The English replaced France and Spain as the single-most influential political and economic power in North America during the first three quarters of the eighteenth century. During that time, the North American part of Spanish Empire covered an immense but sparsely populated and economically inactive territory. The colonies consisted of several small and isolated urban clusters, mostly under the control of Indian. The colonies' dependence on trade and extraction of Indian labor, and failure to attract settlers made the colony impoverish. Florida remained a stagnant military outpost, and others were dotted by a small number of mission outposts that attempted to convert Indian. French colonies, in contrast, was able to rival the British ones. It possessed a expanding colony in Canada and continued into Mississippi River Valley. Prosperous farming communities with a vibrant and established social life developed in colonies. Though populated, the colonies were still dwarfed by the British ones, due to the dominant prejudice against emigration. Yet the French still posed a threat to British in military and trading power. However, after the power struggle in the Seven Years' War, the British obtained Canada from French and Florida from Spain, and became the dominant power in North America.
Archaeological evidence indicates that civilization emerged in the Indus Valley around 3300
BCE. Over two millenniums, the inhabitants of this northwestern region of the Indian
subcontinent developed into a prosperous civilization with a distinct cultural style. However,
around 1500 BCE, a new culture, the Aryans, entered India through the Khyber Pass, and
began integrating themselves into the social framework of the Indus Valley civilization.
The origin of the Aryan people is subject to continuous scholarly debate; however, two theories
prevail. Traditionally, it has been thought that the Aryans emerged in the Caucasus region and
migrated westward into Europe and eastward into India. Another theory, the Cultural Diffusion
Hypothesis, states that the Aryans originated in the Indus Valley.
The Aryans furnished civilization in the Indian subcontinent with many impressive cultural and
religious contributions and shaped Indian society for thousands of years with the creation of the
caste system.
Society
According to traditional theories, the Indian caste system has its origins in the advent of the
Aryans in the Indus Valley. Thus, this social stratification system was the product of the Aryan
people’s will to separate themselves from, and subjugate, the local populations.
Initially, this new society, which included Aryans and non-Aryans, was hierarchically divided into
four varnas (i.e. castes). In fact, these four original varnas could be better categorized in two
groups: Aryans and Non-Aryans. Nevertheless, the four varnas, from the top down, were: the
Brahmins—Aryans (priests, scholars, and philosophers); the Kshatriyas—Aryans (rulers and
warriors); the Vaishyas—Aryans (farmers, traders, merchants, and craftsmen); and the lowest
caste, the Shudras—non-Aryans (laborers, peasants, and servants for the other castes).
Each varna was divided into jatis (i.e. sub-castes), which identified the individual’s occupation
and imposed marriage restrictions. Marriage was only possible between members of the same
jati (or two that were very close).
Both varnas and jatis determined a person’s purity level. Members of higher varnas or jatis had
higher purity levels, and if contaminated (even by touch) by members of lower social groups,
they would have to undergo extensive cleansing rites.
The huguenots (they arent part of christian faith)
