WHAT IS CULTURE?

Unit 3 – Human Geography CULTURE NOTES Chapter 1 Fri., Sept. 19, 2014 Mrs. Dent Most of this information is NOT in your textbook!

Q: What is CULTURE? A: The values, beliefs, aspirations, modes of behavior, social institutions, knowledge, and skills that define a group of people’s way of life.

Culture is ALL Things! It’s reflected in what foods we eat, what music we listen to, what religion we practice, what clothes we wear, what type of housing we live in, what skills we learn, what language we speak… We’re born into it, we inherit it, we pass it on to our children…

More About Culture… Material Culture: Tangible things people make (examples: buildings, food, clothing, art, literature, etc.)Material Culture: Tangible things people make (examples: buildings, food, clothing, art, literature, etc.) Non-Material Culture: Intangible creations of society (examples: religion, language, behavior, etiquette, ideas, etc.)Non-Material Culture: Intangible creations of society (examples: religion, language, behavior, etiquette, ideas, etc.)

1.Social Organizations Help people work together to meet needs; provide structure to lives/society, communication, etc.  Family—Most important unit of social organization. Found in all cultures, children learn basic rules and beliefs. (Nuclear, extended, matriarchal, patriarchal)  Social Classes—People ranked in order of status. Based on something society values. (money, education, beauty, career).  Social Groups—Joined for pleasure, support, camaraderie, competition. (Clubs, sports, church groups, etc).

2. Customs and Traditions  Rules of behavior for society, enforced through social pressure/laws by family, community, gov’t.  Table manners, traffic laws, holiday rituals, ceremonies, celebrations, events, etc.

3. Language All cultures have spoken languages, not all have written languages. Allows people to communicate ideas, thoughts, and feelings. People pass what they know to future generations.

4. Arts and Literature  Reflects and illustrates a cultures’ values and identity – creates pride.  Music, TV, movies, books, magazines, paintings, sculpture, dancing, etc.

5. Religion Helps people answer questions about meaning and purpose of life. Monotheism: belief in only one god. Polytheism: belief in more than one god. Common religions include: Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism, etc.

6. Forms of Government Government provides for common needs of society, and helps organize society Organizational Structures of Governments (Unitary, Federal, Confederate) Levels of Representation (Democracy, Republic, Dictatorship, Monarchy, etc.)

7. Economic Systems How people use limited resources to meet unlimited needs. Three basic Questions: 1. What goods/services should be produced/provided? 2. How will these goods/services be produced? 3. Who are the goods/services produced for?  Type of Economic System (Traditional, Market, Command, Mixed, etc.) depends on the degree to which the government answers these 3 questions

 Creation and implementation of new tools and ideas into society.  Affects the ways by which needs and wants of the culture are met.  Can cause significant changes in society both positive and negative.  Examples: cell phones, lap tops, etc. 8. Technology

How Does Culture Change?  Cultural Diffusion: the spread of traits from one culture to another.  Cultural Acculturation: the process of adapting traits from other cultures.