Section 1: The Study of Human Geography Culture

Main Idea and Essential Questions Main Idea: The study of human geography focuses on a number of population topics, as well as many cultural topics. Essential Questions: What are some of the elements of culture? How do cultures change?

Culture and Geography What is Geography? The study of where people, places, and things are located and how they relate to each other? The only way to seriously study geography is to study and observe the differences between groups of people and their effects on the earth! How do we do this? Observing the different beliefs and customs that shape societies around the world.

Culture and Geography Culture The beliefs and actions that define a group of people’s way of life.

Two Kinds of Culture Material Culture Everything that is tangible and is important to the makeup and practices of life by a group of people Food Clothing Architecture Arts and Crafts Technology

Two Kinds of Culture Non-Material Culture Everything that is intangible and important to the makeup and practices of life by a group of people Religion Language Spiritual Beliefs Behavioral Patterns Political and Economic Systems Education Gender Roles

Culture Culture usually changes very slowly over a long period of time! Fast changes in culture are most of the time extreme, violent, and revolutionary! Most of the time culture is passed down generationally.

Culture Cultural patterns vary from country to country. Larger differences can be noticed when looking at whole regions. Some differences can also be found inside of individual countries. Ethnic Groups – a group that shares a language, customs, and common heritage.

Culture Change and Exchange Innovation Creating something new with existing resources Example: weaving baskets from straw to solve a storage problem

Culture Change and Exchange Diffusion Spread of ideas, innovations, patters of behavior Cultural Convergence: when the skills, ideas, arts, and habits of one culture come into contact with another and blend. Cultural Divergence: the restriction of a certain culture from outside influences.

Culture Change and Exchange Cultural Hearth Site of original cultural innovation; beginning place of diffusion Example: Western government and farming practices originated in the Middle East

Elements of Culture There are seven major elements of culture that human geographers study Language Religion Creative Expression Social Organization Customs and Traditions Government Systems Economic Systems Section 2

Elements of Culture: Customs and Traditions Customs and Traditions are the written and unwritten rules of behavior for a society! Customs – a traditional and widely accepted way of behaving; not usually written down; no formal punishment system for people who misbehave Laws – system of formally accepted rules that govern a society; usually written down; have formal punishments for people who break any of them

Elements of Culture: Language Why is Language Important? It is the main building block of culture. Without language, cultures could not form. It is the most basic means of communication between humans. All cultures have a spoken language. There are an estimated 3000 – 6500 languages spoken.

Elements of Culture: Language Language can both unite people and divide them. People with the same language tend to stick together. Speakers of different languages in a region may come into conflict if one group feels favored over the other. Each language can have several different dialects or “versions”

Elements of Culture: Religion Why is religion important to culture? It answers the most basic questions about the meaning of life. Supports values that groups of people feel are important.

Elements of Culture: Religion Because different societies support different beliefs, customs, and values, religion often causes conflict between peoples Types of Religion Monotheism – One god Polytheism – Multiple gods/goddesses Animism – Nature worship

Elements of Culture: Creative Expression All cultures express themselves creatively! Music is the most common creative expression found throughout the world. Creative Expression mainly refers to the arts and literature Visual Arts – architecture, painting, textiles, sculpture Preforming Arts – music, dance, theater, and film Oral and Written Arts: poetry, story telling, novels

Elements of Culture: Creative Expression Creative Expression is the element that is connected to geography the most! Artworks usually have traits or expressions of the artists surrounding environment worked into them.

Elements of Culture: Social Organization Every culture creates a social structure by organizing its members into smaller units insure that basic needs are met. The most important unit of social organization is family Through family, culture is learned and traditions passed down.

Elements of Culture: Social Organization Most societies have social classes which rank people in order of status depending on what is important to the culture (money, job type, education, ancestry, etc.) Discrimination is a common theme in social organization. Usually occurs to religious and racial minorities as well as to women