Name: __________________________________
Chapter 3 – People and Ideas on the Move
Talk: In your groups discuss your answer to the bell ringer – When you hear the term Indo European what comes to
mind? What kind of things do you think this group of people did? Jot down some notes in the space below.
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Read: Read the following passages silently to yourself. When you finish just sit quietly until your classmates are also
finished.
The Indo-Europeans were a nomadic group of people known for herding sheep, cattle, and goats, who are
believed to have come from the dry grasslands north of the Caucasus Mountains. They had many different languages
that were all forms of the original Indo-European language. Many modern languages such as Hindi, Spanish, Italian,
Slavic, and Celtic have Indo-European roots. We don’t know why the Indo Europeans left their original homeland and
migrated to other areas, but they did.
One group of Indo Europeans, known as the Hittites, occupied the area called Anatolia (Turkey) by 2000BC. The
Hittites had city-states that joined together to form an empire. The Hittite Empire struggled for control of Egypt and
Syria but was unable to conquer these lands. They were, however, able to conquer much of the Tigris-Euphrates River
Valley (Mesopotamia). They adopted the language of the Babylonians (Akkadian), as well as their literature, art, politics,
and law.
Another group of Indo-Europeans, known as the Aryans, migrated to the Indus River Valley of India. The Aryans
left very little archaeological evidence to their civilization and lifestyle, but they did leave behind a collection of hymns,
prayers, and songs known as the Vedas. They also developed a system of social classes that would remain in India as the
caste system for many centuries to come. The Aryans spread out to various parts of India, extending their culture and
influence across the subcontinent. Many of these tales of the struggle between the Indians and the Aryans can be found
in the Mahabharata.
Another Indo-European group, the Minoans, dominated the Eastern Mediterranean from the island of Crete off
the coast of Greece. They traded pottery, weapons, and precious metals by traveling across the sea to nearby areas.
Minoan culture was heavily influenced by the Egyptians, as is evident in their writing and religion. Minoan culture fell
after a series of earthquakes followed by a volcanic eruption destroyed much of their civilization.
The Phoenicians were another group of seafaring traders who lived near the Mediterranean. They never united
into an empire, but did have several wealthy city-states and often competed with one another. The Phoenicians were
the first to sail beyond the Strait of Gibraltar. They are also believed to have sailed around the coast of Africa –
something that would not be repeated for 2000 years. The greatest contribution of the Phoenicians was the alphabet
that our current alphabet is modeled after. The greatest Phoenician city was Carthage. This was the trading epicenter
of the Mediterranean.
Talk: In your groups. Discuss what you read and how it is similar and different to what you originally thought about the
Indo-Europeans. Jot down some notes in the space below.
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Write: Describe some of the accomplishments of the Indo-Europeans. How did they achieve these accomplishments?
What tools did they use (both things and ideas)? What is the legacy they left behind (how did they influence presentday civilizations)?
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Check for Understanding:
1. What was the major contribution of the Phoenicians?
A. the Vedas
B. development of city-states
C. alphabet
D. religion
2. What two things did the Aryans leave behind to allow us a glimpse into their lives?
A. language/religion
B. Vedas/Mahabharata C. alphabet/caste system
D. Hinduism/Buddhism
3. Where did the Indo-Europeans originate?
A. India
B. Europe
C. Mesopotamia
D. the Caucasus
4. Which of the following is an Indo-European language?
A. Hindu
B. Italian
C. Celtic
D. All of the Above
C. Minoans
D. Phoenicians
5. Which group of Indo-Europeans controlled Anatolia?
A. Hittites
B. Aryans