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