Describe the condition of Indian society in the first half of the 19th century.

1. 1 · Open in one line. Two causes held society back: lack of education and the low status of women.
2. 2 · Education. Few could read; learning was limited to upper-caste men, and priests alone explained the Sanskrit scriptures.
3. 3 · Caste. The varna system had become hereditary; lower castes were exploited and faced untouchability.
4. 4 · Women. Women had no right to property or education; female infanticide and polygamy were common.
5. 5 · Sati and child marriage. Girls were married young, often to older men; some widows were forced into sati, and widows could not remarry.
6. 6 · Schools. Pathshalas and madrasas taught religion but no science, and superstition kept girls at home.
7. 7 · Close in one line. So reformers felt that religion and society both had to be reformed.

Scoring tip: Give one example practice under each point, and use the words varna, hereditary and sati.