Global Cultures
Dec 23, 2015
Elements of Culture Culture – the way of life of a group of
people who share similar beliefs and customs
Elements of Culture• Language• Religion• Social Groups• Government• Economic Activities• Culture Regions• Cultural Change
Language Language allows people to
communicate and pass on cultural values and traditions
A shared language is one of the strongest unifying forces for a culture
Dialect – a local version of a language that differs slightly from the main language
Boston Deep South
Religion Religious beliefs
vary significantly around the world
Religious differences can often lead to conflict, but religious similarities tie people together
Social Groups Family – people who
are biologically related
Social classes – groups of people based on wealth, education, ancestry, etc.
Ethnic group – people who share a common language, history, and place of origin.
Government All governments have certain
common traits:• Maintains order within the country• Provides protection from outside dangers• Supplies services to the people
Governments are typically organized by region (local, regional, national) and by type of authority (one ruler, a group of leaders, etc.)
Culture Regions Geographers have divided the earth
into several culture regions Culture regions may share similar
economic systems, forms of government, social groups, religions, histories, etc.
Cultural Change Cultures change over time through a
process called cultural diffusion Example – The Agricultural Revolution
• Around 10,000 years ago humans began to stop roaming the land and began to settle down. They started planting crops and became farmers
• The Agricultural Revolution
Culture Hearths Culture hearths are where the world’s
first civilizations began The world’s main culture hearths include
what is now Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, China, and Mexico.
All 5 of these areas had similar characteristics that made them suitable for starting a civilization: fertile land and near a source of water
Civilizations