UNIT 3 AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

Stimulus diffusion

When a cultural idea spreads but is changed or adapted in a new place, like McDonald's serving different foods in India.

Time-space convergence

The idea that places seem closer together due to faster communication and transportation technologies.

Trade

The exchange of goods, services, or ideas between people or regions, which helps in spreading culture and building economic connections.

Traditional architecture

Building styles that reflect a culture’s history and environmental context, like adobe homes in the American Southwest.

Universalizing religion

A religion that tries to appeal to all people and actively seeks converts, such as Christianity, Islam, or Buddhism.

Landscape

The physical and human features that define a particular area’s appearance, like a city skyline or farmland.

Location

The position of something on Earth’s surface, which can be absolute (using coordinates) or relative (in relation to other places).

Straight line distance

The shortest distance between two places, also referred to as 'as the crow flies.'

Christian ethics

Moral principles based on Christian teachings, emphasizing values such as love, compassion, and justice.

Cultural distance

The difference between two cultures in terms of language, religion, customs, or values.

Cultural hearth

The place where a culture originates and spreads from, such as Mesopotamia for early civilization or Mecca for Islam.

Natural hearth

A place where something (like agriculture or species) first appeared without human intervention.

Natural hazard

A naturally occurring event, such as a hurricane or earthquake, that can impact people and the environment.

Natural neighborhood

An area shaped by both natural and human features, although it's not a standard APHG term.

Dislocation friction

The idea that distance makes interaction harder; often termed 'friction of distance,' though technology can reduce this.

Sikhism

A monotheistic religion founded in India that blends elements of Hinduism and Islam, emphasizing equality, service, and devotion to one God.

Indigenous language family

The original languages spoken by native peoples in a region, like the Algonquian languages in North America.

Dialect

A regional variation of a language, exhibiting unique vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.

Ethnic religion

A religion closely tied to a specific ethnic group or culture, which does not seek converts, like Judaism or Hinduism.

Ethnic neighborhood

A part of a city where people from the same ethnic group live together, such as Little Italy or Chinatown.

Monotheism

The belief in one god, as found in religions like Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.

Pilgrimage

A religious journey to a sacred place, such as Muslims traveling to Mecca (the Hajj).

Polytheism

The belief in many gods, as found in religions like Hinduism or traditional Greek religion.

Religious branch

A large division within a religion, such as Sunni and Shia in Islam or Catholicism and Protestantism in Christianity.

Religious culture region

A geographic area where most people share the same religion or religious traditions.

Religious diffusion

The spread of religion across space, through relocation, expansion, or hierarchical methods.

Religious ecology

The study of how religion shapes people's relationship with the environment, such as sacred groves in India.

Religious landscape

The visible imprint of religion on the land, including temples, mosques, churches, or crosses.

Religious region

An area where a particular religion is dominant or culturally significant.

Sacred space

A place considered holy or spiritually significant, such as the Western Wall in Jerusalem or the Ganges River in India.

Secularism

The belief that religion should not influence government or public life; the separation of church and state.

Shamanism

A traditional belief system where shamans (spiritual healers) communicate with spirits, often found in indigenous cultures.

Syncretism

The blending of different cultural or religious traditions, exemplified by voodoo combining African religion with Christianity.

Animism

The belief that natural objects and phenomena possess spirits, commonly seen in traditional indigenous religions.

Autonomous religion

A religion without a central authority that allows local communities to practice independently, such as Hinduism.

Christianity

A universalizing monotheistic religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Confucianism

A philosophy and ethical system from China focused on respect, education, and social harmony, often considered a philosophy rather than a religion.

Islam

A monotheistic universalizing religion founded on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and the Quran.

Judaism

An ethnic monotheistic religion originating with the Hebrew people, deeply connected to culture and tradition.

Hinduism

An ethnic polytheistic religion from India known for beliefs in reincarnation, karma, and a multitude of gods.

Interfaith boundary

A boundary between major world religions, such as the divide between Islam and Christianity in parts of Africa.

Language branch

A group of related languages within a language family, such as the Romance branch of the Indo-European family.

Language family

A group of languages that share a common origin, like Indo-European.

Language group

A smaller collection of languages within a branch that are very similar, such as Spanish and Italian within the Romance branch.

Language of place

The cultural meaning tied to a place name or the sense of identity it holds.

Lingua franca

A common language used for communication between speakers of different native languages, such as English for international business.

Toponym

The name given to a place, often revealing something about its history or cultural background, like 'New York' or 'San Francisco.'

Small-scale process

Processes that occur locally or in small areas, such as gentrification in a neighborhood.