks.

Victoria Wren

4/11/2012 07:39:47

Point taken, I saw the question as what type of castes were there and what were their function
BUT i agree with your answer also

Hannah Miles

4/11/2012 08:14:19

Well, I can see how it could be interpreted both ways, so hopefully Mr. Bingham will tell us which one he's looking for, but there is a quote in the book that Strayer uses which he says sums up the underlying idea of Indian society (which to me, includes the idea of the caste system): "It is better to do one's own duty badly than another's well".... I don't know if that helps at all, but that stood out to me while I was reading haha :]

Bingham

4/11/2012 09:17:16

They're both good. More than one approach fixes things in our minds, right?

Jeremiah Pratt

4/11/2012 07:37:51

How did the patriarchies of Athens and Sparta differ from each other?

•While Athens was much more democratic than Sparta, it was much more restrictive of women.
•Sparta's women were highly valued for their reproductive ability; in essence they produced the armies. In Athens, on the other hand, women were seen as infertile males.
•In Sparta, girls were encouraged to compete in sports to strengthen their bodies. While this was primarily so that the girls could bear childbirth, this was in contrast to Athens where daughters were practically unwanted.
•Women in Sparta were educated while women in Athens were not.
•Spartan women were not segregated like their Athenian counterparts
•There was no age gap in marriages in Sparta
•Due to men often being absent at war, women in Sparta exercised more household authority than in Athens.
•Sparta condemned homosexual relationships, while in Athens they were encouraged.
•In Sparta, women could own property while in Athens they could not.
•Women wore more modest clothing in Athens than in Sparta.

Comments and thoughts?

Sofia Michaelides

4/11/2012 07:43:42

look good hun

Victoria Wren

4/11/2012 07:44:52

My favorite type of mq! comparison

How did India's caste system differ from China's class system?

• India
*It gave priority to religious status and ritual purity (the Brahmins)
*Divided Indian society into vast numbers of distinct social groups
*Defined these social groups far more rigidly and with even less opportunity for social mobility than China

• China
*Elevated political officials to the highest of elite positions
*Had fewer, but broader, categories of society (scholar-gentry, landlords, peasants, merchants)

Victoria Wren

4/11/2012 07:48:59

Almost forgot one more for China

*Incorporation into Chinese civilization while retaining something of their unique identity

Hannah Miles

4/11/2012 08:19:17

Wait, wasn't that India that allowed social integration while still keeping unique identities, and Chinese integration meant becoming Chinese culturally??

Emily Wallace

9/11/2012 02:23:22

Also, the Chinese class system was based on the education system. If you were eligible to take the exam, then passed the exam you would be able to have a job in the government; which was the highest class
While in India, the highest class was based on religious leaders.

correct me if I'm wrong

Hannah, In India, your caste could not be changed until your next life. Your caste in your next life depends on your actions in this life. Your jati was what could change in India. This has to do with your occupation, or your job. Chinese integration...idk
How you moved up in China was the whole thing on the education system

Victoria Wren

4/11/2012 08:30:22

YAY, another comparison XD

How did the inequalities of slavery differ from those of caste?

• Slaves possessed the status of outsiders, whereas each jati possessed a recognized position in the social hierarchy.

• Slaves were owned and sold, unlike members of the caste system.

• Slaves worked without pay, unlike members of the caste system.

• Slaves lacked any rights or independent personal identity, unlike individuals in the caste system.

• In some traditions, slaves could transform their status by being freed by their master or by purchasing their freedom. Also in some traditions, children of slaves were considered free at birth. It was not possible for individuals to raise/change their social status during their lifetimes.

Correct or add if need, thanks!

Zoe Cagan

5/11/2012 14:34:44

Victoria! I agree with what you have down, but I think that something about how the religious writings and laws influenced the rights and freedoms of the slaves should be added! Something along the lines of...
- Religious writings offered protection for the slaves, but put the people in lower groups in closer bondage to the caste system.

Christina Hong

6/11/2012 11:43:36

*mining

argckh. <_>

Christina Hong

6/11/2012 11:37:07

Just one more thing that I think should be included:

Slavery- varied in labor they were required to do, some working for the state in high positions and others performing domestic duties or mines

Caste- the type of labor an individual performed depended on his or her caste level

Victoria Wren

4/11/2012 08:36:46

How did Greco-Roman slavery differ from that of other classical civilizations?

• Greco-Roman society depended more on slaves than did other classical civilizations.

• There were far more slaves in the Greco-Roman world than in other classical civilizations.

• Slaves participated in a greater number and range of occupations than in other classical civilizations, from the highest and most prestigious positions to the lowest and most degraded. Slaves were excluded only from military service.

• Greco-Roman slaves essentially served to allow the elites to specialize in warfare

Please comment if there's anything missing, ;D

Christina Hong

6/11/2012 11:53:08

I would also add

*began to associate particular groups of peoples such as Jew and Asiatic Greeks as slaves by nature

but someone please correct me on this if I'm wrong, because I'm not quite sure.

Victoria Wren

4/11/2012 08:40:33

In what ways did the expression of Chinese patriarchy change over time, and why did it change?

• Thinkers emphasized the distinction between the public and political roles of men and the private domain of women.

• The idea of the "three obediences" was also emphasized; it described a woman's subordination first to her father, then to her husband, and finally to her son.

• The Chinese woman writer Ban Zhou recorded how women were taught from birth that they were inferior and subordinated to men and should be passive and subservient in their relations with men.

• These Ideas were reinforced by Confucian notions that people should adhere to roles within Chinese society to create balance and harmony

Marlene Marlowe

4/11/2012 11:25:24

Don't forget to mention yin and yang, yang was viewed as a more superior principle of the two, was masculine, and related to heaven, rulers, strength, rationality, and light. Yin was the lower feminine principle associated with the earth, subjects, weakness, emotion, and darkness. It symbolized the way classical china was organized as far as gender goes. Yin was also thought to be lowly, and should not posses initiative, it process to the yang in order to be completed, but this also means in a way that the two are complementary to each other. Yin cannot do without Yang, and I would imagine everyone back then would know the relationship wouldn't work the other way around.

Steffannie Alter

4/11/2012 12:16:17

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seemed to me that the question was asking about the changes in patriarchal society. Victoria, you seem to have done a great job of talking about patriarchy in China during the Han dynasty, but wouldn't a question like this require the changes afterward as well? It seemed to me like the reduced influence of Confucianism, the influence of nomadic invaders, the reforms of Empress Wu, and the participation in Daoism and Buddhism might answer this question more completely.

Jeremiah Pratt

4/11/2012 13:44:57

I agree with Steffannie. Her answer most directly confronts the question. Bingham always emphasizes those key words!

Bingham

6/11/2012 12:33:10

Yep!

Marlene Marlowe

4/11/2012 10:56:00

I don't have time to read through all of the other posts of the forum but I'm going to answer one of the margin questions anyways regardless of whether or not someone else already answered it, because I need a little back up on this question, all the others I'm down with.

What is the difference between varna and jati as expressions of classical India's caste system?

- This question is asking you to give the difference between varna and jati, and the answer after really looking into the text is pretty simple.
- Varna is the caste you are born into, it is a larger, more broad group of people. Varna can also be the occupation you have.
- Jati is a smaller more specific group, there are often many Jatis within one Varna. (ie. different Jatis of Brahmins in a Varna).
- Each Jati is also associated with a particular set of duties, rules, and obligations.
- The specific Jati that you are categorized in defines you uniquely in a separate place from a larger society.

If you look at the table to left of page 163 if you're in a soft cover book, you'll see a table.

The table gives you lots of examples of different Varnas, and Jatis within the varnas. (Occupations available, duties).

Example: If you are in the Ksatriya Varna, you are most likely going to be a warrior or a ruler, because those are the occupations most available in your caste.

Bingham

6/11/2012 12:38:40

Also, there is more social mobility for the jati compared to the fixed nature of varna castes.

You guys should be focusing on the comparisons. Just saying.

Marlene Marlowe

4/11/2012 11:36:48

I'd also like to leave a discussion topic on here.

Why do you think that women have always been looked down upon as the inferior gender?

What confuses me is that way back when they thought the justification is that women are just a vessel, baby making factories, but cannot reproduce without men. It works the other way around too though, obviously. Men cannot reproduce without women, but for some reason no one ever really mentions that, as simple as it may seem. Why?

If you ask me I think women play the more superior role in the process of reproduction of our species anyways, we carry the baby for 9 months, provide it with any means of nutrition it needs in that 9 months to survive from our own bodies, endure the excruciating pain of childbirth, and let me have you guys know that childbirth is actually one of the most painful things in the world that you can ever feel (if you're female), childbirth takes a whopping number of 57 Del units of pain, and the human body can only handle up to 45 Dels. 57 Del units of pain is the equivalent of breaking 25 bones in your body at one time. That almost makes women un-humanly strong. Of course they didn't know this back then, but we do know that today.

Now tell me why we are still looked upon as weaker, more fragile creatures than men?

Jeremiah Pratt

4/11/2012 13:17:19

Just an observation:

In history, the ability to inflict pain has almost always been more important than the ability to endure pain. Emperors didn't expand by getting punched in the arm a bunch of times, or even breaking 25 bones in their body all at once.

Jeremiah Pratt

4/11/2012 13:18:59

And I am also of the opinion that every time this is addressed from such a strongly feminist point of view, things still aren't equal. I think the issue of patriarchy, both in history and in modern day times, is very interesting. But it needs to be discussed from a neutral point of view. We don't need to be debating which gender is superior.

Bingham

4/11/2012 12:08:09

This is an aspect of the human story that has really bothered me over the years. It's why I try to highlight it with my classes, it something the burns in my heart. But if you want answers, I don't have any. Only the drive to see an end to gender inequality.

Marlene Marlowe

4/11/2012 12:11:16

I think I want to hear opinions more than answers, I want to hear what my peers think about the issue. Also, I have noticed it's been a recurring topic in your class, It's definitely a good one. Care to share your opinion Bingham? :)

Anna Peters

8/11/2012 14:19:09

I think that at first it was not that women were seen as weaker or more fragile but simply that the ability of men to impregnate many women within a short time while a woman had to carry the burden for 9 months. I think that this burden has always been passed to the woman simply because she bears the child and is seen as more responsible because a man may have multiple heirs at once to spend his love on but usually a woman focuses on one baby at a time giving her more of a connection to the kid. And then from that point child rearing would fall naturally to the woman.
Because of this i think the fragility of babies and kids in general has been more associated with women because they are what we think of when we think of fragile tender little babies.
It has definately been taken to extremes none of the assumptions of such have been true but it is easy in my opinion to follow this train of thought that brought nearly all civilizations to some form of patriarchy.

Sorry for long post.

Bingham

4/11/2012 12:12:37

Great stuff again this week. But I only see limited participation. It's the posting, not the reading the forum that makes your learning strong.
And make sure you're answering the learning objectives Jeremiah posted yesterday. I'd like to see some responses to those!

Jeremiah Pratt

4/11/2012 13:11:27

Alright Bingham. Your wish is my command.

Compare the ways religions and philosophies support social structures in classical civilizations.

I'm basically going to go through the chapter section by section.

•Chinese Social Structures
-Confucius had long advocated selecting rulers based on merit, which is how it was done
•Indian Social Structures
-The idea of varna was strongly associated with the body of the god Purusha, and therefore were eternal/changeless.
-The highest caste belonged to the spiritual leaders
-The notions of karma, dharma, and rebirth stated that your caste reflected your deeds from a past lifetime, and therefore that you deserved your position.

•Roman Slavery
-The great Greek philosopher Aristotle stated that some people were simply "slaves by nature"
-The ancient greek attitude was that it was bad to be a slave, but good to own one
-Christianity actually reinforced the idea of slavery by stating "slaves should be submissive to their masters"
-Slavery was entrenched in Roman economy

•Patriarchy in China
-The principle of yang was viewed as masculine, and its lower counterpart yin was considered feminine
-Confucian texts stated that men were superior
-The emergence of Daoism actually lessened patriarchy because of its feminine elements
•Patriarchy in Athens/Sparta
-Greek thinkers provided ideas that justified the exclusion of females
-Females viewed as infertile males

What do you think oh mighty B?

Bingham

5/11/2012 03:52:36

That looks very solid. I actually had already answered that one for myself, but I did it in prose...so I'll just share that with you.

Every classical system drew on ideas to legitimate class and gender inequalities.

In China, Confucian philosophy was used to justify both the class system and patriarchy, although peasants successfully used Daoism when rebelling against established authorities.

Religious beliefs underpinned the caste system in India—the varnas (the four classes of society) were described as being formed from the body of the god Purusha; one’s current place in the caste system was explained through the concepts of karma and rebirth; and one’s future lives were determined in part by dharma or the fulfillment of one’s caste duties.

Greek rationalism underpinned key ideas about class and gender in the Mediterranean world. Aristotle developed the notion that some people were “slaves by nature” and should be enslaved for their own good and for that of the larger society. This idea helped to justify large-scale slave ownership in classical Athens, where perhaps one-third of the population were slaves, and continued to justify slave ownership in ancient Rome. Greek philosophers, including Aristotle, also provided a set of ideas that justified the exclusion of women from public life and their general subordination to men. According to Aristotle, women were infertile men who were inadequate because they could not generate sperm (which contained the “form” or “soul” of a new human being). From this understanding of women came further ideas, such as that women, like children or domesticated animals, were influenced unduly by instinct and passion and lacked the rationality to take part in public life.

Jeremiah Pratt

5/11/2012 06:17:01

Interesting. I wouldn't have thought to organize it into groups by the ideas instead of by the separate sections. I like it.

Bingham

5/11/2012 10:23:28

Remember, the more ways you reorganize the content, the better it sticks.

Jeremiah Pratt

6/11/2012 07:44:40

For those of you who need a little help, for the learning target regarding comparing Greco-Roman and American slavery, there is a lovely chart on the page across from the section heading "The making of a Slave Society: The Case of Rome". That's all you need to know, but reword it in your notes for your own benefit.

Sofia Michaelides

7/11/2012 07:30:46

Another!

compare status of women in athens and sparta

in athens, woman had a general low statuswith few rights. they were generally uneducated, were not allowed to take part in political dealings, and were always to remain within the house. within the household, their only main duties were the domestic affairs and childbearing. their room were segregated from those of their husbands, and they were always in subordination. in addition they wore very conservative clothing in order to prevent movement.
in contrast, the women of Sparta were allowed many freedoms. they were the household leaders because of the continuous absence of their husbands, and they were viewed as strong and important as the mother of warriors. they were encourages to take part in sporting events to strengthen their bodiees for childbirth and they were educated. they married men of their own age (unlike their athenian counterparts) and were seen as political equals, being able to own land and property, as well as buying and selling.

Emily Sherman

8/11/2012 13:04:48

If I'm still allowed to post on here, I am having a little trouble with big picture question number four. I take the test tomorrow, and any help is greatly appreciated. This is what I have so far:

"Social inequality was both accepted and resisted in classical civilizations." What evidence might support this statement?

Accepted:
-Confucian philosophy states that the natural order of life is not for things to be equal, but for leaders to be benevolent and good and followers to be dedicated and obediant.
-In the caste system, social inequality is seen as a natural order of life, eternal, and ordained by the gods.
-For the Greco-Romans the idea of private property and the practice of domesticating animals contributed to slavery and patriarchy.
-The Chinese used yin and yang to justify patriarchy and the subordination of women.
-Greek philosophers came up with "logical reasons" as to why women were inferior to men, such as the fact that women cannot create sperm, the "soul of life".

Resisted:
-Women in Sparta were treated somewhat better than in every other classical civilization because they were given an education, moderate freedom, power in the house, the ability to participate in sports, and the ability to marry someone their own age.
-The Greeks (except for Sparta) allowed homosexuality, seeing it more as a choice of taste rather than an identity.
-Slavery in India and China was not nearly as harsh as it was in the Greco-Roman world. For example, in India, owners were required to provide protection for their slaves and were encouraged to treat them more as human beings rather than property.

I feel like my "resisted" column is a little lacking...any comments are appreciated!

Bingham

8/11/2012 13:25:23

Emily, let me ease your mind. This is a good answer, but focus tonight on the learning targets Jeremiah posted above, mostly comparisons.
Then get some sleep!

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.

Strayer 6 Slaves to WHAP

Leave a Reply.

Author

Categories