The document discusses several key concepts related to culture and geography. It defines culture as the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors shared by members of a group. It also explains that culture helps unite group members while also separating them from others. Several aspects of culture are then described, including language, religion, and innovation/diffusion of ideas between societies. River civilizations are highlighted as cultural hearths where ideas and technologies originated and spread. The roles of environment and geography in shaping human cultures are also summarized.

2.  Geography and
the environment
help shape human
cultures, but
humans also use
and alter the
environment to
fulfill their needs.

3.  Human beings are
members of social
groups with shared
and unique sets of
behaviors and
attitudes.

4.  Culture - is the
total of
knowledge,
attitudes, and
behaviors shared
and passed on by
members of a
specific group.

5.  Culture is what helps
people fit into a
particular group.
 It ties people together
and separates them at
the same time.
(ex: Jews/Palestinians,
Hindus/Muslims, Aggies/Tide)

15.  Language
 Education
 Security/Protection
 Political/Social
organization

16.  Society
 is a group that shares a geographic region,
a sense of identity, and a culture.
 ethnic group
is a group of people who share language,
customs and heritage.
Ethnic groups have an identity as a separate
group of people within the region they live.

18.  Innovation –
 Taking existing
technology and
resources and
creating something
new to meet a need.

20.  Diffusion –
 The spread of
ideas,
inventions, and
behaviors from
one society to
another.

32.  In the age of
electronic
technology,
diffusion can
happen very
quickly.

33.  is a site of
innovation
from which
basic ideas,
materials, and
technology
diffuse to
many
cultures.

34.  River civilizations
such as those along
the Indus in India,
Huang He in China,
Nile in Egypt, and
Tigris and Euphrates
in Mesopotamia are
the best known
cultural hearths.

36. Indus River
Nile RiverTigris-Euphrates River
Huang-He River

37.  Acculturation –
 Cultural change that
occurs when
individuals in a
society accept or
adopt an innovation.

38.  Wearing jeans instead
of traditional
garments.
 Having to drink only
bottled water in
certain parts of the
world.
 Business men bowing in
the Far East (Japan).
 A military upgrading its
technology.

40.  Allows people in a
culture to
communicate.
 Reflects all aspects
of culture.

41.  Common language
promotes unity and
nationalism.
 Nationalism –
A strong feeling of pride
in one’s nation.

42.  Language can also divide people
-(Ex: Canada, United States).

43. There are 3,000 – 6,500 languages spoken
worldwide.
There are many different versions of each
language.
 Dialect –
Version of a language that reflects changes in
speech patterns related to class, region, or
other cultural changes.

44.  Language can be spread like any other
element of culture.
 Language is spread most often through trade
routes and migration.
 As people move, the language they carry
with them sometimes takes hold in the
region (Ex: English, Spanish, and French
brought to the N and S America).

45. A belief in a supernatural power or
powers that are regarded as the creators
and maintainers of the universe.
Can establish beliefs and values that
define how people worship and
behave.

47.  Monotheistic – belief in one god
 Polytheistic – belief in many gods
 Animistic or Traditional – belief in divine
forces of nature

48.  Religions spread through diffusion and
converts.
 Converts – people who give up their former
beliefs for a new religion.
 Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism actively
seek converts.
 Judaism and Hinduism do not.

49.  The 5 major religions of the world are:
Judaism
Christianity
Islam
Hinduism
Buddhism.

50.  Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all began
in Southwest Asia,
- they are monotheistic, and share some
similar beliefs, prophets, and teachers.
 http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?ntt=islam&n=18343#selitemsperpage=20&intcurrentpage=1&no=20&n=18343%2

51.  Three major religious groups all claim
Jerusalem in the land of Palestine as their holy
city: Christians, Muslims and the Jews.

52.  Established 3,200 years ago.
 Followers live in Israel, USA, Canada, S
America and European cities.
 Basic laws and teachings come from the
Torah.
 Jerusalem is the religious center of
Judaism.
 http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=92187

53.  Torah establishes
claim to Holy Land
 Believe Holy Land
was gift from God to
Abraham.
 King David brought
ark containing
original Torah here.
 Site of King
Solomon's temple

54.  Evolved 2,000 years ago from Judaism.
 Based on teaching of Jesus Christ.
 Teachings recorded in the Bible.
 Spread from Jerusalem.
 Largest following of all religions (2 billion)
 Three major groups: Roman Catholic,
Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox.

55.  Christians – site of Jesus’ life,
death and resurrection.
 Home to original cross and
stone of Christ’s tomb.
 Site of sacred Church of the
Holy Sepulcher.
 Holds variety of Christian
shrines.

56.  Established around 613 A.D.
 Based on teachings of prophet Muhammad
 Has close ties to the prophets and
teachers of Judaism and Christianity
 Holy book is the Qur’an.
 Two major sects are Sunni and Shiite.
 2nd
largest following in the world.

57.  Qur’an establishes claim that
both Jews and Arabs are
descendants of Abraham.
 Believe God’s gift of Holy
Land to Abraham is meant for
Arabs (first Muslims) too.
 Site of Muhammad’s
ascension into heaven

58.  Dates back 5,000 years.
 Concentrated in India.
 polytheistic
 Religious requirements of
the caste system shape
many aspects of Hindu’s
lives and culture.
 http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=353

59.  Caste System -
 levels of fixed social classes with specific rites and
duties
 Animals play an important role in religion and
culture

61.  Offshoot of Hinduism,
developed 563 B.C.
 Founder –
Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
 Rejects Hindu idea of caste.
 http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=166179

62.  Promotes living the
correct way in order
to reach nirvana, an
enlightened spiritual
state.
 Missionaries spread
teachings to SE Asia,
China, Japan, and
Korea.

63. POPULATION GEOGRAPHY

64.  Question: does the world already have too many people?
Can it support more? If so, where? Which people?
 2008 = 6.6 Billion people (according to Wikipedia)

65.  Population Geographer - studies aspects affecting
population
Birthrate: number of live births per thousand population
according to Wikipedia: Congo is highest with 49.6 per 1000 and Japan is
lowest with 8.2 per 1000

66. average number of children per woman
during childbearing years throughout
lifetime
according to CIA worldbook factbook: Niger is highest with 7.19

67. Mortality Rate: number of deaths per thousand (also
called the death rate)
QUESTION--What would be an ideal or healthy mortality rate?
Infant Mortality Rate: number of deaths among
infants under age one per thousand live births
QUESTION--What nations might you assume have a high infant mortality rate?
Why? Low rate? Why? What factors affect this?
according to the CIA Worldfact book the US has 6.3 per one thousand, ranking
number 46--behind Cuba, most of Europe, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore…
is this surprising? Why or why not?
Other rates studied: perinatal mortality, maternal mortality, child mortality,
standardized mortality rate

68. Rate of natural increase: also known as the growth
rate. Subtract mortality rate from the birth rate
According to the CIA Wolrdfact book the US birth rate is appx. 14 per 1000 and
the death rate is 8 per 1000.
Rate of increase = Birth rate - Death rate = 14 - 8 = 6 per thousand

69.  A graphic device that shows sex and age
distribution.
See page 79
What does a higher elderly age rate mean for a community or society? Young
age? What is most ideal?

70. Habitable Lands
 90% of people live in Northern Hemisphere
 Lands between 20 degrees and 60 degrees N latitude have
very suitable climate and vegetation conditions = more
dense human population
 High population density in coastal regions and river valleys

73.  Lower population density in polar regions,
heavily mountainous regions, desert regions
 More than 1/2 of world’s population lives in
rural areas, but dramatically changing
 Largest city in world = city (proper) = Mumbai,
India at 13 million
QUESTION: What affect does a higher urban
population have on society, nations, the world?

74. Migration
1.Push factors - factors causing people to leave homeland
and migrate to another region.
Environmental conditions
War
Natural disasters
Persecution
2.Pull factors - factors that draw or attract people to
another location
Good economy
High salary
Climate

76. Pop. Den. Is the average number of people who live
in a measurable area (such as square mile or
kilometer).
How to calculate?
Total number of inhabitants/total amount of land.

77. New Jersey has density of app. 1000 people
per square mile and Australia has density
of app. 6 people per square mile…what is
misleading about these figures?
Carrying Capacity: the number of
organisms a piece of land can support
QUESTION--What factors can increase
carrying capacity?

79.  Governmental units of the world can be
described in political or geographic terms.
 State – independent unit in a specific area that
governs their own affairs.
 Nation – group of people with a common culture
living in a territory and having a strong sense of
unity.
 When the 2 are together = nation-state

80.  Democracy – citizens hold power (direct/
representative). EX: United States
 Monarchy – ruling family holds the power
(king/queen). EX: UK or Saudi Arabia
 Dictatorship – an individual or group holds all the
power. EX: North Korea or Afghanistan.
 Communism – nearly all political power and means
of production (economy) are held by the govt. in
the name of the people.

81.  Size – size = power
 Shape
 Affects governing, trade and travel

82.  Location
 Landlocked – no direct route to sea
 Can help increase trade or cause a need for protection

83.  Establishes limits of control
 For taxes, legal codes, languages, resources, etc.
2 basic types:
Natural
Artificial

84.  Natural boundaries
 – based on physical features of the land
 Artificial boundaries
 - fixed line generally following latitude or
longitude lines

87.  Countries are divided into smaller units to
make governing easier.
 EX: Cities, towns, and villages
 Larger political units are:
 Counties, provinces, or states.
 The largest political unit is the United Nations.
 Consists of 200 members
 Work to improve political, cultural, and economic
conditions across the globe.

88.  The study of how people use space in
cities.
 Cities –
Not just areas with large populations
Centers of business and culture.
Often the birthplace of innovation and
change in society.

89.  Suburbs –
- built up area around central city
- political units touching the borders of
the central city or touching other
suburbs that touch the city.

90.  Exurbs
- cities or towns with space btw. them and
the central city.
 Metropolitan area
-Contains the city, its suburbs, and exburbs.
 Megalopolis
 - more than one metropolitan area that has
grown together.

91. Exurb Exurb
Suburbs
Central
City Exurb
Exurb
Exurb

94.  Cities
 are found in places that allow easy
transportation access
 Rivers, coast line, railroads
are found in places with natural resources
EX: gold in CA

95. are often places where goods change
transportation methods
EX: Chicago, IL
 Specialize in what is available around them
 Ex: Pittsburgh – close to iron ore and coal sources =
produce steel

96.  Residential
 Industrial – manufacturing goods
 Commercial – buying and selling of goods
 Central business district – core of the city that
focuses on commercial activities

97.  Business
 Entertainment
 Education
 Cultural activities
 Religious and social services

98.  Economy
 -the production and exchange of goods and
services.
 - are local, regional, national, international
 Geographers study economic geography by
looking at:
- how people in a region support themselves
- how economic activity is linked regionally

99.  Economic system:
 way people produce and exchange goods,
services.
 Four types of economic systems:
- traditional, or barter, economy
- command, or planned, economy
- market economy, also called capitalism
- mixed economy, a combination of command
and market.

100.  Subsistence
agriculture - food is
raised for personal
consumption

101.  market-oriented agriculture - Raising food
to sell to others.
 cottage industries - involve small, home-
based industrial production.
 large industrial production - comes from
commercial industries.

102.  Primary - involves gathering raw materials
for immediate use.
 Secondary - adds value to material by
changing its form.
 Tertiary - involves business or professional
services.
 Quaternary - provides information,
management, research services.

103.  Natural Resources
—Earth’s materials that have economic value
Materials become resources when they can
be turned into goods (3 types)
Renewable
 - (trees, seafood) can be replaced naturally
Nonrenewable
 - (metals, oil, coal) cannot be replaced
Inexhaustible
 -(sun, wind) are unlimited resources

104.  Infrastructure
 —basic support systems to sustain economic
growth
critical to development are:
power communications,
water sanitation
technology education systems
transportation systems
Communications systems

105.  Per capita income: average earnings per
person in a political unit

107.  Gross national product (GNP)
 —statistic to measure the total value of goods,
services produced by a country, globally
 Gross domestic product (GDP)
 -statistic to measure the total value of goods
and services produced within a country

108.  Developing nations
have low GDP& per
capita income
 Developed nations
have high GDP & per
capita income