AP HG Vocab (based on 2019 CED) - Unit 3

Acculturation

The adoption of cultural traits, such as language, by one group under the influence of another.

Animism

Belief that objects such as plants and stones, or natural events, have a discrete spirit and conscious life.

Architecture

The art or practice of designing and constructing buildings.

Artifacts

The material manifestation of culture, including tools, housing, systems of land use, clothing, etc.

Assimilation

The process of a person or group losing the cultural traits that made them distinct.

Buddhism

A religion that came from Hinduism, emphasizing personal salvation and ethical living.

Caste System

A rigid set of social classes that provides privileges for the higher classes and limits for the lower classes.

Christianity

A monotheistic religion founded on the teachings of Jesus, split from Judaism.

Contagious Diffusion

When a cultural trend is transmitted from person to person, similar to a virus.

Creole or Creolized language

A pidgin language that has developed a more complex structure and becomes a native language.

Cultural Convergence

When two cultures become more similar due to frequent interactions.

Cultural Divergence

When a culture splits into different cultures due to lack of interaction.

Cultural Hearth

The origin of a culture or cultural trait.

Cultural Identity

Sense of feeling or belonging to a group.

Cultural Landscape

Visible changes humans make to the environment, including buildings, crops, and signs.

Cultural Relativism

The idea that a person's beliefs should be understood based on their own culture.

Culture

A group of belief systems, norms, and values practiced by a people.

Custom

Something that a group of people does repeatedly, becoming part of their culture.

Dialect

Different forms of the same language used by groups with some different vocabulary and pronunciations.

Enclave

A community or group trapped and surrounded by an unfriendly population or government.

Ethnic (folk) culture

Cultural traditions held by a specific ethnic group, often localized.

Ethnic religion

A religion focused on a single ethnic group that doesn't appeal to all people.

Ethnocentrism

Judging people based on your own cultural standards.

Expansion diffusion

A trend that spreads from its originating place outward.

Fundamentalism

Strict adherence to the basic principles of a religion.

Hierarchical diffusion

The spread of features or trends from larger cities to smaller ones.

Hinduism

One of the oldest religions, focused on a Universal Soul with many gods.

Indigenous people/communities

The original settlers of a region, compared to more recent settlers.

Indo-European

A language family including Germanic, Romance, and Slavic languages.

Islam

A monotheistic religion founded by Muhammad, centered around the Quran.

Isogloss

A geographic boundary in which a particular linguistic feature occurs.

Judaism

A monotheistic religion based on the teachings of Abraham among the Jewish people.

Language extinction

A language no longer spoken as a native language by any community.

Language family

A collection of languages descended from an original proto-language.

Lingua franca

A language used for trade among speakers of different languages.

Mentifacts

Central elements of a culture expressing its values and beliefs.

Monotheism

Belief in one god.

Multiculturalism

The co-existence of various ethnic groups without sacrificing their identities.

Official language

A language adopted by a country to tie its people together.

Pidgin language

A simplified language that develops from contact between speakers of different languages.

Pilgrimage

A journey to a location with religious significance.

Polytheism

Worship more than one deity, even thousands.

Popular Culture

A large culture that incorporates heterogeneous populations and experiences rapid changes.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of something starting from centers lacking importance or power.

Reverse Hierarchical Diffusion

When traits spread from smaller places to larger ones.

Sacred space

Places infused with religious meaning, invoking reverence or fear.

Secularism

A philosophy interpreting life based purely on the material world.

Sense of place

A strong feeling of identity deeply felt by inhabitants and visitors.

Sequent Occupance

The idea that the current landscape is a combination of all previous societies.

Sikhism

A religion that emerged from the blending of Hinduism and Islam.

Sociofacts

Institutions and links between individuals that unite a culture.

Stimulus diffusion

When an idea spreads but changes in the process.

Syncretism

The blending of traits from two different cultures to form a new trait.

Taboo

Something that is forbidden by a culture or religion.

Universalizing religion

A religion that attempts to appeal to all people, not limited to a regional focus.