WHAT IS IT?

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE

Culture is a way of life for people who share similar beliefs and customs.

Social Scientist divide culture into eight different elements called cultural traits. Recognizing these common elements in people helps us realize if a particular group is a culture.

THE EIGHT ELEMENTS OF CULTURE The following slides outline the

different elements of culture. Please keep in mind, just because a group exhibits one of these elements, that doesn’t automatically make them a culture. In order for a group to be designated as a culture, they must exhibit several of these elements.

SOCIAL GROUPS

One can study cultures by looking at the different groups that exist in society. People in groups all share a common factor (rich, poor, middle class, young, old, roles of men and women etc.).

Some groups share a common history, language, religion and certain physical characteristics. These are known as ethnic groups.

LANGUAGE

Sharing a language is one of the strongest unifying forces for a culture.

Sometimes within the same language, groups will share their own dialect.

Define the world dialect on your own (in your notes).

RELIGION

In many cultures, religion helps people answer the basic questions about life’s meaning. In many parts of the world, people’s ideas about religion is different from our own ideas here in America.

Look at the map on p.81 of your textbook and noticed where different religions are practiced in different countries around the world.

DAILY LIFE

What a person does in his/her everyday life is another way to identify if that person belongs to particular culture.

NOT EVERYONE EATS WITH FORKS AND KNIVES!!! Some use chopsticks (Asian cultures), while others simply just eat with their hands (Middle Eastern, Indian and African cultures).

HISTORY

History shapes how we view the world. People of the same culture share a common history.

History tells the stories of how a culture came into being. It also helps unify people through shared experiences (times of distress, war, celebration of accomplishments).

ARTS

People often express their culture through the arts.

Paintings, architecture, dance, music, and literature specific to a culture help offer insight into how a groups thinks, feels and views the world.

GOVERNMENT

People need rules in order to live together without conflict. Every culture views government differently.

Define the following words in your notes:

democracy, representative democracy, direct democracy, dictatorship, monarchy.

ECONOMY

How a group of people produce, buy and sell is culture specific. Some people farm or manufacture products. Others provide services such as designing clothes or preparing food. All of these things are important in determining how people in a specific culture make a living.

CULTURAL CHANGE

Cultures do not always remain the same. Trade, movement of people, and war often spread cultures to new places. When this happens, it is known as cultural diffusion.

Over time, historians have been able to trace changes people have made in their cultures. Many of these changes occurred out of necessity (People moved in search of food, jobs, shelter). When people moved, they brought their culture with them (cultural diffusion).

CULTURAL REGIONS

Regions are areas that share common characteristics.

Today these different areas of the word are defined as cultural regions by geographers.

Cultural regions share similar economics systems, forms of government, social groups, religions, language, history, and way of life.

HOMEWORK

Complete chapter 3, section 1 (1-8) questions and answers. This is due Tuesday February 17th. Have a good weekend. Do not come to school on Monday because I won’t be here!