Human Geography: Elements of Culture
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Transcript of Human Geography: Elements of Culture
Human Geography:Elements of Culture
Learning Goals:• Explain different economic and government
systems• Analyze major religions• Explain how urban areas develop
Population Geography
Population DistributionWhere are these people?
• Not evenly spread out throughout the world. Almost 90% of the population lives in the Northern Hemisphere!
• Why is this area well-suited for a large population?
More land
Climate is warm enough and wet enough to make agriculture possible!
Population Density: helps geographers understand how heavily populated an area is
Explain how urban areas develop…
Growth of Urban Areas
• Today, much of the population of the world lives in cities.
• Cities are often the birthplace of innovation and change within a society.
Urban Areas
• Suburbs: the built-up area around the central city
• Urbanization: the dramatic rise in the number of cities and the changes in lifestyle that result.
• Why have cities grown over the past 2 centuries?
People looking for work!!
What is Culture?• Culture:
– The knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors shared by and passed on by the members of a specific group.
• What do the following have in common?
• We SHARE and BORROW from ALL cultures around the world!
Innovation – taking existing
technology and resourcesand creating
something new
Diffusion – The spread of ideas,
inventions, or patterns of behavior
Cultural Hearth – A site of innovation
From which basic ideas, Materials, and
Technology diffuse toMany cultures
Acculturation – When society changes
because it accepts or adopts an innovation
Changing Culture?• QUESTION: Does culture EVOLVE or
remain the SAME?
• ANSWER: Culture is ALWAYS changing!
• Change can occur or
Language• Helps to build cultural identity
– Builds group identity and unity among those speaking the SAME language.
• Impact of multiple languages within a or culture:
• Can lead to divisions among people– Ex: Canada (French and English)
Language• How many languages are spoken
throughout the world?– Between 3,000 and 6,500
• What is the term for different versions of a language spoken within a culture?
• DIALECT!– Examples: Southern drawl, Boston accent,
and street slang
Types of Religion • Very influential in cultures• Religion Categories:1. Monotheistic
• Belief in one god2. Polytheistic
• Belief in many gods3. Animistic
• Belief in divine forces in natureHow religions spread throughout the world:•Religion spreads through diffusion and converts.
FAITH FOLLOWERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD…
These are estimations!!
Religions and Region
Religions • Judaism:
– Oldest of the Southwest Asian religions– Concentrated in Israel– Established more than 3,200 years ago– Oldest monotheistic religion– Basic laws & teachings come from Torah (Holy book)
• Christianity:– Evolved from the teachings of Judaism (2,000 yrs. ago)– Monotheistic– Based on teachings of Jesus Christ (Son of God to Christians)– New Testament of Bible– Found on every continent
• Groups: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox
Religions
• Islam:– Based on
teachings of Prophet Muhammad
– Monotheistic– God is Allah
(Arabic)– Close ties to
Judaism and Christianity
– Holy Book = Qur’an– 2 major divisions:
• Sunni and Shiite
• Hinduism:– One of the world’s
oldest religions (dates back 5,000 years)
– “Ethnic” religion (India)
– Polytheistic– One or many gods
represent an aspect of the divine spirit, Brahman
– Includes a Caste system (shapes lives and culture)
Hindu Caste System
Religions• Buddhism:
– Offshoot of Hinduism– Developed in India (563 B.C.)
• Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha/Enlightened One)– Rejected Hindu caste system– Focused teachings on correct way to live to
reach enlightened spiritual state called NIRVANA
Types of Government• Representative
Democracy: Citizens hold political power; “Rule by the People” (U.S.)
• Monarchy: A ruling family, headed by a king or queen, holds political power (UK)– What is a constitutional
monarchy?
• Dictatorship: An individual or group holds COMPLETE political power (North Korea, Cuba)– Military dictatorship: where the
government resides within the military.
Economic Systems• Traditional:
“Barter”; trade without use of money
• Command: Government determines and owns all means of production
• Market: “Capitalism”; based on Supply and Demand—consumers play large role
• Mixed: Combination of command and market