Human GeographyHuman GeographyPeople and PlacesPeople and Places Chapter 4 Section 1

The Elements of CultureThe Elements of Culture

““As the soil, however rich it may be, cannot As the soil, however rich it may be, cannot be productive without cultivation, so the be productive without cultivation, so the mind without culture can never produce mind without culture can never produce good fruit.”good fruit.” – – Seneca, Roman philosopherSeneca, Roman philosopher

VocabularyVocabulary

Using the following terms, students can define “culture”

cultureculture acculturationacculturation cultural cultural hearthhearth

ethnicityethnicity innovationinnovation religionreligion

societysociety dialectdialect diffusiondiffusion

““Culture is the widening of the mind Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit.” and of the spirit.” Jawaharlal NehruJawaharlal Nehru

Defining CultureDefining Culture

•How do you know what you How do you know what you know?know?•Where did you get that Where did you get that knowledge from?knowledge from?•What kind of an “attitude” do What kind of an “attitude” do you have?you have?•What is your behavior like?What is your behavior like?•Is this all yours individually or Is this all yours individually or was it “passed down” to you?was it “passed down” to you?

““A culture is made -- or A culture is made -- or destroyed -- by its articulate destroyed -- by its articulate voices.” – voices.” – Ayn RandAyn Rand

SocietySociety

A group that A group that sharesshares

•A geographic A geographic regionregion

•A sense of A sense of identityidentity

•A cultureA culture

CULTURECULTUREI. Features of a society

A. Way of life1. Language, food, religion,

music, government, clothing, economy, family life, etc.

CultureCulture

Can involveCan involve

•Food and shelterFood and shelter•ReligionReligion•RelationshipsRelationships•LanguageLanguage•EducationEducation•SecuritySecurity•Political affiliationPolitical affiliation•Creative ExpressionCreative Expression

““What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions.” – differences, their attractions and repulsions.” – Octavio PazOctavio Paz

World ReligionsWorld Religions“Matters of religion should never be matters of controversy. We neither argue with a lover about his taste, not condemn him, if we are just, for knowing so human a passion.” – George Santayana

World LanguagesWorld Languages“Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.” Goethe

SpanglishSpanglish

"There are many people out "There are many people out there that speak English, there that speak English, Spanish and Spanish and Spanglish. It is a language that, to this day, academics [distrust], that politicians only recently have begun to take it more into consideration. But poets, novelists and essayists have realized that it is the key to the soul of a large portion of the population."

Ethnic GroupEthnic Group

A group that has its A group that has its

own identity own identity

within societywithin society

Different language (dialect)Different language (dialect) Live in a specific territoryLive in a specific territory Distinct social organizationDistinct social organization Does ethnic = race?Does ethnic = race?

InnovationInnovation

Taking existing technology Taking existing technology and resources and creating and resources and creating something new to meet a something new to meet a needneed

DiffusionDiffusion

The spread of ideas, inventions or patterns of behavior

MexAmerica Foods MexAmerica Foods Inc. is a family owned Inc. is a family owned and operated and operated companycompany

The Southwest used to have only a handful of Spanish-language radio stations. Today, no major city in United States without a Spanish station. Broadcast and cable television bring full-time Spanish programming as far north as San Francisco, just as it brings English television as far south as Mexico City.

Univision has grown to be the largest Univision has grown to be the largest Spanish-language media outlet in the Spanish-language media outlet in the U.S. Telemundo is its chief rival.U.S. Telemundo is its chief rival.

Cultural HearthCultural Hearth

A site of A site of innovationinnovation from which from which basic ideas, materials and basic ideas, materials and technology technology diffusediffuse to many to many culturescultures

Marlon Brando, one of Hollywood’s icons, died recently leaving an estate of $21 million in disarray

TinseltowTinseltownn

The icons of The icons of Hollywood are Hollywood are watched and watched and imitated imitated worldwide.worldwide.

AcculturationAcculturation

It occurs It occurs when a when a society society changes changes because because it accepts it accepts or adopts or adopts an an innovatioinnovationn

How does this picture show acculturation?How does this picture show acculturation?

ReviewReview

Think of some recent “innovation”Where was its “cultural hearth”?How did it “diffuse” to you?Why did you accept it?

(acculturation)