Semi-nomadic Indo-European peoples migrated from the steppes north of the Caucasus mountains between 1700-1200 BC, spreading across Europe, India, and Southwest Asia. They interacted and sometimes conquered the settled civilizations they encountered. These migrations helped spread Indo-European languages like English, Spanish, Persian, Hindi and German, which are now spoken by half the world's population. Groups like the Hittites in Anatolia and Aryans in the Indus River valley established new societies and social hierarchies, such as the caste system developed by the Aryans.

1. Indo-European Migrations

2. Indo-European Migrations
Main Idea Why it Matters Today
 Indo-European peoples
migrated into Europe, India,
and Southwest Asia and
interacted with the people
living there.
 Half the people living today
speak languages that stem
from the original Indo-
European languages.

5. Indo European Migrations
 Semi-Nomadic People
 Came from the Steppes north of the Caucasus
mountains.
 Pastoralist (herded cattle, sheep, and goats)
 Tamed horses. Rode into battle on two-wheeled
chariots
 Ancestors of modern languages (English, Spanish,
Persian, Hindi, and German to name a few)

6. Indo European Migrations
 Why Migration? Not sure…
 Land for grazing dried up
 Population growth…needed more food
 Escape from invaders or outbreak of disease
 1700-1200 B.C.-Migrations took place in waves over a long
period of time
 Pastoral nomads-sometimes created empires when they
conquered settled civs
 Domesticated animals
 Migratory
 Carried products between civilized centers

7. Hittites

8. Hittites
 Occupied Anatolia (Modern Day Turkey)
 Dominated SW Asia for 450 years
 Known for superior chariots and iron weapons
 First to use iron weapons!

9. Aryans
 Indus River Valley
 Vedas-sacred literature of the Aryans gives us a fairly
reliable picture of Aryan life-collection of prayers,
magical spells, and instructions for rituals
 Vedas passed down orally
 Aryans (Nobles) called the people of the Indus Valley
“Dasas” (Dark)
 Dasa becomes Aryan word for slave

10. Aryans Develop Caste System
 Born into for life
 Determined job, marriage, friends, who you could eat
with…based on ritual purity
 Worst jobs for Untouchables-butchers, gravediggers,
trash collectors (outside of the caste system)
 4 Varna-Brahmins(priests), warriors, peasants or
traders, and non-Aryan laborers.