1. E. Napp The Meaning of History and Culture In this lesson, students will be able to define the following key concepts: History Primary Source Secondary Source Culture Cultural Diffusion Ethnocentrism

2. E. Napp History History is the record of past events. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana How can the study of history help us?

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4. Primary Source A Primary source is an eyewitness account of an event. A primary source is written by a person who experienced or witnessed the event. A diary, autobiography, and a personal letter are examples of primary sources.

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6. Secondary Sources A secondary source is a second-hand record of what happened. The writer of the text did not experience or witness the event. A textbook is an example of a secondary source.

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8. Culture Culture is a way of life of a group of people. Culture includes a group of people’s religion, diet, clothing styles, and government. Culture is sometimes referred to as a “blueprint for living” because it includes all things that contribute to a group of people’s way of life.

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10. Cultural Diffusion Cultural diffusion is the exchange of cultural ideas or objects. Sometimes a cultural idea or object is adopted by a different culture. An example of cultural diffusion is Buddhism. Buddhism is a religion. It began in India but became popular in China.

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12. Ethnocentrism Ethnocentrism is the belief that one culture is superior to another culture. The Romans were ethnocentric. They thought their culture was better than other cultures. Ethnocentrism is not a helpful attitude. It can lead to conflict and warfare.

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14. Questions for Reflection: Why do individuals study history? What is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source? Why is culture sometimes referred to as a “blueprint for living”? Provide an example of cultural diffusion. Are you ethnocentric? Why?