Slavic Ancestry
The ancestral homeland of the Slavic people ranged from as far south as the Carpathian Mountains, as far east as the River Bug, as far north as the Baltic Sea, and as far west as the River Elbe. Their way of life was agriculturally based, and according to Procopius of Caesarea, an ancient Greek historian, their political set-up was democratic.
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History
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The history of the Slavic people is divided into two main periods. One period ran from 2,000 until 500 B.C. while the second ran from B.C. to 400 A.D. During the second period, the language of the Slavic people began to separate, though it wasn't until the 900s that these differences became more prominent.
Due to invasions around the 300s, the ancient Slavic people began to migrate. From this century until the 700s, the beginning of the modern Slavic cultures begins to be seen.
Genetic Determination
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DNA testing has been done to determine genetic ethnic factors, and perhaps trace the origins of the Slavic people. Among the various Slavic groups two mitochondrial haplogroups passed on through the father are R1a1a [M17] and I2a2a [L69.2=T/S163.2].
The appearance of R1a1a occurs in the Slavic groups with varying percentages. From least to greatest, the countries that possess these two haplogroups are Herzegovina, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and Poland.
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Types of Slavic Cultures
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The term Slavic is used as a broad term for a large group of related peoples of continental Europeans. These peoples are divided into various groups, including the the West Slavs, the South Slavs and the East Slavs.
The East Slavs include the Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians. The South Slavs include the Bosnians, Montenegrins, Slovenes, Serbs, Macedonians and Croatians. The West Slavs include the Wends (also known as Sorbs), Slovaks, Poles and Czechs.
Slavic Immigration and Oppression
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The greatest period of Slavic immigration to the United States lasted from 1880 to 1920. After 1920, immigration to the U.S. tapered, and then continued at a steady rate. The reasons for immigration included such things as political and religious oppression.
However, coming to the U.S. didn't always stop the oppression. At one point, because of influences ranging from historians to industrialists, the image of Slavic peoples in the United States was a negative one.
Celebration of Slavic Ancestry
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Today, celebrations of Slavic ancestry exist, including festivals. In these festivals, the national costumes of the Slavic culture, or cultures, being celebrated are worn, traditional Slavic cuisine is offered, Slavic dances are performed and Slavic music is played.
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References
- The Encyclopedia Britannica Online: History & Society: Slavs
- Carpatho-Rusyn Knowledge Base: Our Slavic Heritage
- Our Slavic Heritage: Table of Contents
- Slavic Fest: Sugar Creek Heritage
- Tesla Memorial Society of New York Website: Slavic Heritage
- "Empires and Barbarians: Migration, Development and the Birth of Europe"; Peter Heather; 2009
Resources
- Photo Credit Closeup of an old book with tattered pages and slavonic text image by Bambuh from Fotolia.com
