AP Human Geography EXAM Review (Unit 1-6)

Culture

The shared beliefs, values, practices, behaviors, and technologies of a society.

Cultural Traits

Visible and invisible attributes that comprise a culture, such as food preferences, architecture, and land use.

Artifacts

Visible, physical objects created by a culture, including houses, clothing, toys, tools, and furniture.

Sociofacts

The social behaviors and institutions in a society, such as family, education, government, and religion.

Mentifacts

The ideas, beliefs, values, and knowledge of a culture, including religious beliefs and food preferences.

Cultural Relativism

An unbiased view of another culture, promoting understanding that no culture is superior to another.

Ethnocentrism

Judging other cultures by the standards of one’s own culture, often believing that one's own culture is superior.

Local/Traditional Culture

Small, homogenous groups living in rural, isolated areas, known for stable practices and rich heritage.

Global/Popular Culture

Large, heterogeneous groups often found in urban areas, characterized by rapid change and global interconnectedness.

Cultural Norms

Agreed-upon cultural practices or standards that guide behavior within a culture.

Taboo

A behavior that is heavily discouraged or forbidden within a culture.

The global spread of American fast-food chains such as McDonald's and KFC, where their menus are often adapted to local tastes while maintaining core elements, is a classic example of what cultural phenomenon?

Diffusion.

Cultural Hearth

The geographic origin of a culture or cultural trait from which it diffuses.

Language Family

The largest group of related languages connected through a common ancient ancestry.

Indo-European Language Family

The largest language family, with about 3.2 billion speakers distributed globally.

Language Branch

A collection of languages that share a common origin and are distinctive yet related.

Romance Branch

A branch of the Indo-European language family that includes languages like Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Italian.

Dialect

A variation of a standard language distinguished by differences in vocabulary, pronunciation, and spelling.

Isogloss

A geographic boundary within which a particular linguistic feature occurs.

Kurgan Warrior Theory

The theory that the Indo-European language first diffused from a hearth in modern Russia/Ukraine through military conquest.

Anatolian Farmer Theory

The theory that the adoption of the Indo-European language was facilitated through successful agricultural practices.

Colonialism

The practice of acquiring control over another country, often leading to the diffusion of language.

Military Conquest

The act of acquiring territory through military force, which can lead to the diffusion of language.

Migration

The movement of people from one place to another, which can contribute to language diffusion.

Diffusion

The process by which a cultural trait, idea, or religion spreads from one place to another.

Universalizing Religions

Religions that attempt to appeal to all people, not just those living in a particular location. Examples include Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Sikhism.

Ethnic Religions

Religions that are associated with a particular ethnic group and do not actively seek converts. Examples include Hinduism, Judaism, and Shintoism.

Contagious Diffusion

The spread of cultural traits through direct contact with individuals. An example is how Christianity spread through the Mediterranean.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of a cultural trait from a person of power to other persons or places, such as how imperialism spread Christianity.

Relocation Diffusion

The spreading of an idea or cultural trait through the physical movement of people from one place to another.

Acculturation

The process by which a culture adopts some traits from another culture while retaining its own.

Assimilation

A process where individuals or groups of differing ethnicity or culture are absorbed into the dominant culture, often with the loss of their original culture.

Multiculturalism

The practice of valuing and respecting the diverse cultural backgrounds that coexist within a society.

Syncretism

The blending of two or more cultures or religions to form a new cultural trait.

Imperialism

The dominance of one country over another country through diplomacy or force.

Neocolonialism

'New' colonialism - a term describing how in modern times, imperialism can be pursued through political, economic, and cultural influence rather than occupation.

Colonialism

When a powerful country establishes settlements in a less powerful country for economic and/or political gain.

Pidgin Language

An extremely simplified, limited non-native language used by two people that speak two different languages.

Creole Language

A pidgin language that develops into a new combined language with native speakers.

Lingua Franca

A common language used by speakers of two different languages for communication, often for business or trade.

Dialect

Variations in accent, grammar, usage, and spelling that develop out of geographic distance or isolation.

Official Language

A language used by the government of a country for laws, reports, and public communication.

Globalization

The trend toward increased cultural and economic connectedness between people around the world.

Time-space convergence

The shrinking of the world due to improvements in communication and transportation technologies.

Cultural Convergence

The process of two or more cultures coming into contact and adopting each other's traits.

Cultural Divergence

When cultures become less alike due to barriers or restrictions in contact with other cultures.

Cultural Hearth

The geographic origin of a culture or cultural trait from which traits first diffuse.

Diffusion

The movement or spread of cultural traits, knowledge, ideas, trends from hearths to other geographic areas.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of a cultural trait through the migration of people.

Expansion Diffusion

The spread of a cultural trait through the interaction between people.

Contagious Diffusion

A cultural trait that spreads rapidly and widely from its hearth through close contact between people.

Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of cultural traits from the most interconnected, powerful, wealthy people/organizations to others.

Reverse Hierarchical Diffusion

The spread of cultural traits from the least interconnected, wealthy, or powerful people/organizations outwards.

Stimulus Diffusion

When cultural traits spread and are altered or modified due to cultural barriers or taboos.

Viral Videos

Content that spreads rapidly over the internet, exemplifying contagious diffusion.

Example of Relocation Diffusion

The migration of Europeans to the Americas resulting in the spread of Christianity and European languages.

Cultural Landscape

A natural landscape that has been modified by humans, reflecting their cultural beliefs and values.

Sequent Occupancy

The idea that societies or cultural groups leave their cultural imprints when they live in a place, each contributing to the overall cultural landscape over time.

Ethnic Neighborhoods

Clusters of people of the same ethnicity in specific locations, often resulting from chain migration and a response to racism and discrimination.

Gendered Spaces

Places in the cultural landscape that reinforce or accommodate gender roles for men and women.

Centripetal Forces

Characteristics that unify a country and provide stability, such as common language, ethnicity, or religion.

Centrifugal Forces

Characteristics that divide a country and create instability, such as competing ethnicities, languages, or religions.

Sense of Place

Unique attributes of a specific location shaped by cultural influences and feelings evoked by the people in that place.

Traditional Architecture

Architecture influenced by the environment, built with local materials, and reflective of history and culture.

Postmodern Architecture

Diverse design styles in architecture that are representative of popular culture and economic success.

Terrace Farming

An agricultural technique where flat areas are cut out of mountainous terrain to create arable land, common in Asia and Latin America.

Megacity

A metropolitan area with a population of more than 10 million people.

Metacities

Metropolitan areas with a population of more than 20 million people.

Spatial Outcomes of Urbanization

The results of urbanization, such as unplanned city growth and squatter settlements due to factors like population growth and migration.

Global Power City Index (GPCI)

An index that evaluates cities based on their ability to attract people, capital, and businesses.

Functions of GPCI

Includes six functions such as economy, culture, and livability used to rank world cities.

Interconnection

The means of globalization and networks that link world cities.

Diffusion

The spread of new ideas, goods, and services across different regions.

Multinational Corporations

Companies operating in multiple countries that contribute to global economic networks.

Transportation

The movement of goods and people between different world cities.

Popular Culture & Tourism

The influence of cultural events and attractions, like the Olympics and Fashion Week, that connect cities.

Redlining

A form of housing discrimination that began in the 1930s, where banks refused to grant home loans in certain areas based on racial or ethnic composition.

Blockbusting

A practice by real estate agents encouraging white families to sell their homes quickly due to the arrival of African-American families, often leading to decreased property values and higher prices for Black buyers.

Fair Housing Act of 1968

Legislation that made redlining and blockbusting illegal, aiming to address housing discrimination.

Food Deserts

Areas where residents lack access to affordable, healthy food options due to the absence of grocery stores within convenient traveling distance.

Environmental Injustice

Situations where communities of color and low-income populations are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards, such as air and water pollution.

Disamenity Zones

Locations that are typically unsafe and disconnected from city services, often characterized by high crime rates and poverty.

Urban Renewal

Federal government programs aimed at redeveloping and modernizing blighted urban areas, often resulting in the construction of new housing and infrastructure.

Ecological Footprint

A measure of human demand on the Earth’s ecosystems, indicating how fast resources are consumed compared to how quickly nature can regenerate those resources.

Sanitation Issues

Problems arising from inadequate sewage systems and open defecation, leading to health risks and infectious diseases.

Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB)

Policies aimed at controlling urban sprawl by establishing limits on how far a city can expand, encouraging high-density development within designated areas.

Sustainable City

A city that focuses on reducing environmental impact and enhancing livability, including factors like education, employment, transportation, and social supports.

Smart Growth

A sustainable urban design policy aimed at reducing urban sprawl by developing sustainable and efficient urban spaces.

Mixed-Use Development

A planned urban development that combines multiple uses such as residential, commercial, educational, and recreational facilities, in contrast to traditional zoning.

Walkability

The characteristic of urban development that allows residents to safely and conveniently walk or bike to key locations, reducing urban sprawl and pollution.

Transportation Oriented Development

Urban development model that emphasizes access to public transportation to reduce traffic congestion and pollution while promoting mixed-use development.

Greenbelts

Protected areas of green space surrounding urban areas that help limit urban sprawl and protect local wildlife habitats.

Slow Growth Cities

A sustainable urban design policy aimed at decreasing the outward growth of cities to reduce urban sprawl, often using zoning restrictions and greenbelts.

Qualitative Data

Data that includes descriptive characteristics or perceptions about a topic, typically gathered through means like personal interviews and narratives.

Quantitative Data

Data that involves measurable statistics or numbers, often used to inform city governments about population changes and urban development.

Urban Sprawl

The uncontrolled expansion of urban areas into surrounding rural land.

Livability

The quality of life in an urban area, including access to education, employment, and social services.

De facto segregation

A form of segregation that occurs through economic factors, resulting in low-income families and people of color being unable to afford urban housing.

Bid-Rent Theory

The theory that land value is influenced by its distance from the market or city center (CBD), with the most desirable land being nearer to the CBD.