AP Human Geography-Unit 3- Culture

culture

shared practices, technologies, attitudes, and behaviors transmitted by a society

cultural realm

The combination of the cultural traits that is in a group that spreads over a region

folk/local culture

how a group of people in a place that see themselves and share customs/traits. OR a small culture that incorporates a homogeneous population that is typically rural and cohesive in cultural traits.

folk food

traditional food EX) barbecue in South

popular culture

large culture that incorporates heterogeneous populations, is typically urban, and experiences quick changing traits.

material culture

the things a group of people constructs that is tangible: food, clothing, architecture, land use.

built environment

part of the physical landscape that represents material culture; the landscape created by humans

nonmaterial culture

language, religion, beliefs, practices, and values of a group of people.

hierarchical diffusion

can occur through a hierarchy of places. The hearth is the point of origin. Large cities to smaller ones (trickles down)

contagious diffusion

idea spreads from person to person

stimulus diffusion

when an exact idea can't be adopted in a certain area (due to cultural barriers, etc.) leading to altering of the idea.EX) non-meat burgers at McDonald's in India

relocation diffusion

The spread of a feature or trend through bodily movement of people from one place to another.

assimilation

the process of making indigenous people adopt the dominant culture and abandon their own culture.

acculturation

The adoption of cultural traits, such as language, by one group under the influence of another., but still keep some traits of their own culture

cultural landscape

the visible imprint of human activity on the landscape

sequent occupance

Cultural imprints made over top of each other, each affect the next, have a lasting imprint EX) In N Africa, Islamic mosques have Roman influences

placelessness

describes the loss of uniqueness in place in the cultural landscape to the point that one place looks like the next EX) subburbs

sense of place

made by the emotions and memories attached to a place. Changes as we and the place change.

language

a set of sounds and symbols that is used for communication

dialect

a variant of a standard language along regional or ethnic liens. Made of differences in: vocab, syntax, pronunciation, cadence, and pace. EX) Southern-English

isogloss

a geographic boundary in which a particular linguistic feature occurs. Rarely a simple line.

language family

way of classifying languages at the global scale. The languages have shared by fairly distant origins. Broken into sub-families. EX) Indo-European language family includes Italian, Spanish, and French

language branches

divisions within a language family, the commonalities are more definite and origins more recent. Consists of individual languages with smaller spatial extents and dialects with even smaller spatial extents EX) Indo-European is broken into branches of Romance, Germanic, and Slavic

language groups

set of languages with a relatively recent common origin and many similar characteristics EX) West Germanic

Indo-European language

a family of several hundred related languages and dialects, including most major languages of Europe, Iran, and northern India, and historically also predominant in Anatolia and Central Asia.

lingua franca

a language used among speakers of different languages for the purposes of trade and commerce.

pidgin language

when people speaking 2 or more languages are in contact and they combine parts of their languages in a simplified structure and vocabulary

creole language

a pidgin language that has developed a more complex structure and a vocabulary and has become a native language of a group of people EX) Swahili

multilingual states

countries in which more than one language is in use EX) US

official language

The language adopted for use by the government for the conduct of business and publication of documents.

ethnicity

Identity with a group of people that share distinct physical and mental traits as a product of common heredity and cultural traditions.

toponyms

place names. often refer to social progress in the area. May impact how people view the place.

ethnic enclaves (neighborhoods)

tight nit neighborhoods within a major city where local cultures have built a world apart to practice their customs EX) Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn, NY

religion

a system of beliefs and practices that attempts to order life in terms of culturally perceived ultimate priorities.

monotheistic religion

worship a singly deity

polytheistic religion

worship more than one deity, even 1000s EX) Hinduism, Vodum/Voodoo

animistic religion

centered on the belief that inanimate objects, such as mts., trees, rivers, and boulders. posses spirits and should be revered. EX) Shamanism

universalizing religions

actively seek converts because they view themselves as offering belief systems and universal appropriateness and appeal. Few in number and of recent origin. EX) Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam

ethnic religion

Adherents are born into the faith and converts are not actively sought. Spatially concentrated, except for Judaism. EX) traditional religions in Africa and SA. Judaism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Shintoism

Hinduism

A religion and philosophy developed in ancient India, characterized by a belief in reincarnation and a supreme being who takes many forms

Reincarnation

A soul is reborn and in Hinduism you are moved up and down in the caste system based off your behavior. The goal is to escape reincarnation through union with Brahman. EX) Hinduism

caste system

locks people into particular social classes and imposes many restrictions, especially to those in lower castes

Sikhism

created by interaction of Hinduism and Islam. Didn't like worship of idols and caste system in Hinduism. EX) wear turbans and forbid hair-cutting

Buddhism

the teaching of Buddha that life is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct and wisdom and meditation releases one from desire and suffering and rebirth

Confucianism

A philosophy that adheres to the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius. It shows the way to ensure a stable government and an orderly society in the present world and stresses a moral code of conduct.

Judaism

grew out of the beliefs of Jews, a nomadic semetic tribe in SW Asia. Based off teachings of Abraham. In Middle East, N Africa, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, and N and S America. Monotheistic.

Christianity

A religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus, monotheistic, bible, Hearth Southwest Asia

Islam

founded by Muhammad, Qu'ran, Allah, monotheistic, 5 pillars, pilgrimage to Mecca/hajj.

Sunni

majority accept rulers who aren't descendants of Muhammad/Ali. EX) many in US and Europe

Shia/Shi'ite

don't accept rulers who aren't descendants of Muhammad. More centralized hierarchical clergy than Sunni. Imams are the source of knowledge. EX) Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Afghanistan

Shamanism

community faith in which people follow their shaman (religious leader) . small, isolated religion. EX) Africa, Native America, SE Asia, and E Asia.

secularism

the indifference to or rejection of formal religion.

Mormonism

Church of the Latter day Saints. Created by Joseph Smith, has similar beliefs to Christianity. Began in NY, then moved to Utah due to persecution.persecution

sacred sites/sacred space

places people infuse with religious meaning (reverence or fear). If infused with reverence, a pilgrimage may be made to the place.

Western Wall Temple Mount in Jerusalem

Jews and Christians sacred site

Dome of the Rock

Muslim sacred site

religious toponym

the origins and meanings of the names of religions EX) St. Peter's Basilica- burial site for Catholic tradition

hajj/hadj

the pilgrimage to Mecca (one of the 5 pillars of Islam)

enclave

a distinct region or community enclosed within a larger territory

genocide

A mass killing of people EX) Holocaust

ethnic cleansing

a mass killing of a specific group of people EX) Serbian campaign for ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians (Muslims) who demanded autonomy.

theocracy

a government in which religion rules Ex) Taliban

religious fundamentalism

religious movement whose objectives are to return to the foundations of the faith and to influence state policy

Shari'a Law

the legal framework within public and some private aspects of life are regulated for those living in a legal system based on Muslim principles

jihad

Islamic holy war