AP Human Geography Unit 3 Notes

Culture can be material or non-material.
- Material culture: Physical objects (e.g., clothing).
- Non-material culture: Intangible things, such as values, social norms, language, symbols, rituals.
Subculture: A group within a larger society sharing distinct beliefs, values, and practices (e.g., an AP Human Geography class within a school).

Ethnocentrism: Judging another culture from the perspective of one's own culture.
Cultural relativism: Judging a culture by its own standards; understanding a culture from its own perspective without necessarily agreeing with it.

Past cultures shaping present-day society by leaving marks on communities, the environment, and built/cultural landscapes.

Patterns: Agricultural, recreational, commercial, residential, industrial, transportation.
Insights gained: Societal priorities, values, economy, and jobs can be inferred from land use.
Example: The prevalence of personal vehicles over public transport in many U.S. cities indicates societal values.

Place is made up of physical components and human characteristics.
Place making: A community transforming a public area for different activities, unifying the community.
- Connects to the term "centripetal force", which pulls people together.
- The opposite is "centrifugal force", which pushes people apart.
Sense of place: An emotional connection people have with a specific area, stemming from familiarity and unique characteristics.
Placelessness: A place not invoking any strong response due to a lack of unique characteristics, often resulting from homogenized landscapes.
Built environment: Human-made structures shaping the physical characteristics of a place, contributing to the sense of place and cultural landscape.

Two Broad Types:
- Relocation: Physical movement of a cultural group or trait from one place to another, shrinking the origin point.
- Expansion: Spread of a cultural trait or group through person-to-person contact, expanding the origin point.
Types of Expansion Diffusion:
- Contagious: Trait spreads without barriers, regardless of social class or power (e.g., viral videos, citrus smell).
- Hierarchical: Top-down system of diffusion through a power structure (e.g., corporate decisions).
- Reverse Hierarchical: Starts at the bottom and works its way up (e.g., pickleball).
- Stimulus: The idea or trait spreads, leading to innovation and changes (e.g., McDonald's adapting menus).

Colonialism, imperialism, and trade.
Lingua franca: A language commonly used between people who speak different languages (e.g., English).
Creolization: Different cultures come together and mix, creating new cultural practices, languages, and identities.
*Note: Traditionally linked to colonizations.
Diaspora: The dispersion of any group of people from their original homeland, typically due to forced migration (e.g., Atlantic slave trade).

Globalization, urbanization, technological advancements, military, political and economic relationships.
Technology & Social media:
*Can lead to more diffusion of ideas, goods, and new information.

Cultural convergence: Cultures become more similar over time, due to globalization and increased interaction.
Cultural divergence: Cultures become more distinct due to separation, leading to unique cultural identities.

Focus on:
- Origin points.
- Places of worship.
- Brief description of faith.
- How they interact with the cultural landscape.
- Diffusion patterns.
Universalizing Religions (seeking to appeal to all people)
- Christianity (church)
- Islam (mosque)
- Buddhism (pagoda)
- Sikhism (Golden Temple)
Ethnic Religions:
- Hinduism (temple)
- Judaism (synagogue)

Assimilation: Adopting the cultural norms/practices of the dominant group in society.
Acculturation: A culture taking on certain traits of another without losing the original culture.
Syncretism: Two or more cultures evolve and change over time, remaining distinct but exhibiting mutual influences.
Multiculturalism: A society with a lot of diversity where difference cultures coexist.