1. Chapter 3 Section 1 Understanding Culture

2. What Is Culture? Culture Culture Is the way of life of a group of people who share similar beliefs and customs Is the way of life of a group of people who share similar beliefs and customs When studying culture, geographers look at 8 Characteristics of culture When studying culture, geographers look at 8 Characteristics of culture social groups social groups Language Language Religion Religion daily life daily life history, history, Arts Arts Government Government economy economy

3. What Is Culture? Among social groups, geographers study rich, poor, and middle class people Among social groups, geographers study rich, poor, and middle class people They may look at age or gender They may look at age or gender They may study different ethnic groups They may study different ethnic groups People who share a common language, history, religion, and some physical characteristics People who share a common language, history, religion, and some physical characteristics

4. What Is Culture? Among people who speak the same language, one may hear a local form of a language Among people who speak the same language, one may hear a local form of a language Dialect, that differs from the main language Dialect, that differs from the main language In many cultures, religion helps people answer basic questions about life’s meaning In many cultures, religion helps people answer basic questions about life’s meaning Religious beliefs vary greatly around the world which have resulted in conflicts based on religious differences Religious beliefs vary greatly around the world which have resulted in conflicts based on religious differences

5. What Is Culture? Daily life varies in different cultures Daily life varies in different cultures Examples: the types of foods that people eat, the way they build their homes, and celebrate holidays Examples: the types of foods that people eat, the way they build their homes, and celebrate holidays History shapes how people view the world History shapes how people view the world

6. What Is Culture? A culture is influenced by how it remembers its successes and how it remembers its disasters and defeats A culture is influenced by how it remembers its successes and how it remembers its disasters and defeats Culture is expressed through art, including painting, sculpture, architecture, dance, music, theater, and literature Culture is expressed through art, including painting, sculpture, architecture, dance, music, theater, and literature Insight into a culture can be Insight into a culture can be gained by studying what its people think is beautiful and important

7. What Is Culture? Types of government can reflect a country’s culture Types of government can reflect a country’s culture A democracy is a form of limited government in which power rests with the people of a nation A democracy is a form of limited government in which power rests with the people of a nation In a representative democracy, such as the United States, citizens elect representatives In a representative democracy, such as the United States, citizens elect representatives

8. What Is Culture? Some governments are led by individuals Some governments are led by individuals In a dictatorship, dictators control and rule as they wish In a dictatorship, dictators control and rule as they wish In a monarchy, kings and queens inherit the power to rule In a monarchy, kings and queens inherit the power to rule In studying how the people In studying how the people of a culture earn a living, geographers study the culture’s economic system

9. What Is Culture? This “system” sets rules for how people decide what goods and services to produce and how they are exchanged This “system” sets rules for how people decide what goods and services to produce and how they are exchanged

10. Cultural Change The process of spreading new knowledge and skills to other cultures is called cultural diffusion The process of spreading new knowledge and skills to other cultures is called cultural diffusion This happens as a result of trade, the movement of people, war, television, the Internet, and so on This happens as a result of trade, the movement of people, war, television, the Internet, and so on As people learned to grow food, they tended to stay in one place and build settlements As people learned to grow food, they tended to stay in one place and build settlements

11. Cultural Change This produced highly developed cultures, or civilizations This produced highly developed cultures, or civilizations In the 1700s and 1800s, some countries began to industrialize and built factories to make goods, leading to the Industrial Revolution In the 1700s and 1800s, some countries began to industrialize and built factories to make goods, leading to the Industrial Revolution More recently, the widespread use of computer technology has led to the Information Revolution More recently, the widespread use of computer technology has led to the Information Revolution

12. Cultural Change People around the world can instantaneously send and receive information People around the world can instantaneously send and receive information