Unit 3: Part 1 Outline Intro to Culture Folk Culture Popular Culture

Part 1: Introduction to Culture

Where does culture come from? How do we adapt to culture? Introduction to Culture What is Culture What is culture made of? Where does culture come from? How do we adapt to culture?

Section A: What is Culture?

Create your own definition: Culture comes from the Latin word Cultura which means “to cultivate”.

Culture is the mix of values, beliefs, behaviors, and material objects that form(i.e. cultivate) a people’s way of life.

Describe the culture of your classroom, school, town, and state.

How do we study culture?

Culture Cultural Geography Cultural Landscapes Cultural Ecology

What is cultural geography?

Cultural geography is the study of how and why cultures vary over space.

What is the cultural landscape?

Cultural landscapes are places that reveal a society’s cultural identity through nature as well as through architecture and artifacts.

Four Types of Cultural Landscapes

The Vatican in Rome, Italy Designed Landscape: Consciously designed to embody the cultural ideals of the designer(s). The Vatican in Rome, Italy

Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico Vernacular Landscape: A landscape that comes about through the use of people over time. Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Historic Site: A landscape that is important because of a historical event, activity, or person. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Ethnographic Landscape: A landscape that contains both natural and cultural resources important to a certain group of people. The Ganges River, India

Locate and describe a cultural landscape that is important to you Locate and describe a cultural landscape that is important to you. What kind is it?

What is cultural ecology?

Cultural ecology studies the relationship between the natural environment and culture.

Cultural Ecology: Schools of Thought Environmental Determinism Social Culture is developed completely by the environment. Similar environments produce similar cultures. Possibilism People develop culture as much as environment. The environment provides possibilities for a culture. Technology increases the possibilities. Environmental Perception Perception of the environment affects culture. Perception is developed by the teachings of culture. Cultural Determinism Human culture is more important than the physical environment. Humans determine the environment.

Explain the school(s) of thought that best explains the following scenario:

A small, undiscovered community is located on the coast of South America. The food they consume is fish and they spend much of their time sacrificing to the gods who visit wrath upon them in the form of large, windy storms that periodically destroy their village when they are angered.

Section B: What is culture made of?

Habit Custom Culture A repetitive act that an individual performs A habit of a group that becomes an identifying characteristic. Culture A collection of group customs.

Material Culture (Artifacts) Houses Furniture Instruments Books Built Environment is the tangible impact of human beings on the landscape.

Nonmaterial Culture Values ? Beliefs Behaviors Norms

Cultural Realm Culture Region Culture System Culture Complex Culture Trait A single attribute of a culture. Often not confined to a single area. The combination of different cultural traits in distinctive ways. Common values, beliefs, behaviors, and artifacts that make one place distinct. A group of interconnected culture complexes. Any area with strong cultural ties that bind its people together. An area marked by culture that distinguishes it from other regions. A large area marked by a number of cultural regions. It is set apart from other world areas because of these regions.

What are the traits, complexes, and systems that make up your community?

Section C: Where does culture come from?

What is a cultural hearth?

A cultural hearth is the area where a cultural trait first began.

Early cultural hearths were almost completely determined by their physical environment – IE. Environmental Determinism.

What are independent inventions?

Independent Inventions are cultural traits that develop in many hearths apart from interaction with one another.

Marriage is an example of an independent invention.

Why do you think independent invention occurs?

What is cultural diffusion?

Cultural Diffusion is the spread of culture to areas surrounding the cultural hearth.

Review: What are the four types of diffusion?