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%