The Bible gives us an excellent history of what happened at Babel that gave rise to the different languages in the world: Before Babel, everyone on earth spoke the same language. As people journeyed from the east they found a plain in Shinar (Sumeria) and dwelt there. They decided to build a city and a tower with top-quality bricks and mortar. This was to make a name for themselves and to prevent being scattered all over the earth. God was not pleased with their motives, because he had previously commanded that people and animals multiply and fill the earth. So God confused their language to the extent that they could not understand one another's speech. This forced the people to leave off building their city and tower and to scatter all over the earth, presumably now with much smaller groups or families whose language was similar enough that they could communicate with each other.