Download Social and Gender Structure of Classical

AP World History
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The Mediterranean- The Greeks emerged as
the first classical civilization of the
Mediterranean area, followed by the Romans.
The Indian subcontinent-Two empires rose
on the Indian subcontinent: Mauryan Empire
and the Gupta Empire
East Asia-China emerged from the Warring
States period that followed the Zhou dynasty
to form the Qin dynasty, followed by the
much longer lasting Han dynasty.
Greece and Greek Colonies, c. 431 B.C.E.
Stearns et al. World Civilization, The Global Experience, 5th edition
India in the Age of Harappa
and the Early Aryan
Migrations
India at the Time of Ashoka
The Gupta Empire
Stearns et al. World Civilization, The Global Experience, 5th edition
China from the Later Zhou to the Han Era
Stearns et al. World Civilization, The Global Experience, 5th edition
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The most important social distinction in most
city-states was between:
◦ Citizen
◦ Non-citizen
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All Spartan citizens were theoretically equal in
status.
Distinctions among citizens were based on
athletic prowess and military talent.
◦ Spartan educational system prepared boys to be soldiers
around the age of seven.
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Spartans maintained the system of equality based
on military values even after they became an
aristocracy.
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In Athens they developed a clear urban-based
aristocracy.
Class Distinctions
◦ Aristocrats-lived in the city, worked in government
(political rights)
◦ Farmers-lived outside urban area (political rights)
◦ Commoners-lived in the city but were not aristocrats
(political rights)
◦ Slaves-30 percent of the population (no political rights)
The distinctions between commoners and aristocrats
led to discontent and, in response, reforms were
enacted that gave commoners more rights, including
membership in the town council.
Democracy spread to all free male citizens but it
deepened a division between free men and slaves.
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Women were free and
equal with men
Women were encouraged
to be physically fit as the
men, especially so they
could have strong and
healthy babies.
Wives did not live with
husbands.
In many ways women ran
Sparta because men were
constantly off fighting.
SPARTA
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Gender inequality was much
more clearly defined.
Respectable Athenian women
were confined to the home and
only ventured outside under the
guardianship of slaves and
servants.
One or two rooms of a home
were served for women’s use,
always away from the street.
Rural women had more freedom
because of their many chores.
Women had no political rights,
could not own property but they
were allowed citizenship; in
order to pass it on to their
children.
ATHENS
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Rome was a republican form of government but
not a democracy.
The most important ruling body was a Senate
composed of patricians(elite) and
plebeians(commoners).
◦ Patricians controlled the majority of all political
decisions.
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The political structure of Rome was constantly
changing due to discontent of the franchised and
disenfranchised.
Reforms were ushered in through Pax Romana.
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The basic unit of Roman society was a multigenerational family with domestic slaves.
The oldest living male, the “paterfamilias”,
had complete authority over his family, and
he was tied to other family heads through
patron-client relationships.
◦ Patrons were men of wealth who clients turned to
for protection
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Generally upper class women were treated
like children under the strict scrutiny of men
of their family
During a woman’s life cycle:
◦ 1st-her father was her supervisor
◦ 2nd-her husband became her supervisor
◦ 3rd-her son became her supervisor
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Many women had more economic freedom
and were able to handle family business and
the financial affairs of wealthy estates.
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Before the fall of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa
in the Indus valley, the Aryans had migrated
into the Indian sub-continent from their
home north of the Black Sea.
At first, they probably had a fairly simply
society consisting of herders and farmers led
by warrior chiefs and priests.
As they settled, however, their social
complexity grew, especially as they interacted
with the native Dravidians.
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The term caste- a social class of hereditary and
usually unchangeable status.
◦ First used in India during the 16 century by the
Portuguese.
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The Aryans used the term varna (color) to refer to
their social classes.
Four major Indian varnas:
◦ Brahmins-the highest social classes were the priests and
scholars; represented intellect and knowledge
◦ Kshatriya-Warriors and government officials
◦ Vaishya-Land owners, merchants, and artisans
◦ Shudra-Represented by common peasants and laborers
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During the classical era the caste system
became much more complex, with each caste
further subdivided into jati, or birth groups,
each with its own occupation, duties, and
rituals.
Each jati had little contact with they other.
Women had little to no rights and were
expected to be subservient.
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China was recovering from the Warring States
period at the end of the Zhou dynasty.
◦ Warring states period was a time of political
turmoil, with regional warlords constantly
challenging the authority of the Zhou.
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Three influential belief systems affected this
period and the Qin and Han dynasties:
◦ Legalism
◦ Daoism
◦ Confucianism
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Han China had an urban empire that ruled a
rural and peasant population.
The emperor lived in the forbidden city
◦ Only his family, servants and closest advisors were
allowed in the city.
◦ Administrative buildings and houses of aristocrats
and the scholar-gentry surrounded the forbidden
city.
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Despite the importance of trade to the
empire’s prosperity, merchants did not have a
high social status.
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The highest regard was for the shi, or the scholar
bureaucrats, sometimes called the mandarins.
Confucian teachings became essential for
promotion in the Han government.
An examination system was set up to identify the
best candidates for the bureaucracy.
Theoretically, any Chinese man could take the
exam but only the sons of the wealthy had the
leisure to study for them.
The importance of social class was reinforced by
the fact that many government positions were
still hereditary, and automatically passed on from
father to son.
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Three main social classes characterized Han
China:
◦ The Scholar-Gentry: This class was linked to the Shi, and
eventually superseded it. Their status was based on
their control of large amounts of land and bureaucratic
positions in government.
◦ Ordinary, but free, citizens: The common people
included a broad range, with the majority being
peasants. Most peasants had a decent plot of land and
lived well. All peasants were required to work a
designated number of days each year on public works,
and they also could be forced to join the army.
◦ The Underclass: This category included many different
groups including non-Han Chinese on the fringes of the
empire. They could be described as bandits, beggars,
and vagabonds.
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China was a patriarchy, Families were run by the
older men, and male children were favored over
their sisters.
Marriages were arranged according to family ties
Women of upper class families were often
educated in writing, arts, and music.
Women at all social levels remained subordinate
to men.
Political positions were reserved for men, and
only boys could sit for the examinations.
Women from peasant families played traditional
roles as cooks, houses cleaners, and support for
men in the fields.