What is Culture?

There are 7 Themes of Culture Social Organization Customs and Traditions Language Arts and Literature Religion Forms of Government Economic Systems

Social Organization Family is the most important social unit Through family, children learn how to act, behave, what to believe, and the rules of a society Family patterns differ from culture to culture culture and knowledge is passed from one generation to another through discussion, observations, actions and discipline

Family Structure Nuclear Family includes a wife, husband and their children typical family pattern in industrial countries like the US Extended Family several generations living in one household may include grandparents, parents, children, aunts uncles, cousins, etc.

Social Classes Societies are divided in many ways, there are ranking systems Here in the United States it is based upon such things as education money physical possessions who you know In some societies you are born into a social class and you can not move out of it

Customs and Traditions These help to teach and enforce a societies rules and expectations these can include the idea of right and wrong these can include ceremonies, holidays, family gatherings or events

Language Language is the cornerstone of Culture it is how cultures express their ideas and pass them on from one generation to another it can be verbal, non-verbal, written, including many different dialects, for example: a southern accent a New York accent

Arts and Literature Cultures express their ideas and beliefs through their art folk tales and other literature can express the view points of cultures art, music, and literature help to strengthen a cultures identity

Religion Religion helps people to answer basic questions about the meaning and purpose of life. It also helps to support the values of a culture religion is often reflected in paintings, music, architecture religion has also been the source of many wars

Different gods Monotheism the belief in only one god examples: Christianity Islam Judaism Polytheism the belief in two or more gods examples: Hinduism Paganism

Forms of Government Why are Governments Formed? Governments were originally formed to help people meet their basic needs keeping order protecting their society from outside threats food shelter government refers to the people or person in control and the laws and political institutions

Early Governments For much of human history, people lived in small groups government was fairly simple, usually chiefs or councils made decisions for the tribe or group as society expanded, government become more complicated Early society were often lead by Priest-Kings, they were the connection between the gods and the people

What makes up a Government? Someone or some body of people make the important decisions there are laws and punishments for breaking those laws there is a means of enforcing those laws there are officials to help run the government governments must raise funds so they can function

Forms of Government There are many types of government for example: Democracy Republic Monarchy Constitutional Monarchy Communist Socialist Dictatorship

Brief Explanations Democracy - the people have supreme power, and are involved in all decisions Republic - people elect representatives to vote for them on government matters Monarchy - a king or queen run the country Constitutional Monarchy - a king or queen shares power with an elected body, each keeps the other in check

Brief Explanations continued Communism - no private property, everyone owns everything, there are no class distinctions, the government makes all the economic decisions Socialism - state owns the means of production, people in theory work together to achieve the greater good for society Dictatorship - a person or group take power, often through military force and use the military to maintain their power

Economic Systems What is economics? social science that deals with the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services What does economics have to do with Culture? Economics influences the way we live, our lifestyle, our living situation, what we eat, wear, listen too, see on the media, etc.

Economic Systems There are four economic systems Traditional economy Market economy Command economy Mixed Economy Each addresses the three basic economic questions of life: “What goods and services should we produce?” “How should we produce them?” “For whom should we produce them?”

Traditional Market People produce most of what they need to survive hunting, gathering, and growing their own crops make their own clothes, tools, etc. if they have extra they trade for other goods Individuals answer the basic economic questions they buy and sell goods and services they work for money to buy these goods government is not involved in the market place

Command Mixed The government controls what goods are produced, how they are produced, and what they cost individuals have little economic power the government controls the factories and the stores Individuals make some economic decisions and the government makes others government might make regulations about a product but private businesses make the products