The ABCs of World Culture

A - Art What art forms are typical of this culture? Crafts Paintings Drama Music Dance Literature

B - Buildings How do the buildings symbolize this culture? – Buildings – Monuments – Structures – Homes

C - Communication How do people communicate with each other? How is information spread?

D – Dress (What dress is typical?)‏

E - Economy Who owns the farms & factories? Is the country: – High tech – Low tech – No tech

F - Family What does the typical family look like? What is the role of women & children?

G - Government Who has the power? How is the average citizen connected to the government?

H - History What experiences have shaped their culture? – War? – Famine? – Government?

I – Icon What images (religious or secular) cause an immediate response in the people?

J – Jobs How does the average person (or family) make a living?

K- Knowledge How is knowledge passed from one generation to the next?

L - Language What words and expressions have special meaning? What are the most popular forms of literature? – Poems – Dramas – Comedies – Etc....

M – Movement & Migration How does the average person get around? To where are people moving?

N – National Pride What people, places, and things spark feelings of loyalty and patriotism?

O – Organizations What are the most important organizations (formal or informal) in this society?

P - Population What are the largest groups? – Age? – Race? – Religion? – Language? – Ethnic group? What are the smallest or (minority) groups? United States Age: 67% between the ages of Race: 79.9% white Religion: 53.1% Protestant Language : 82.1% English

Q – Quality of Life Rate the average person's health and happiness. – Medical care – Life expectancy – GDP per capita (Gross Domestic Product per person) = Avg. amount of money per person – Infant mortality rate (how many babies out of 1,000 die before the age of 1)? United States – Life expectancy: years – GDP per capita:$46,000 – Infant mortality rate: 6.22

R - Religion What beliefs and values do people hold? What are the traditional holidays, festivals, and ceremonies? – Examples: Christianity – Christmas and Easter Judaism – Yom Kippor, Hanukka Islam - Ramadan

S - Status What classes, castes, professions, or groups (racial, ethnic, religious, cultural) have high or low status?

T – Taboo What behaviors are considered to be totally unacceptable?

U – Urban or Rural? Do most people live in the city or the country? What does a typcial community look like? United States – Urban: 82%

Vacation & Recreation How do people have fun?

W – Way of Everyday Life How do people take care of:

X – X marks the spot How does geography shape the culture? Movement: How do people, goods, and ideas move? Human – Environment Interaction: – Are the people changing the environment to meet their needs? – Are the people adapting to the environment to survive? Location: Where it is located determines how people dress, where they can live, and what types of jobs they can have.

Y – Yum! What foods are eaten here? What do people eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

Z – Ztuff (Extra Stuff)‏ You know, like eating with chopsticks in China....