Unit 3: Cultural Unit 3: Cultural GeographyGeography

Cultural geography is the study of Cultural geography is the study of the impact of human culture on the the impact of human culture on the landscape. This includes aspects landscape. This includes aspects such as population, language, such as population, language, religion, politics, and economics.religion, politics, and economics.

The Five Themes of The Five Themes of GeographyGeography

Location where something isLocation where something is

Place Place describes the physical & describes the physical & humanhuman

characteristics that make a characteristics that make a location unique location unique

RegionsRegions areas that share common areas that share common characteristics characteristics

Movement - explains how and why Movement - explains how and why people, things, & people, things, &

ideas move ideas move and are relatedand are related

Human-environment interaction -Human-environment interaction -describes the describes the

relationship relationship between people between people and their and their environmentenvironment

World PopulationWorld Population

Current world population is about 7 Current world population is about 7 billionbillion

About 30% of Earth’s land is inhabitedAbout 30% of Earth’s land is inhabited

Global population has more than Global population has more than doubled since 1800doubled since 1800

DemographicsDemographics

DemographyDemography is the study of is the study of populations. populations. Much data is Much data is utilized in studying utilized in studying demographics. demographics. Demography relies Demography relies heavily on heavily on statistics to learn about statistics to learn about population population growth.growth.

Population growth is determined by a number Population growth is determined by a number of factors:of factors:

Birthrate - number of births per year for every Birthrate - number of births per year for every 1,000 1,000 peoplepeople

Death rate - number of deaths every year per Death rate - number of deaths every year per 1,000 1,000 peoplepeople

Natural increase - difference between an area’s Natural increase - difference between an area’s birthrate and death rate; also called growth birthrate and death rate; also called growth

raterate

Migration - movement of people from place to Migration - movement of people from place to placeplace

Population DistributionPopulation Distribution

Population density – GeographersPopulation density – Geographers determine how crowded a determine how crowded a

country or country or region is by measuring region is by measuring its its population population density—thedensity—the number of people living number of people living on a on a square mile or square kilometer of square mile or square kilometer of land.land.

Global Population Global Population DistributionDistribution

Global Population Global Population DistributionDistribution

Population movement – People move Population movement – People move for a for a wide variety of reasons. wide variety of reasons. Some people Some people move from one city move from one city to another looking to another looking for different for different opportunities. Others opportunities. Others move from move from crowded crowded urbanurban areas to areas to suburbssuburbs in in an effort to get away from an effort to get away from adverse conditions. Many people adverse conditions. Many people move move from from ruralrural areas to cities areas to cities looking for looking for greater economic greater economic opportunities.opportunities.

The resulting growth of city The resulting growth of city populations is called populations is called urbanizationurbanization..

UrbanUrban

SuburbanSuburban

RuralRural

CultureCulture Culture – the way of life of a group of Culture – the way of life of a group of

people who share similar beliefs and people who share similar beliefs and customs.customs.

Culture may be understood by looking at:Culture may be understood by looking at: LanguageLanguage ReligionReligion SocietySociety HistoryHistory ArtArt Government/politicsGovernment/politics EconomyEconomy

LanguageLanguage

Language is a key element in a Language is a key element in a culture’s development. Through culture’s development. Through language, people communicate language, people communicate information and experiences and pass information and experiences and pass on cultural values and traditionson cultural values and traditions

Within a culture there are language Within a culture there are language differences. Some people speak a differences. Some people speak a dialectdialect, or a local variation of language , or a local variation of language that differs from the main language.that differs from the main language.

ReligionReligion

Religious beliefs vary significantly Religious beliefs vary significantly around the world, and struggles over around the world, and struggles over religious differences can be a source of religious differences can be a source of conflict.conflict.

In many cultures, religion enables In many cultures, religion enables people to find a sense of identity. It also people to find a sense of identity. It also influences aspects of daily life, from the influences aspects of daily life, from the practice of moral values to the practice of moral values to the celebration of holidays and festivals.celebration of holidays and festivals.

SocietySociety A social system develops to help the A social system develops to help the

members of a culture work together to members of a culture work together to meet basic needs. In all cultures, the meet basic needs. In all cultures, the family is the most important group.family is the most important group.

Most cultures are also made up of Most cultures are also made up of social social classesclasses, groups of people ranked according , groups of people ranked according to ancestry, wealth, education, or other to ancestry, wealth, education, or other criteria.criteria.

An An ethnic groupethnic group is made up of people who is made up of people who share a common language, history, place of share a common language, history, place of origin, or a combination of these elements.origin, or a combination of these elements.

HistoryHistory

A culture’s history can be long or A culture’s history can be long or short, violent or peaceful, of global short, violent or peaceful, of global importance or not. All cultural importance or not. All cultural histories are rich in variety and histories are rich in variety and complexity.complexity.

Cultures use history to legitimize Cultures use history to legitimize their positions on issues and to their positions on issues and to promote their own agendas. Cultural promote their own agendas. Cultural history can be the source of intense history can be the source of intense pride and heated debate. pride and heated debate.

ArtArt Art and architecture, decorative and Art and architecture, decorative and

functional, help define and represent functional, help define and represent a culture’s traditions and values.a culture’s traditions and values.

Items made by everyday people in Items made by everyday people in order to meet their own needs are order to meet their own needs are called called folk artfolk art. These things are often . These things are often decorative and functional. This decorative and functional. This regional regional vernacularvernacular art often reflects a art often reflects a culture’s heritage, values, and culture’s heritage, values, and customs.customs.

GovernmentGovernment

Governments are organizations that Governments are organizations that are set up for a number of reasons. are set up for a number of reasons. Most governments:Most governments:

Maintain order within a countryMaintain order within a country Provide protection from outside dangersProvide protection from outside dangers Supply other services that help stabilize Supply other services that help stabilize

the countrythe country

Governments are organized by levels Governments are organized by levels of power:of power: NationalNational RegionalRegional LocalLocal

Governments are also organized by Governments are also organized by types of authority:types of authority: Single rulerSingle ruler Small group of leadersSmall group of leaders Citizens and their representativesCitizens and their representatives

Levels of GovernmentLevels of Government

Unitary system – all key powers are held Unitary system – all key powers are held by the national or central governmentby the national or central government

Federal system – divides powers Federal system – divides powers between national and state/provincial between national and state/provincial governmentsgovernments

Confederation – loose union of Confederation – loose union of independent territoriesindependent territories

Types of GovernmentsTypes of Governments

Autocracy – any system of Autocracy – any system of government in which the power and government in which the power and authority to rule belong to a single authority to rule belong to a single individualindividual

Monarchy – form of autocracy in which a Monarchy – form of autocracy in which a king or queen exercises supreme power; king or queen exercises supreme power; though rare today, absolute monarchies though rare today, absolute monarchies were very common from 1400s-1700swere very common from 1400s-1700s

Oligarchy – any system of government Oligarchy – any system of government where a small group holds power; these where a small group holds power; these most often come to power through most often come to power through wealth, military power, social position, wealth, military power, social position, or a combination of these elementsor a combination of these elements

Democracy – a system of government Democracy – a system of government in which leaders rule with the consent in which leaders rule with the consent of the citizens; democracy comes to us of the citizens; democracy comes to us from ancient Greece: from ancient Greece: demosdemos = people, = people, kratiakratia = rule; democracy first flourished = rule; democracy first flourished in Greece around the 5in Greece around the 5thth century BC century BC

Republic – people are governed by Republic – people are governed by their representatives; The earliest their representatives; The earliest formal republican government was in formal republican government was in Rome just before the time of ChristRome just before the time of Christ

Our national form of government is a Our national form of government is a federal democratic republic.federal democratic republic.

EconomyEconomy

A culture’s economy can be defined as the A culture’s economy can be defined as the way in which it utilizes its resources to way in which it utilizes its resources to meet human needs. Geographers study meet human needs. Geographers study the ways in which people produce, obtain, the ways in which people produce, obtain, use and sell goods and services.use and sell goods and services.

A culture’s economy may be based on A culture’s economy may be based on industry, tourism, agriculture or other industry, tourism, agriculture or other means. Most countries’ economies are means. Most countries’ economies are varied and complex.varied and complex.

Economic SystemsEconomic Systems

Economic systems address four basic Economic systems address four basic concerns:concerns:

What goods and services should be What goods and services should be producedproduced

How many goods and services should be How many goods and services should be producedproduced

How they should be producedHow they should be produced Who gets the goods and services that are Who gets the goods and services that are

producedproduced

Types of Economic systemsTypes of Economic systems

Traditional economy – habit and Traditional economy – habit and custom determine the rules for all custom determine the rules for all economic activity; Traditional economic activity; Traditional economies exist in very limited parts economies exist in very limited parts of the world.of the world.

Market economy – individuals and Market economy – individuals and private groups make decisions about private groups make decisions about what to produce; market economies what to produce; market economies are based on are based on free enterprisefree enterprise, the , the idea that private individuals or idea that private individuals or groups have the right to own groups have the right to own property or business and make a property or business and make a profit with only limited government profit with only limited government interference.interference.

This type of economic system is also This type of economic system is also called called capitalismcapitalism..

Command economy – the Command economy – the government owns or directs the government owns or directs the means of production—land, labor, means of production—land, labor, capital, and business managers—and capital, and business managers—and controls the distribution of goods. controls the distribution of goods. Citizens have no voice in this type of Citizens have no voice in this type of economy.economy.

SocialismSocialism and and communismcommunism are are examples of command economies.examples of command economies.