Migrations

BANTU MIGRATIONS

The Bantu peoples

• Originated in the region around modern Nigeria

• Agricultural Society• Cultivated yams and palm oil

• Herded goats

• Population pressure drove migrations

• Spread to south and east

• Languages differentiated into about 500 distinct related tongues

Early migrations of Bantu (3000-1000 B.C.E.)

• Move south and west into the forest lands

• Absorb much of the population of hunter/gather/fisher people

• By 1000 B.C.E. occupy most of Africa south of the equator

Bantu rate of migration increases after 1000 B.C.E.

• appearance of iron• Iron tools allow them to clear more land for agriculture

• Iron weapons give them stronger position

Early Agricultural Societies Of Sub-Saharan Africa

• Many other societies besides Bantu migrate

• Spread of agriculture to most of sub-Saharan Africa by 1000 B.C.E.

• Much mixing of cultures

• Religious differences by area– Some worship single, impersonal divine force representing

good and bad

– Many individuals pray to ancestors and local gods

Watch the Migration

INDO-EUROPEAN MIGRATIONS

Indo-European Origins• Linguists discover similarities between many languages• they must be related

Dark Green: majority of people speak IE languages

Light Green: IE minority language with official status

Who were the Indo-Europeans?

• Originate in steppes of central Asia – probably southern Russia or the Ukraine

• Organized into small tribes

• pastoral people– Cattle were the primary measure of wealth• Consumed dairy and beef products

• Calculated prices in terms of cattle

– Domesticate horses • learn to ride

• use horses with carts

• then chariots

Indo-European Expansion & Its Effects• Indo-European society begin to migrate around 3000 B.C.E.

• Hittites settle in central Anatolia about 2000 B.C.E.– Build powerful kingdoms

– Conquer Babylonian empire 1595 B.C.E.

– Dissolve by about 1200 B.C.E.

– Technology: light horse-drawn chariots (spokes) and iron metallurgy

• Some migrate into central Asia by 2000 B.C.E.

• Other migrations: Greece, Italy, central Europe, western Europe, Britain– All pastoral agriculturalists

– All speak related languages and worship similar deities

• Later wave of migrations to Iran and India (“Aryan”)– Influence social hierarchy and religion

Watch the Migration

• Harappan Society developed along the Indus river valley around 3000 bce

• Mohenjo-Daro developed along the Indus river

• Both very advanced cities and laid the foundation for future empires

Aryans

Indo-European – pastoral / agricultureSanskrit – sacred languagePrakrit – everyday languageVedas – collections of religious and literary works – orally

transmitted Caste system – determined the places that individuals and

groups occupied in society – patriarchal society

* Varnas – refers to social classes “color”* Brahmins – priests

* Kshatriyas - warriors and aristocrats

* Vaishyas – cultivators, artisans, merchants

* Shudras – landless peasants, serfs

* Untouchables – performed dirty or unpleasant task

* Jati – subcastes – occupation largely determined this