1. The 8 Elements of Culture

2. What is Culture?????
Culture is the way of life of a group of people who share similar beliefs and customs.

3. Element 1. Language (Sharing the same Language)
Dialects- A local form of a language that may have a distinct vocabulary and pronunciation

4. Element 2. Religion (Answer questions about life’s meaning)
Major Religions
Judaism
Abraham
Islam
Muhammad
Hinduism
Unknown
Christianity
Jesus Christ
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama

5. Element 3. History (Shapes how a culture views itself and the world)
Stories about the challenges and successes of a culture support certain values and develop pride and unity: EX: American History- Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day,

6. Element 4. Daily Life (Basic Human Needs)
Food, Clothing, Shelter that reflect the culture and the physical surroundings.

7. Element 5. Economy (How people earn a living)
Economic System—The method used to answer three questions:
1. What goods and services to produce
2. How to produce them
3. Who will receive them

8. Element 6. The Arts (How people express what they think is meaningful)
Through music, painting, sculpture, dance and literature, the arts can tell stories about important figures and events in culture.

9. Element 7. Government (Rules in order to live without together without conflict)
Types of Government:
Democracy---Power is held by the people
Dictatorship– The leader rules by force
Monarchy----- a government led by a king or queen by a ruling family

10. Element 8. Inventions & Technology (Important advancements)
Civilizations—Highly developed cultures
Cities, forming governments, founding religions , developing writing systems
Industrial and Agricultural Revolution
Advances in Communication

11. Cultural Words to Remember
Cultural Diffusion—The Process of spreading ideas, languages, or customs from one culture to another
Globalization—The development of a worldwide culture with an independent economy