Cultural Geography

Ms. Lawler

What is culture?• Specialized behavioral patterns, understandings,

adaptations, and social systems that summarize a group of people’s learned way of life

• Learned, not biological• Transmitted within a society to next generations by

imitation, tradition, instruction

• What we care about

• What we care for

What does culture include?

• Language• Religion• Architecture• Clothing• Food• Gender relations

• Music• Agriculture• Art• Tolerance• Education• Technology

Cultural Regions

Cultural ChangeThree ways of change-• Innovation: introduction of new ideas, practices, or objects;

usually, an alteration of custom or culture that originates within the social group itself

• Diffusion: Process by which an idea/innovation is transmitted from one individual/group to another across space

• Acculturation: Adoption of cultural traits, “Borrowing”- Religion, technologyThrough force- War, subjugation Absorption - Most extreme; Extinction of culture can occur

Language- Why is it so important?

Population- Where is everyone?

Religion

• A set of beliefs – existence of a higher power, spirits or god

– an explanation of the origins and purpose of humans and their role on earth

– Which involves rituals, festivals, rites of passage and space (religious landscapes)

• Monotheism: existence of only one god.

• Polytheism: existence of many gods.

Judaism• Origin and Diffusion

Ethnic Religion (origins of Christianity)

• Basic Precepts– Belief in One God– Torah - original 5 chapters of Bible– Prophecy of Moses– Coming of the Messiah still to come– Atonement accomplished by

sacrifices, penitence & good deeds

Christianity• Origin and Diffusion

Palestine (modern Israel) Universalizing Religion

• What are the 3 branches? – Branches Roman Catholic Protestant Eastern Orthodox

• 2 billion adherents make it most practiced in the world.

• Originated in Bethlehem (8-4 BC) and Jerusalem (AD 30) with Jesus Christ.

• Spread by missionaries and the Roman Empire (Constantine A.D. 313).

• It is the most practiced religion in Africa today.

Islam• Origin and Diffusion

Mecca, Muhammad Universalizing Religion

• Branches Sunni (majority) Shiite

• 1 billion + adherents• Basic Precepts

Submission to the will of God (Allah) Lineage - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, & Mohammed

(different lineage) Holy Book - Koran - built on Old Testament Five (5) pillars of faith

Creed “There is no God but Allah” (faith)Prayer 5 times a day facing Mecca (prayerGiving to the poor (charity)

Month of Ramadan (fasting)Pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj)

Hinduism

• Ethnic religion almost exclusively in India

• Oldest religion in Asia (1500 B.C)

• No authority or holy book (ancient scriptures)

• Polytheistic (perceived)

– Numerous Gods

– Yet one reality - Brahman - one God

• 900 million + adherents primarily in India

• Hinduism is an ancient term for the complex and diverse set of religious beliefs practiced around the Indus River.

• Reincarnation - endless cycles. Karma and Yoga.

• Coastlines and river banks most sacred sites.

• Vishnu and Shiva most common of hundreds of deities.

Buddhism• Origin and Diffusion

Founder: Siddhartha Gautama Universalizing Religion

• Branches Theravada Mahayana Zen

• 300 million + adherents primarily in China and S.E. Asia

• By 6th century it had lost its hold on India, but was now in Korea and Japan.

• Basic Precepts Buddha - the enlightened one

Nirvana - highest degree of consciousness 4 noble truths

Life involves suffering Cause of suffering is desire Extinguish desire Nirvana reached through 8 fold path

His Holiness the 14th Dali Lama

Ethnic Asian Religions

• Confucianism– moral code

• Daoism– philosophy of harmony & balance

• Shintoism– Japanese traditional religion

Animism (Shamanism) • the belief that all objects, animals, and

beings are “animated” or possess a spirit and a conscious life. Also called shamanism because of the prominence of a Shaman.

• Such beliefs are common among hunter-gatherers.

• 10% of Africans follow such traditional ethnic religions.

• These beliefs are losing ground to Christianity and Islam throughout Africa.

Population Distribution

• 90 % of all people live north of the Equator• 2/3 of this total are in the mid-latitudes of 20

– 60 degrees north (most temperate)• More than ½ the world population lives on

only 5% of the earth’s land• 2/3 live on 10%• 9/10 on less than 20%